Using the Site

There are two main branches to Revolution Earth: a blog and a forum.  Anyone can post anything to either branch, but the blog is better suited to current events because all posts will eventually be buried in the archives.  Forum posts will remain visible longer, so it should be better suited to topics of more enduring relevance.  Of course you can always post to both, and I’d suggest that you post all new writing (or videos) to the blog and then post a direct link to your blog post on the forum.

How to use the forum:

1. Register.  In addition to a username and password (please use the same username for both the forum and blog), it will ask you for some more information including your full name.  You can use an alias if you wish, but all lines must be filled out.  Once you register, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to you.  Once you click on the link in that e-mail, you’ll be ready to begin posting.
2. Choose a category.  Unlike the blog, you can’t choose multiple categories so just pick the one that fits your topic best.
3. Click the “New Topic” button and compose your post.  If it’s already published elsewhere, you can just give a short introduction and a link to the full article.
4. Subscribe to the topic.  You can do this by clicking the “Notify me when a reply is posted” box before you click “Submit” or by clicking on “Subscribe topic” below the “New Topic” button once the post has already been submitted.
5. When someone comments on your post, you’ll receive an e-mail with a direct link to the thread.

How to use the blog:

1. Register.  Just click “Register” under the “Meta” menu, pick a username and password (please use the same username for both the forum and blog), and click on the link in the confirmation e-mail.
2. Log in.  Once you’re registered, clicking “Log In” from the “Meta” menu will take you to the WordPress dashboard.  You can compose a text in the “QuickPress” box on the right-hand side, or click “Posts” from the left-hand menu followed by “Add New” which will appear under it.
3. Compose your blog entry.  Pictures and videos can be added by copying and pasting the code directly into the text editor.
4. Choose a category.  This can’t be done with the QuickPress feature, so you’ll either have to edit it upon posting or click Posts and then Add New to use the full editor.  Categories appear in a menu on the right-hand side.  You can choose multiple categories.
5. Add tags.  These are merely key words that help people find your topic.  Just type them into the Post Tags box under the category menu.
6. Click “Publish”.  Your post should appear on the site immediately.
7. You should receive an e-mail with a direct link to your post whenever someone leaves a comment.

Alternative Blogging Method:

You can find and download desktop blogging software such as Windows Live Writer which allows you to compose and publish a blog post without evening opening your browser or navigating to the site.  Each program is different, but with Windows Live you can choose “Add Blog Account” from the “Blogs” menu, choose “Other blog service” from the menu, then simply type in the web address (www.revolutionearth.net/wordpress) along with your username and password.  Now when you click “Publish” your posts will automatically be published to the site.

I’d highly recommend using desktop blogging software, both due to the time it saves and the ease with which you can insert and properly format photos and videos.  If you already have your own blog, you can post new entries to that and to Revolution Earth with just a few clicks.

If you have any other questions or technical issues, feel free to contact me.