How to Post a Comment

I've been told by many people I know that they have been unable to post comments, so I have decided to create a brief tutorial.  It's quite simple, so if you've had trouble in the past, please read on.  If you don't intend to comment, haven't had trouble doing so, or just don't care, feel free to ignore this post.

STEP ONE: Make sure you're viewing an individual post instead of the blog's main page.  Here's how - look at the title of the post at the top.

If the title appears in orange text (as above) you need to click the title.  This will bring you to the post-page instead of the blog's main page.

If the title appears gray (as above) then you are on the correct page, and you will be able to make a comment.

STEP TWO: Type your comment.  To do this, scroll to the bottom of the page, until you see the comment box.  It will look something like the following picture...

Click inside the white box, and you will see a text cursor appear.  Type your comment and watch it appear in the box.  Check your spelling, and make sure everything is worded the way you want it.

STEP THREE: Select what profile you want your post to be made under.  This is the name that will be associated with the comment when you are finished.  In order to choose this profile, click the arrow on the box beside "Comment as:".

The list should look like the one above.  This will allow you to use certain types of online profiles so that other readers will know who commented.  REMINDER - you DO NOT need to have an account with any of these groups in order to make a post.

If you select "Google Account", it will automatically use any Google account you're logged in with (if you're using Gmail, Google Docs, etc.).  If you select "Google Account" but are not logged in, clicking "Post Comment" will send you to the Google login page.

If you select LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad, AIM, or OpenID, a small confirmation tab will appear above the comment box, asking for your username, etc.  The same type of confirmation tab will appear if you select "Name/URL".  If you choose the latter option, you can choose to just enter your name or just your website.

If you don't want anyone to know who made your comment, simply click "Anonymous".

STEP FOUR: Post your comment.  If you'd like to see what it'll look like first, click the "Preview" button.  Otherwise, just click the "Post Comment" button.  You're done!

A Few Notes About Comment Etiquette:

1. I do, as author of the blog, have the ability to moderate comments.  Inappropriate content will always be deleted or edited as I see fit, but I really don't expect that on this kind of blog.
2. I encourage comments which are supportive, give further insight or another point of view, help clarify issues I misunderstand, or propose meaningful debate about the issue at hand (feel free to disagree with me).
3. Please try to keep comments relevant to the topic of the post.  Comments that don't seem to belong with the post they're attached to may either be moved or removed at my discretion.  If you can't find a page on my blog that discusses the topic you want to comment about, feel free to email me.  There is a link to email me at the bottom of every page on my blog.