Before you start using the new program, some points:

1. You can look around anywhere as a guest. Of course, as a guest, you'll be unable to post new comments.

2. If you want to post new questions, or help answer previous ones, you'll have to register.

   If you choose to register, you'll have to agree to abide our very simple guidelines (reproduced immediately below).

   Forum Rules The owners of DiabetesDiscussions reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason.

   To register:

   1. Click on "Register" on the blue menubar near the top of the page.

   2. Read the Forum Rules statement, and click on the box if you accept them. Then click on the Register box.

   3. You'll have to fill out some required information, and if you want, you can fill out some optional stuff.

      Required: Username. It can only contain a-z, 0-9, and/or _ [underscore] and - [dash] characters. Please note: whatever you choose to use as your "Username" will appear everywhere you post, and in visitor logs, etc. It also will be used everytime you log onto DiabetesDiscussions.com. If you later want to change your username, send me an e-mail and I'll change it for you.

      Required: nickname. Your nickname can include any text you want, but don't worry about putting too much here, as you can put detailed information into your signature (see more information about signatures, below). You can change your nickname anytime, at "My Controls" on the blue menubar, then choose "User Details".

      Please note: Please be aware, whenever you're identified at the website, your username and nickname are both displayed unless you set them to exactly the same (see below), and you will be listed in the order of nickname, then username. An example might be someone whose username is GEORGE, and who lists his name and where he's from in the nickname; it will be displayed as "George from NJ (GEORGE)".

      However, there's a trick to avoid having both your Username and your nickname from displaying in your posts:

      It's very simple: they should be exactly the same!

      How to do this:

      1. Choose a Username that contains a-z, 0-9, and/or _ [underscore] and - [dash] characters (that's a mandatory requirement of the software).
      2. Choose a nickname with exactly the same characters.

      So, as an example, if your name is Doris Day, you could do the following:

      • Use a USERNAME of DORIS_DAY
      • and add a Nickname of Doris_Day

      and you'll find "Doris_Day" in your posts...

      Required: e-mail address. Be sure to give an accurate e-mail address: before you can write anything at Diabetes Discussions, the software will send a confirmatory e-mail message to you, and you'll have to click on a hyperlink (see below).

      Required: your birthday. Don't want to give your real birthdate? Fill in "1900" or any year you want – There's no penalty for cheating about your age!

      Two options you'll want to consider:

      Optional: Time zone. Make sure the correct time zone for where you live is listed...

      Optional: Signature. This will be posted everytime you post anything, or reply to someone, so here's your chance to list type of diabetes, medications, where you live, and any special interests. If you know how to use HTML, you can even put in a live hyperlink to your own blog or website!

   4. After filling out the registration form, check everything, then click on "Register" at the bottom of the page.

   5. After successfully filling out the registration form, you'll see the following announcement:

      Your user account has been created but before you can start posting you must confirm your email address. Please check your email for a link that will allow you to confirm your address.

   6. After the software alerts you that it's sending you an e-mail, you'll be given the option of logging on as a Guest for the time being.

   7. When you get the e-mail, it'll be from "donotreply@diabetesmonitor.com", and the subject will be "Email confirmation required for DiabetesDiscussions". [Warning: it might end up in your spam folder, so check there if you don't get it in a short while.] Open it, and check the link that's provided; it should start "http://www.swq.com/ beehiveforum/ forum/ confirm_email.php? webtag= DIABETESDISCUSSIONS&" then have a bunch of cryptic numbers and letters.

   8. Click on the link in the e-mail. You'll see the following message at Diabetes Discussions: "Thank you for confirming your email address. You may now login and start posting immediately."

   9. You've registered!

3. Now that you've registered, you can ask new questions, and answer other folk's questions.

   However, before you do, please read the comments I've posted at "General Information" if you haven't done so already. These include:

   • Welcome
   • Ground Rules for Comments
   • Etiquette for commenting
   • About Us
   • List of Discussion Forums

   Next, practice how to enter stuff at our practice area, called (believe it or not!), Practice Area.

4. If you have questions, and can post them at "Practice Area", we'll all try to help. But if you can't, please send me an e-mail, at wwq@diabetesmonitor.com

5. Ready to start? Click on the following: DiabetesDiscussions.com