Starter Page

This is the page for people who don’t know how to cruise around in a blog or similar Web-like objects.

We’re going to take this step by step and make it as straightforward as possible. First off, we’re glad you’re here. No one thinks you’re an idiot because you haven’t mastered the blogosphere. No one has mastered the blogosphere. That’s one of the nice things about it.

So, let’s go over this thing piece by piece.

You got here by clicking a menu just under the header (which is what the graphic and big words saying The Mill at the top of the page is called). The top menu bar with the button for this page and others on it is the more static part of the site. The items there are to provide help including links to resources and to let people know how to contact us and what the policies are for this corner of the universe. There’s also a music library under construction.
Below the top menu bar, the site is divided into three columns.

Left Column
The items in this column start with a set of links to weather forecasts for Carrboro. For now, I’ve left this rather unfancy, but since I’m a weather freak, expect it to get more elaborate.

Below the weather is a set of links to an event site managed by Yahoo! called Upcoming. I kinda like it because it allows me to create my own previews for events and has maps (the next big link down) that readers can call up.

Further on down in the column are links to specific categories that will take you compilations of posts on those subjects. That’s followed by a neat little online poll feature and a long list of local, state, regional and national blogs and sites. You can click on any of the links and be transported away. Click your back button to return to Carrboro.

Center Column
This is the meat–or, if you prefer, the really hardy tempura–of the blog. This is where the stories, photos, audio and video that’s generated by the Carrboro Citizen’s newsgathering operation will be posted. There will also be posts pointing to work by other bloggers, writers, photographers and so on. At the bottom of each post you may leave a comment. You’ll have to provide your name and a valid email for me to approve you. Once you’re approved the first time, you’ll be able to comment at will. Here are the three big rules for comments:

• Play nice—no profanity or gratuitous personal attacks;

• Try to stay on topic or, if you can’t, suggest I start a new thread;

• The watchwords are civility, fairness and transparency

Right Column
You might notice that several items down the column have a little RSS feed bug . That means the site is pulling in posts and stories from other other sites and blogs. The right column is designed to aggregate an array of local blogs to keep you up-to-date with what other peope are posting. There’s also a link to Technorati Carrboro, which is an RSS feed of posts that mention Carrboro. Neat, huh? I’ve already noticed that when bands add a show at the Cradle or the ArtsCenter, it shows up on the feed.

In case you’re interested, this whole site was made with open source software provided by the wonderful WordPress community. Couldn’t have done it without ‘em.

That’s pretty much it for now. Cruise around and have fun.

If you have any questions, hit the contact button on the top menu and send me an email.

Thanks for stopping by,

kmr