How to register to post a comment

The registration page may look intimidating, but registering is actually pretty simple. It's basically just a matter of typing some information into some boxes. Let's walk through the process.

The first box says "Display name." That means the name that you want to go by on the Post-Gazette's website. You can use your real name, but most people don't. One easy way to create a display name is by using your first name and last initial, which is how we identified "My Homewood" contribuors in the past.

However, you can also use a completely made-up name, like "Unrecognized Genius" or "Absolute Diva" or "Mystiq" or "47" or...whatever.

Then we need your real first and last names. I think the reason for that has to do with keeping our lawyers happy. We do not use this info for marketing, nor to we sell it or rent it to anyone.

Your password should be something that is easy for you to remember, but that would be hard for someone else to guess. Therefore, do not use your birthdate, or address or phone number...you get the idea.

Your email address is in case we need to contact you about something you posted. We hardly ever do that. And again, that information is not shared with others.

The password question is just in case you forget your password - answering it correctly will allow to receive a password reminder via email.

We ask for your town or neighborhood because we like to know where people are writing from; just as we always did with the previous version of "My Homewood."

The zip code is for people who study the website to see where people are logging in from.

The next two items, affirming that you're over 13 and that you have read the Terms of Use, are more lawyer food. Very, very important. Check them both, or everything else is a waste.

Then there's a checkbox that gives you the option of not receiving emails from the PG about what's happening at the PG.

Then you see a box with a couple of squiggly words, and a space for you to type those words. That is supposed to make sure you're a real person and not just a computer trying to register. Don't ask me why a computer would try to register. I think it has to do with Commander Data's quest to become human.

The final four fields are all optional and provide us with more contact information, in case you actually want us to be able to reach you, and demographic information, so that we can say tell our advertisers, "Our website is incredibly popular with 18 to 34-year-old accordion players." Or whatever.

Fill them out if you want to, skip them if you don't, then click submit (just once), and a second or two later (unless our system is having a bad day), you'll see a page that confirms your membership in the Post-GazetteNOW community, giving you the ability to comment, to rate posts, and to contribute your own content, such as photos.