How to become a member of the Lab and contribute to this site

If you'd like to get started registering and adding your own material right away, skip to the "How To" Table of Contents by clicking here.

What's this all about?

The brief summary about what this site is about:

• This is a "Wiki" site, which means that members can contribute to it and help it grow.  (Like Wikipedia).
  
• Members get their own place to create and upload files, called "My Folder".
  
• You can edit your "My Folder" area by adding "content" (such as images, links, Pages, Weblogs and folders).   What you're reading right now is an example of a "Page".   Each Page can contain links to other Pages.  Each folder you create inside your "My Folder", can have more Pages, images, Weblogs, more folders, etc.  In this manner, you can essentially create your own multi-page website within this website.  Nearly all of the content on this site was created using just the steps listed on this page!
  
• The URL (the website address) for your "My Folder" will be http://www.SteampunkLaboratory.com/Members/MyUserID (where "MyUserID" is your userID).  You can send this URL around like any other website address - whatever content you put up there will be visible on the Web to everyone - not just to members of the Steampunk Lab.
  
• In addition to contributing to your "My Folder" area, you can add comments at the bottom of nearly each page in this site.  (See the "Log in to add comments" button at the bottom of this page?)  This is a good way to ask questions or contribute information relevant to each appropriate page, and essentially to "record" conversations about the content of each page in this site.
• Note - Plone was specifically designed to be easily indexable by Google's search engine - thus, anything you add to your "My Folder", or to comments on these pages, or any names, locations, and such information you include in your user profile will probably show up in Google searches a few days / weeks later, FYI.
  
• Hopefully the "How To" directory below will explain how to do all of this.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the administrator or email Alex!
  

By the way - it may be helpful, if this is your first time using a site like this, to either view these instructions in another browser while you're working, or to print them out on paper.  The next paragraph explains how to do this.

A note about using these instructions

Note: it may be helpful to read these instructions in one browser, while accessing the site in another browser.  That way you can arrange the two browsers side-by-side, read these instructions in one, and then edit your page in another.  I recommended Mozilla Firefox for internet browsing.  (You can download it for free from here).  If you don't want to open two browsers, you can just open another "tab" in one browser.  To open a new tab in Firefox or Internet Explorer, press "control"-t.  (On a Mac, it's "command"-t).

To print this page, just go to File->Print in your browser.

Lastly - don't be intimidated by the amount of text in the "How to use this site..." page.  It wasn't written for web programmers - it was written for everyone.  Thus, if you're generally familiar with surfing the web, using a word processor, and finding files on your computer, then you  can create your own content at the Steampunk Lab.  Because the instructions were written for a "general" audience, they are are a bit verbose - but that's not because they're complicated, it's because they're thorough.  Every mouse click and keystroke of every step you need to do is listed.  If it's not, email Alex! :-)

A note about this type of site

This site was built using a "Content Management System" called Plone.  Plone is an open-source (i.e. free) software package, developed and supported by enthusiastic volunteers.  A "Content Management System" is a way of doing just that - managing content, provided by one or by many contributors.  It is designed for collaboration by many people from many different places.  It is also designed to be managed "Through The Web" (TTW), which means you need no software other than an internet browser to upload, edit, and view your content.  Pretty cool! 

It is also designed so that different members have different roles.  Members can contribute their own content to their "My Folder".  When you add something new (a new page, a new blog), it will first be "private" - that means that only you and the site administrators can see it, and only then when they're "logged in".  Once you're happy with your content, you can "publish" it - which means that anyone on the web will be able to view your content, not just people who are logged in to the Steampunk Laboratory. 

Note: this means that it's a -little- tricky to learn how to add new content (text, pictures, webpages, weblogs, etc).  HOWEVER - if you have any problems adding, editing, or submitting your content, PLEASE do not get frustrated.  That's the role of the administrator (and trust me - he has been plenty frustrated in the past for both of us, but thinks he has a handle on it all now. ;-)  If you have any questions, or can't get something to work, just email / contact him, and he'll walk you through the problem or do it for you.

The instructions below have been tested for thoroughness, and should be sufficient to create a website like what you see here.  So take a peek at the different design features below, pick something to try out, go slow and steady until you're comfortable with it, and have fun! :-)

"How To" Table of Contents

1. How to Register

2. How to contribute to the "My Folder" page

3. How to add a new "Page" (a "Page" is what you're reading now)

4. How to edit a Page (add text, images, hyperlinks, documents, etc)

5. How to add a "Weblog" (a blog)

6. How to edit an existing Weblog entry

7. How to add an image to a Page or a Weblog entry

8. How to browse to different folders, pages, or blog entries in your folder

10. How to set the "default" view for your folder

11. How to visit your Steampunk Laboratory site (your "My Folder" area) on the web

1. How to Register

• Click on the word "register" at the far right-hand-side of the menu bar (above and to the right)

• This will bring you to a registration form.  Fill out the following information:
  

• pick a "full name" - this is your "name" on the site (you don't need to put your full name if you don't want to - pick any nickname you like)
• pick a "user name" - this is your "login name", also called your "userID".  Pick anything you like.
  
• enter an email address (if you'd like to be notified about updates and events, and to be reminded what your password is if you forget)
  
• pick a password for this site (your "user name" and your password will be how you log in to the site, so don't forget them!)
  
• choose whether or not you'd like an introductory email sent to you with further information
• then, in the next screen, click the "Log in" button
  
• now you'll notice that the menu bar at the far right has changed - your name is listed, as well as the words "My Folder", and "Log out" (shown circled below)

• To change any of your preferences, click on your name at the top right, and then choose "Personal Preferences".  You can change your name, your bio, and even upload an image to use as your "portrait".  (This will appear beside your blog entries, if you post any).  Note - images used for your portrait should be about 75 pixels wide by 100 pixels high (or close to that 3:4 ratio, otherwise it might look stretched-out).  Make any changes you like to your Personal Preferences, and then click "Save".
  
•  To learn how to contribute to your folder please browse the topic headings below.

2. How to contribute to the "My Folder" page

• Once you register, you are given an "online locker" to store any writings, images, internet links, etc, so that you can communicate / share these resources with the other members of the Lab.  This "locker" is called "My Folder".  (You can see it at the far-right of the menu bar, after you log in.  The link to "My Folder" is circled in green in the image below).

• To access your folder, make sure you are logged in (click on the words "Log in" at the far right of the menu bar.  If you are already logged in, you will see your name, the words "My Folder", and the words "Log out", as shown below).  
  

• Click on the words "My Folder" at the far right of the menu bar to enter your folder. 
  
• You'll also notice the word "State:" followed by the word "Private", in red.  This means that right now, only you and the site administrators can see your folder, or any contents in it.  This way, you can work on your content until you're satisfied with it.  When you -are- happy with your content, you can "publish" it. 
  
• But first, in order to publish your own content, we need you to "give yourself the right" to publish your own content.  Do this by clicking "Sharing", at the top left of your screen.

• Then, type your own name in the "Search" field, and hit the "Search" button, as shown below

• Now you'll see your own name in the table - click each box next to your name to give yourself the "privileges" to publish your own content

• Then click the "Save" button
  
• Now you have the rights to publish content in your own "My Folder" area.  (You can also give these rights to other members using this same technique).
• Now click on the words "My Folder" again, at the top right of the menu bar.
  
• Now click on the arrow next to the word "Private" (shown below).  This is at the top-right of the screen.
  

• In the drop-down menu, select "Publish".

• Now your Folder is "visible" on the web to anyone who visits it, and any content you add in it will be visible, too.  You can see this by the fact that the word "Private" has changed to "Published"

• Note - if you wish to make it "Private" again (if you wish to continue working on it before it becomes visible to everyone on the web), you can change the state back to "Private" by clicking the arrow next to "Published", and selecting "Retract" from the drop-down menu

• You can change the state of any of your content (your "My Folder", Pages you add in your "My Folder", other folders you add, etc) by following this same technique (changing "Private" to "Published" and "Published" back to "Private").
  
• Now that you can "Publish" content to your "My Folder" area, you'll want to actually add content (pages, images, links, blogs, etc).  To do this, please follow the directions below.
  

3. How to add a new web "Page" (a "Page" is what you're reading now)

• Click on "My Folder"
  
• Go to "Add new..." and select "Page" (shown circled at right)
  

• You will be prompted to provide a title for the page, a brief description of the page (~1 sentence), and then you will be given a space to add content.
• To enter the title and the brief description (which is optional) simply left-click in the entry form and type it.
• To add "content" (text, images, links, etc) to your page, left-click in the large white region beneath the words "Body Text"  (beneath the list of editing icon buttons) and type something.  When you click in this region, you will see a list of editor icons appear.  This editor is called "Kupu"; more about its use later.
  
• Just type a few words in the "Body Text" and click "Save" at the bottom of the page.  You can edit this page more fully later by following the directions below.  (Don't worry about the box asking you to leave a comment for a "Change note" - just leave that empty).
  

4. How to edit an existing web Page (add text, images, hyperlinks, documents, etc)

• Go to your new page by clicking on "My Folder", and then clicking on the name of your page.  It will probably be printed in red.
  
• Then make sure that you are in "Edit" mode, at the top left of the window (as shown in the picture below).   You should be able to see the Kupu editor again now.
  

• "Left-click" in the white box below the words "Body Text" (below the editing icons, as shown below).  You can use the built-in editor to arrange and style your content.  As said before, this editor is called "Kupu", and it's similar to most simple word processors.  The image below shows how most of the icons can be used to format your text.  It's called a "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) editor.  Experiment with it! :-)
• (More tips are listed below the following image... )
  

• As you add content to your Page, you should click "Save" at the bottom of the page, every once in a while.
• NOTE: Clicking "Save" on your Page will probably bring you out of "Edit" mode, and put you in "View" mode.  (You can tell by the tabs highlighted at the top left of your screen).  The "Kupu" editing buttons will disappear in View mode, but if you "left-click" in the white region that is your Page content,  they will come back.  You can continue to edit your Page in either View or Edit mode (but you will need to enter Edit mode to change the way it is displayed, as described later).
  
• Once you have finished editing your Page, click Save.
  
• If you are ready for your Page to become visible on the web to anyone, then it's time to "Publish" it, as described earlier.
  
• Go to the top right of your screen, and you'll see the word "Private"   
• Click on the arrow next to Private, and choose "Publish" from the drop-down menu.

• How to add pictures, internet links, documents, and more to your Page is described further below.
  

5. How to add a "Weblog" (a blog)

• Click on "My Folder"
  

• Go to "Add new...", and choose "Weblog".  (Note: the words "Weblog" and "Blog" are used interchangeably on this site).

• Choose a name for the Weblog, choose an (optional) brief description for it, and click "save"
• The next page will bring you to the Weblog editing screen.  Notice two things - the "State" (which is in red, and is called "Private"), and a box on the right titled "Weblog Admin", which includes the phrase "Add Entry".
  
• Click on the arrow next to "Private", and choose "Publish" from the drop-down menu. 
  

• To add a new entry to the blog, choose "Add entry". 
  
• Like adding a new Page, you will be prompted for a Title, and for a description of the entry (called an "Excerpt").  Fill these forms out (the Excerpt is optional), and then add the Entry Text in exactly the same manner as you would add the "Body Text" for a Page (described above in "How to edit a Page").  Note that you also need to be in "Edit" mode, as described in "How to edit a Page", too.
• (More tips are listed below the following image... )

• Once you've finished typing your Entry Text (or even if you're not finished - you can come back and continue editing it, just like a Page), scroll down and you will see two lists of "Categories": "Existing categories", and "New categories". 
  
• These "Categories" represent "tag words" which will be attached to your blog entry.  They help the Steampunk Laboratory's search engine to find your entry if anyone types one of those category words into the search box anywhere on this site.  They also help Google to index your entry for their search engine too.
• If any words under the "Existing categories" apply to your entry, you may click them.  To choose more than one of the categories, hold "shift" and left-click each category you want.
• If you'd like to add new categories, just type the word or phrase in the "New categories" window.    A "New category" can be a single word (like "zebras"), or a phrase (like "comic books by Alan Moore").  Type the whole word or phrase in the "New categories" window, and then hit "enter" after each New category.  Note: if you add more than one category at a time like this, make sure each category word or complete phrase is on a different line (i.e. hit "enter" after each category phrase).  Don't separate the words or phrases by commas - the comma (,) will not separate them, and will just become part of the category.  (That looks weird - I found out the hard way. :-)
  
• Below "Categories", there is an option to "Allow comments". If you would like other members to be able to leave a comment on your entry, check the "Allow comments" box.  This is a nice way to get feedback from other people about your thoughts.
  
• Then click "save".
  

• After you finish your blog entry, if you are ready for it to be published on the web, you will have to change its state from Private to Published.  As explained earlier, go to the word "Private", click the arrow beside it, and select "Publish".  Now it will be visible on the web.

6. How to edit an existing Weblog entry

•  Click on "My Folder"
• Click on the name of your Weblog
• Click on the name of the entry that you'd like to edit (e.g. circled in green, below).  NOTE: If you do not see the names of your Blog entries, you may need to click on the month you created it in, listed under the "Weblog Archive" (cricled in blue, below).  Note that the months are "numbered' in this archive (e.g. May = 05).
  

• If you needed to access the Weblog Archive (circled in Blue, above), then you will be brought to a new screen, in which you can click on the name of your entry (circled in green, below)

• Once you have selected the entry you would like to edit, you need to choose "Edit" mode, at the top left of the screen.  (You're probably in "View" mode when the blog entry is selected).
• Then edit your entry as you would any other content (like a Page, or like your first blog Entry, both described above).
• Click "Save" when you are finished.
  

7. How to add an image to a Page or a Weblog entry

• To add an image to a Page or a blog entry, first select your Page or Blog entry.
• Do this by clicking "My Folder".
• Click on the name of the item you wish to add the image to (your Page name, or your Weblog name).
  
• Click in the area of the text editor.  (If you can't see it, go to "Edit" mode, as described previously, and then click under the words "Body Text" or "Entry Text", beneath the row of editing icons).
  
• Then click on the icon of the picture of a tree (shown circled below)

• A new screen will appear, allowing you to "Upload" an image from your own computer (the button circled in green, below), or to add an image which you may already have uploaded (the button circled in blue, below).

• If you choose "Upload image here", you may then browse your own computer for the image.  You will also be asked for a title (necessary) and a description (optional).  (NOTE: If you are adding an image to a Blog entry, please see the last two bullets of this list about where to upload it).
  
• If you choose to add an image which you have previously uploaded to your "My Folder", then simply click on the circle beside the name of your image. 
  
• Then click "Ok".
  
• After making those selections, and hitting "Ok", the image will appear in your Page or your blog entry.
• You can then use the left, right, or center justifications to move it.  You can also position the cursor to the left of the image and "push" it with spaces.  (Note: sometimes it's tricky to put the cursor to the left of an image, if it's already at the extreme left.  Go to the line above it, and press the "down" arrow key.  This might help). 
  
• You may also resize the image by clicking on it, then left-click-dragging the white boxes at the corners and moving them.
• Then click "Save".
  
• Adding an image to a Blog Entry:   If you are adding an image to a Weblog, you will be asked whether you want to upload the image to "Topic images" or "..(Parent folder)".  You can choose "..(Parent folder)", which is most likely your "My Folder" area, and store your image there.  This is an easy place to store all of your Blog images.  However, this is also where your Page images go, and this will mix all the images for your Pages and for your Blog entries together.  This may become difficult to keep organized.
• Alternative blog image location:  If you'd rather keep your Blog images and your other Page images separate, upload your blog images into "Topic images".  "Topic images" is a folder reserved for the images for your blog, and it will probably be in red, because it has not yet been published.  If you put your image in there, you will also need to browse to the "Topic images" folder later and "Publish" it.  (To learn how to "browse" to different folders, pages, blog entries, etc, see "How to browse to different folders, pages, or blog entries in your folder", below.  For steps to make your "Topic images" public.).  Your Blog entry images will not be visible on the web until the folder in which they are stored (in this case, "Topic images") is also published.
  

8. How to browse to different folders, pages, or blog entries in your folder

• Your folder is a "container" in which you place your Pages, images, Weblogs, etc.
• You may view those different "objects" by clicking on "My Folder", and then clicking "Contents" at the top left of the screen.

• Then you can select any of the contents within.  By clicking on the title of the object (e.g. "Alex's Test Page", or "AlexDemo's weblog", above), you will be brought to that object.  By switching back to "Edit" mode, you can then edit that object.
• In this view, you can also see which objects are Published, and which are Private.
  
• You can also change the order they appear in your "My Folder" listing, by "left-clicking" on the "::" icon under the "Order" heading, and dragging it up or down.
• You can also rename folder contents (including other folders), as well as delete them, cut/copy them, or change their state (i.e. Retract or Publish objects) by clicking the appropriate buttons below the list of contents.

• If you have added a Blog image to your "Topic images" folder, then you need to publish that folder.  Go to "My Folder", and click the "Contents" tab, at the top left.  Then click on your Blog name. 

• Click on "Topic images".
• Change the state from "Private" to "Published" (as described previously).
• Now, any images in your blog entries, stored in this folder, will be visible to anyone visiting your site.
  

9. How to add a hyperlink to your Page or Blog

You can add hyperlinks to your content, so that if users click on text you write or images you upload, they will be brought to different pages, images, etc in your site, or will be brought to different websites on the internet.

9.1 Linking text to a Page, an Image, or a Document inside this site

• Note: the instructions below work for Pages, Images, and Documents, but not for Blogs stored on this site.  They're a special case, discussed later in "Linking to a Blog".
  
• To add a link to a Page, Image, or Document inside this site, go to "My Folder" and choose the Page or Weblog entry you'd like to create the link in. 
  
• Select "Edit" mode, at the top left.
  
• Type the text which you'd like to attach the link to (such as the words "Click here to view my pic.").  Then highlight the text with your cursor (left-click and drag across the text).
• Then click the "internal link" icon (it looks like 3 links of chain, circled in green below)

• Then, in the screen that pops up, browse to the target object you'd like to link to (a page, a picture, a document, etc).  Note - if you're creating a link inside a Blog entry, you may need to browse to your "Topic images" or to your "..(Parent folder)", depending on where the target of your link is.  
• Note: in this browsing window, you can see a preview of images, but you can't see a preview of Pages or documents - just the name and the description you gave the object when you created it.  (That's why it's a little important to title/describe the objects well, so you can remember what they are later).
• Choose what you want to link to, and then click "Ok". 
  
• Click "Save" in your Page or Blog entry.
• Note: you will not be able to "click" on the link if you are in "Edit" mode.  You will need to switch to "View" mode (at the top left of your screen).  Now, when you click on that text, you should be redirected to the target of that link. 
  

9.2 Linking text to a website outside this site

• To add a link to website outside this site, go to "My Folder" and choose the Page or Weblog Entry you'd like to create the link in. 
  
• Select "Edit" mode, at the top left.
• Type the text which you'd like to connect to the outside site (such as www.SteampunkWorkshop.com, or a simple phrase like "click here").  Then highlight the text with your cursor (left-click and drag across the text).
  
• Then click on the "internet link" icon (it looks like a circle which I -think- is supposed to be the planet Earth, circled in green below)

• Type the location of the internet site in the entry form; click "Preview" if you'd like to double-check it, then click "Ok"
• Click "Save" in your Page or Blog entry
  
• The link should now be attached to the words you just chose. 
  
• Note: you will not be able to "click" on the link if you are in "Edit" mode.  Go to "View" mode to test it.  Now, when you click on that text, you should be redirected to the external website you selected.
  

9.3 Linking to a Blog in this site

• Note: even though a blog is stored on this site, and hence should be "linkable" using the "internal link" option, we can't currently do it.  (If you want to know why, ask Alex).
• A "work-around" for this problem is simply to use the "external" link option (that is, to use the tool to link to a site outside of this website - but really, we're linking to a blog -inside- this website).  To do this, you need to know the full URL of your blog, and then you need to paste that into the form which appears when you click on the "external link" icon (the icon of the Earth).
• The easy way to determine what is your blog URL is to "guess" at it.  It is probably:

http://www.SteampunkLaboratory.com/Members/MyUserID/MyBlogName

• where "MyUserID" is your UserID, and "MyBlogName" is the name you gave to your blog.  Type that in to your browser Navigation bar.  If that goes to your blog, great!  Then just skip the next 9 steps, and go to the bullet that starts with "Copy and paste..."
• If that was NOT your Blog URL, it may be because of the way Plone abbreviates your blog name (if you had spaces or punctuation in it, it does funny things).  You can either keep guessing (if you think you know what it might be), or take the following steps.
  

• There are several ways to find out what your Blog URL is and to copy/paste it; the following is just one method.
• Assuming you are already using one browser tab to view these instructions, and another tab to edit your "My Folder", open a third tab in your browser (see here for ways to do this).
  
• Go to "www.SteampunkLaboratory.com" and log in.
  
• Click on "My Folder"
• Click on the "Contents" tab (top left of the screen)
  
• Click on the name of your blog
• Click on the "View" tab (top left of the screen)
• Look at the URL (the website address) listed in the Navigation bar of your browser (circled in green, below).  (Notice how the blog title, "Alex's Test Weblog", became "alexs-test-weblog" in Plone - that's one of the reasons it's hard to guess your URL).
  

• Copy and paste your blog URL (left-click and drag to highlight the words, and then right-click and choose "copy", or just highlight the text and go to "Edit" on your browser and choose "Copy"
• Now you have the URL stored in your computer's "clipboard".  Now go to the browser tab where you are editing your "My Folder" contents.  (If you closed it, go back to "My Folder").
  
• Click on the page in which you want to add the link to your blog.
• Type the text on which you're going to put your link, and then highlight it (left-click and drag), or highlight existing text if it's already typed (such as "Click here to visit my Blog"), or if you want to add the link to a picture (so people go to the link when they click on the pic) then left-click on the image you have in your Page.
• With the text highlighted or the image selected (depending on what you want to put your link on), click the "external link" icon (circled in green below)
  

• Place the mouse cursor in the field to type the URL to your blog (circled in green, below):

• right-click in that field and select "paste".  This should put the URL (the webaddress) of your blog into the link field.

• Then click "Ok" in the "External link" screen
  
• Then click "Save" on your Page
• Switch out of "Edit" mode into "View" mode to test the link.
  
• That should create a link to your blog. :-)  Phew!  A lot of words to explain something fairly simple...  

9.4 Linking a Picture to an internal object or external website

• You can add a link to a picture (either inside this site, or outside this site) by following the same steps listed above.  However, instead of typing text, highlighting it, and then clicking on one of the link icons, simply click on the picture you added to your Page or Blog, -then- click on the chain-link icon (to link to an object in this site) or the globe icon (to link to an external website).
• Enter the URL of the link you'd like to direct users to when they click on your image.
  
• Click save.
• Again, you will need to switch out of "Edit" mode and into "View" mode to test your new link.
  

10. How to set the "default" view for your folder

•  Your folder is essentially a "container" for the different objects you add to it (such as Pages, Blogs, Images, etc).
• As such, when you add something to it, you'll see it listed in your "My Folder".  If you add several things, you'll see them all listed.
  
• You can change the way this listing appears, by going to "View" at the top left of your screen
  

• Then, at the top right of your screen, click "Display"

• Notice that there are 4 different ways you can arrange your "My Folder" (Summary, Tabular, Thumbnail, and Standard views).  Choose one and see how it looks.  If you like it, keep it.  If you don't, try a different view.
• Additionally - you can choose one of your objects (a page, an image, a weblog) to be your "default" view.  That means that when you (or anyone else) clicks on your "My Folder", or visits your site on the internet, then instead of seeing a "list" of objects in your folder (like all our pages, images, and Blogs), they will automatically be directed to -one- object from your "My Folder".  This will be the "front door" to your site, as it were.
  
• You can pick which object in your "My Folder" to be your default view (your "front door") with the "Change content item as default view" option.  A good way to organize all of your objects is to have a single Page which acts like a table-of-contents for your other Pages, Weblogs, or other subfolders (i.e., there are "links" inside that page to direct people to your other objects).  Then select that single page (the "table-of-contents" page you created) as the "Default view". 
  
• This way, when people visit your site, they will see the default Page, and if you created links to your other objects in that Page, then they will be able to visit them by clicking those links.
  
• To change the "default" item, choose "Change content item as default view..."
• Then in the screen that pops up, choose the object you want as the default view (if it's in another folder you created in your "My Folder", then browse to that folder and then choose it).
• This will change the way your "My Folder" loads, and the way people will see your site on the internet.  It will now just show you that -one- object you picked.
  
• If you ever wish to view the other objects you still have in your "My Folder", you can view all of your "My Folder" contents by clicking your "My Folder" link (far right of the menu bar), and then clicking the "Contents" tab at the top left (circled in green below)
  

11.  How to visit your Steampunk Laboratory site (your "My Folder area) on the web

• To visit your site on the web, you can find it in several ways - by knowing its URL (its web address), by finding it through the "search" box in the "Members' Folders" tab, or by asking the administrator (Alex) to put a link to your site in the "Members' Folders" tab.  (He'll probably do this anyway as soon as you become a member of the lab).

To determine the URL (web address) for your folder

• To find out the URL for your folder, just add your UserName (the name you "log in" with) to the following address: http://www.SteampunkLaboratory.com/Members/
• Thus, if your log-in name is DocWatson, then the URL for your site would be http://www.SteampunkLaboratory.com/Members/DocWatson
• When you visit your page/folder, you will either see a list of all the objects you created (Pages, Weblogs, Images, Folders, Documents, etc) - as presented in the manner you specified if you selected a "default view" (above).  Or, if you selected a "content item as default view" (above), then that -single- object (Page, Weblog, etc) will be displayed whne you visit your folder.  Since this will be the only object visible in your folder, if you wish for web surfers to visit your other objects, you should include "links" to them from this Page or Blog.
  

To find your "My Folder" by searching the "Members' Folders" tab

• Another way to find your folder on the web is to visit www.SteampunkLaboratory.com, and then click on the tab for "Members' Folders", and then click on the "Search" box at the bottom (or just visit http://www.steampunklaboratory.com/Members)
• Then, either type in the name of the Folder you're searching for in the search forms (you can search by "Log-in" name, by email address, or by their nickname on this site), OR just leave all the forms blank and hit the search button - this will show you all of the members of the Steampunk Lab.  If a member has published their "My Folder", then you will be able to click on their icon and visit it.  (If they did not, then you will just see their icon, but it will be unclickable).  Also - if the member has uploaded a "Portrait" image (see above), then their Portrait will be displayed.  If not, the default "silhouette" of a member will be displayed.

To Find your "My Folder" by the directory in the "Members' Folders" tab

• Whenever you like, once you "publish" your "My Folder", you can contact the administrators (or email Alex), and they will create a link to your folder under the "Directory of Lab Members' Folders".  You can find this directory by visiting www.SteampunkLaboratory.com, and then clicking on the "Members' Folders" tab, or just by visiting http://www.steampunklaboratory.com/lab-members
  

12. More information about editing Plone sites, straight from the horse's mouth

• If you need / want to know how to do anything more complicated on this site, simply email/call Alex or use the "Contact" button at the top right of this screen. He may already have tried to do what you want to do, and may know some hints.
• Or - you can "add a comment" at the bottom of any page in this site (see the button?) asking a question, answering a question, making an observation about life in general, etc.  Another member may know the answer to your question, and can reply to it by replying to your comment.  This could be a good way for us to post and answer our own questions, at the bottom of each appropriate page.
  
• If you'd like to look up more information on your own, try the following links:
• Conceptual overview of Plone: http://plone.org/documentation/manual/plone-2.5-user-manual/introduction/conceptual-overview
  
• A detailed description of editing the "My Folder contents in Plone: http://plone.org/documentation/manual/plone-2.5-user-manual/introduction/plone-user-accounts
  
• A detailed description of how to use the built-in editor in Plone (called "Kupu") http://plone.org/documentation/tutorial/content-creation-with-kupu
• Another description of some of the basics in Plone http://www2.le.ac.uk/plonedocs/userguide/part1-basic/
  

• The organization that maintains the documentation and support for Plone: plone.org

• The name of the Weblog program we're using on this site is Quills 1.6 beta: http://plone.org/products/quills/releases/1.6