Below are detailed instructions on how to login or create a new account to join the discussions on this site. It’s actually much more straightforward than the instructions suggest… in fact, if you’re feeling brave, you may want to just skip to the self-starter page and come back to these instructions if you need assistance. Either way, here goes!…
1. Scroll to the end of this post, where the comments section begins. Under the Disqus drop-down menu, choose Login.
2. A pop-up window will open, inviting you to “Login or Register.” Lots of choices here… please read through all three options before proceeding!*
- If you have ever used Diqus on another site (e.g., CNN, The Atlantic, TechCrunch…), you can choose to login with the same profile if you feel that is appropriate.
- From the left menu, you can choose to login via Facebook or Twitter (if you use either of these in a professional capacity, this may be an appropriate choice… up to you).
- To create a new account, choose to “Register a new profile” (link is below the Login button). Continue via Step 3.
*Note: if your pop-up window disappears, it’s probably due to an accidental click outside the window. Not to worry! Just open the window again by following Step 1.
3. Enter your email address, a username (more on usernames below), and a password.
- Choose a name that will help this community know who you are and what you bring to the conversation. Real names are encouraged… they lend both credibility and interest, and facilitate professional networking (see a thoughtful blog post on this topic).
- Disqus only allows alphanumeric characters… underscores ( _ ) are ok, but dashes ( – ), dots ( . ), and spaces are not. Capitalized letters are just fine, and can help separate names (e.g., FirstLast).
- It is possible that your preferred username is already taken… if so, there’s a chance that it may be your own account from using Disqus on a different site. If you think this may be the case, you can go back to Step 2 and try logging in with this username (there’s an option to remind you of your password). Or, you can distinguish yourself from your Google twin by choosing a different username.
4. When you click “Register” (or “Login” if you were already registered) the pop-up window will close, and a notice will appear on the main screen asking you to verify your profile email (making sure you’re you!). When you click that link, a new browser tab will open for a Disqus page: click the link in the middle of the page to send yourself a confirmation email.
5. Check your email and click the link to verify (last click to verify, promise!). This will open another browser tab confirming that you’re good to go.
6. Close the two Disqus (email verification) tabs in your browser, and you should find yourself back on this page.
7. Before you jump right in to the discussion (the important stuff!), take a moment to fill in your profile (so we trust your comments when we see them) and confirm your email settings (so you can receive or turn off notifications of new comments).
8. Congratulations! We look forward to your insights. Choose a discussion topic in the right-hand menu bar, and join the conversation…