| The DISCUSSION SETTINGS sub-panel sets options | | | | will send an email to the address set in the GENERAL |
| that deal with comments (or discussions). | | | | SETTINGS sub-panel. |
| These are default settings and can be overwritten on | | | | The first box, if checked, will send an email when any |
| individual articles. | | | | comment is posted. |
| The three DEFAULT ARTICLE SETTINGS tells | | | | The second will send an e-mail when a comments is |
| WordPress how to handle the post notifications. | | | | waiting for approval. |
| The first box, if checked, will notify (or ping) any other | | | | The BEFORE A COMMENT APPEARS has two |
| sites that you linked to in your post. This is commonly | | | | options. |
| referred to as a TRACKBACK. | | | | The first box, if checked, will not allow comments to be |
| This happens during the publishing of your post and | | | | posted without the approval by the ADMINISTRATOR. |
| can slow down posting since a notification attempt is | | | | The comment is placed in the comment queue found |
| made to all the links in the post before the post is | | | | on the ADMIN SUB-PANEL and someone with |
| published. | | | | administrator privileges must login and approve the |
| The next line, when checked, allows YOUR site to be | | | | comment for posting. |
| notified (or pinged) from another site that has linked to | | | | The next box, if checked, will not allow first time |
| your site. Any INCOMING LINKS from another site is | | | | commentors to post without ADMINSTARATOR |
| logged and recorded in the INCOMING LINKS section | | | | approval on their first comments. Once they have this |
| on the DASHBOARD. This is automatically handled by | | | | first approval, then they have comment approval |
| queries from the GOOGLE BLOG SEARCH. | | | | thereafter. |
| The last line, if checked, will allow someone to leave | | | | WordPress uses their email address for approval |
| comments. Remember these settings can be | | | | verification for these commentors. If the email does |
| overwritten on individual posts and you can also make | | | | not match or they are on the comment blacklist below |
| a post PRIVATE to have even more control over a | | | | then the comments are held for approval. |
| post. | | | | All Comments can be approved in the COMMENTS |
| The next 5 check boxes under OTHER COMMENT | | | | SUB-PANEL or in the RECENT COMMENTS section |
| SETTINGS, tells WordPress how you want the | | | | on the DASHBOARD. |
| comments handled. | | | | The next two sections deals with COMMENT |
| The first box "Comment author must fill out name and | | | | MODERATION AND COMMENT BLACKLISTS |
| e-mail", if checked, requires all commentators to fill out | | | | COMMENT MODERATION helps prevent spammers |
| the NAME and EMAIL field before leaving a comment. | | | | with too many links from using your site. You control |
| Although the names and emails are not verified it helps | | | | the number of links allowed in a comment by entering |
| combat spam. | | | | a number in this box. The default is 2, but you can |
| The next box, "Users must be registered and logged in | | | | adjust this to fit your particular site. |
| to comment ", if checked, requires all commentators to | | | | In the TEXT BOX below you can enter any WORDS, |
| be a LOGGED IN REGISTERED USER before a | | | | CONTENT, NAME, URL, E-MAIL or IP ADDRESS (one |
| comment can be made. | | | | per line). If these appear in the comment then that |
| If they see "You Must Be Logged In In Order To Make | | | | comment will be placed in the MODERATION QUEUE |
| a Comment" then this box has been checked. | | | | (COMMENTS on the ADMIN SUB-PANEL) for |
| The next box, if checked, will allow the comments on a | | | | ADMINISTRATION approval. |
| post to automatically be flagged and closed for | | | | The COMMENT BLACKLIST works like the |
| comment after a certain number of days. | | | | COMMENT MODERATION with WORDS, CONTENT, |
| The next box, if checked, allows users to comment | | | | NAME, URL, E-MAIL and IP ADDRESS entered one |
| inside the comment itself (called threaded comments | | | | per line. |
| or nesting) instead of all the comments appearing | | | | The difference here is that comments from this list will |
| simply in chronically order. | | | | be DELETED WITHOUT WARNING. |
| You tell WordPress how many levels deep of nesting | | | | And last are the AVATARS |
| you are allowing up to 10. | | | | This sections tells WordPress how to handle the |
| The next box, if checked, allows sites with a large | | | | AVATARS on your site. Avatars are those little |
| number of comments to break them into pages. | | | | images that appear by a person name use when |
| The first box allows you to enter the number of | | | | making comments on avatar enabled sites. These |
| comments you allow for each post. These are TOP | | | | images follow a person from site to site. WordPress |
| LEVEL comments and it does count the NESTED | | | | uses "GRAVATAR" (GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED |
| comments below the initial TOP LEVEL comments. | | | | AVATARS) by default but certain plug-ins can |
| These nested comments are display but are just not | | | | override this default. |
| use for this total comment count. | | | | The first selection is to chose to show the avatars or |
| Remember that a lower number can help speed the | | | | not. |
| load time for your site since not as many comments | | | | If you allow avatars then you can also chose the |
| have to be downloaded at once. | | | | rating that are allowed. These are similar to the TV or |
| The drop down box lets you select whether you want | | | | movie ratings so chose what is appropriate for your |
| the last page of comments (Newer) or the first page | | | | site. |
| of comments (Older) displayed. | | | | The last selection is for those who do not have a |
| And this last line lets you control the comments that | | | | custom avatar. You can chose to have your site |
| are actually displayed. | | | | display a generic avatar or one that will be generated. |
| Selecting OLDER will allow display comments from | | | | The top three are generic avatars and the last three |
| oldest to newest and selecting NEWER will display | | | | are generated based on e-mail addresses. |
| comments from newer to older. | | | | Make sure you save any changes before moving on. |
| The E-MAIL ME WHENEVER line has two options and | | | | |