If you are passionate about a controversial IT issue, TechRepublic’s V4 now offers an even better way for you to express your opinion online with our new threaded discussion features. You may post a comment at the bottom of an article or join a conversation in the new Discussion Center.

We’ve designed the threaded discussions in a way that will keep every conversation lively, and we’ll keep you updated when new members speak out. Just click on the Subscribe button, and we’ll send you periodic e-mails when new comments are added to a discussion. (You may easily unsubscribe from this service at any time.) It’s a great way to have a conversation with other IT professionals.

A place to sound off
In the Discussion Center, you’ll find links to each threaded discussion that’s underway on TechRepublic. The discussions are conveniently grouped into categories.

One area that’s already been well received by TechRepublic members is the Hot Article Threads. This area highlights the posts made to the most popular articles on the site. The Discussion Center also allows you to search for discussions by topic or by Republic. Perhaps you’d like to begin an entirely new conversation—that works too, as there’s always a place for you to speak out in the Discussion Center.

She said, he said
Here’s an example of how this feature works. In a recent article in IT Manager Republic, TechRepublic members debated the value of electronic surveillance of employees in the workplace. As you might expect, most people were angry that employers are increasingly using high-tech devices to document worker behavior on the job.

HeatherH wrote, “My previous company had hidden cameras throughout the building, including some in the bathrooms. That we took exception to, so we did take it upon ourselves to disable them when found and discuss the issue with management.”

But there were a few members who defended the practice of employee surveillance, including mnjohnson, who wrote, “As distasteful as surveillance may be, I wish the Los Alamos Lab was one of the 78 percent [who use electronic surveillance].”

With TechRepublic’s improved discussion thread feature, you could read these comments at the bottom of the article about electronic surveillance, or you could find this discussion thread in our Discussion Center. The posted comments are displayed in descending order of new posts.

If HeatherH had subscribed to this discussion, she would have received an e-mail notifying her when new comments were added to the article. Perhaps after reading mnjohnson’s conflicting viewpoint, she would like to respond.

TechRepublic designed the Discussion Center and threaded discussion feature based on suggestions from our members. Other improvements you’ll want to test-drive include the Technical Q&A and the Peer Directory. Each element helps you interact with others in your field so we can help you make the most of your IT career.
Your feedback helped us create V4. Post a comment and test out the threaded discussions that you just read about, or send us a letter and let us know what you think about this new feature.