One of the strongest features of TechRepublic is our discussion center. Members from across the IT profession talk about career issues, hardware and software problems, and management dilemmas. Regardless of the topic you want to discuss or the problem you’re trying to solve, you’ll find what you need in this forum.

This center also provides our writers with fast feedback on articles so they can see what angles they may have missed, get a better understanding of the issues concerning IT professionals, and most importantly, engage in conversation or debate with members.

Many discussions from the past year generated an enormous response from members. We’ve selected a popular discussion from each TechRepublic community so you can see what people were talking about and contribute to any discussion you missed. These selections are based on the number of comments posted in each discussion.

Home Republic
Although the election madness that gripped the United States has finally subsided, the discussions generated from Loraine Lawson’s article on electronic balloting left lasting impressions. When Loraine asked members about their opinions concerning possible electronic balloting solutions, a deluge of posts came in from around the world. Review the discussion and if you missed out earlier, join in.

CIO Republic
When TechRepublic CEO Tom Cottingham begins a discussion on the site, members get interested. In August, Cottingham moderated a discussion concerning the management of institutional knowledge in the new economy. If you want to know the questions and issues on a dot-com founder’s mind, read the article and follow the discussion. Although Cottingham’s role as moderator has ended, the issues facing new-economy businesses remain. Pick up where others left off and rekindle the discussion.

IT Manager Republic
In his article, “The Manager’s No. 1 Job,” Nick Corcodilos defined the key task that all effective managers should master: hiring good people. However, according to many TechRepublic members, Nick’s advice for the effective manager is too narrow or inaccurate. Follow the discussion and share your thoughts on a manager’s most important role within an IT organization.

IT Consultant Republic
A continuously hot discussion topic within the TechRepublic communities is salary. In October, Pam Gersh outlined what an IT consultant can expect to charge for his or her services. To some TechRepublic members, Pam’s figures seemed inflated and even absurd. Read the discussion, and if you missed out this past autumn, share your thoughts now.
As you can see, the discussion centers at TechRepublic are great ways to share advice, ask questions, and become acquainted with IT professionals worldwide. If you have something to say, we urge you to share it. If you found a discussion particularly helpful or informative, we’d like to know. Start a discussion today or send us an e-mail, and your topic could earn a slot on the year’s best for 2001.
NetAdmin Republic
New products generate a great deal of conversation among TechRepublic members. When Microsoft is involved, people really start talking. In October, Jason Hiner outlined the benefits of Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional. Some members praise the new OS; others find it appalling. Find out what members think about Win2K Pro and share your own opinion in the discussion.

Support Republic
IT experts share a common dilemma: how to manage requests for support favors for technologically disinclined neighbors, friends, and other acquaintances. In September, Bill Detwiler laid bare his struggles with support favors and asked for member advice. Read the discussion and learn how to deal with support favors. If you have some advice or would like to pose a question about the issue, join in.