iModeler tutorial – Understanding Headlines, Groups and Database areas of iModeler

If you are new to iModeler, the prospect of posting something may be a bit overwhelming, and the way the information at the site is organized (and there's a lot of information!) isn't immediately apparent. The purpose of this article is clarifying how the site is organized to help you make the most of your membership straight away.

At iModeler, members are free to create and co-create any area of the site. To organize the wealth of content available at iModeler and to help you make the most of your postings, we have divided the site into three distinct areas, called the Headlines, Groups and Database.

Headlines

Headlines is the front area of our site.

Posting an article on the Headlines page is an act of publication. You post it at a particular time, and can receive reactions and comments, which many consider to be very rewarding. Your post will be showcased among the newest additions at the front page of iModeler, and will stay there until other newer articles eventually relegate it to page 2. We'll do our best to make it appear in the relevant Google searches on the web. A published article will also be displayed in your personal blog, which you and your followers can access through your profile. The same article will also start appearing in the Database (see below).

This is why the Headlines are best be used to show something or tell a story. Think about the Headlines as your place to share a milestone achievement or a brilliant thought with the World. At the same time, headlines are not the best place to drop your daily questions, deliberations, or activity.

Groups

Starting a topic in the Groups Area means starting a living (and potentially lasting) conversation between you and the other users. Topics are meant to be living discussion spaces, and any new addition will bump up the topic to the top of the pile. This makes topics an effective vehicle for any discussion or process, for as long as anyone is dedicated to keeping on.

Your audience in the Groups topic may be a bit narrower than in the Headlines (no Google or casual visitors :), but also probably more dedicated to engage with you, and you will find ample space to discuss any items, big or small. Dropping your daily questions, deliberations, or sharing your activity will usually work well in this context.

Each group has its own unique membership that is often monitoring their group and will be eager to assist. That's why Groups are the best places to ask for help, conduct a WIP journal, share your recent purchases, create a SIG, form a private club or run a Group Build.

You will find many Groups made for these purposes, and you either start a topic in any of these, or choose to start your own Group.

Database

The Database section is where we collect and organize information that can serve as a reference or guide for scale model enthusiasts, helping you to find information about various models and related topics. Database is a way to organize the thousands of articles already posted at iModeler by relevant, searchable keywords.

All articles are organized around keywords that the authors mark their articles with, also referred to as tags. So as an author of your posts, you can directly influence how your article will be sorted into the Database. You can do it at the time of the posting, or later, by editing the article and adjusting its tags.