[August 26, 2011] EDITORIAL: Get a log-in code to continue enjoying the Mountaineer online Tweet Aug 26, 2011 (The Mountaineer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- By now, many Mountaineer readers who are comfortable getting their news online have had a chance to explore our new website: www.themountaineer.com. Those who also receive the printed version will notice similarities, but also a number of differences. For instance, because of space considerations, generally only one or two photos taken at an event can appear in the paper. Online readers will be able to click through one or more "galleries" and see up to 30 photos from an event. News can often be found online before the printed product comes out, and there's plenty of additional information online that simply won't fit in the paper. Soon there will be police blotters from each community for online viewing only. Conversely, there will be information in the newspaper that won't be found online. "Scrapbook" type of items such as school awards, church happenings, club news or five-generation photos will be in printed form, but not online. Next month, the online information that has been available for no charge will become limited. Those who subscribe to the paper will automatically have full access to all online information, but they will need to apply for a user name and password by sending their name, delivery address, phone number and e-mail address to [email protected]. Subscribers may also phone the Mountaineer at 452-0661 and leave their information. Those who prefer to access only the available news online will need to pay a fee, whether it be monthly, quarterly or annually. Much of the web content will still be available at no charge, but those interested in viewing the complete array of information the Mountaineer publishes about their community must be subscribers, or join as iMembers. Signing up will not only provide the full spectrum of news, but the ability to comment on stories, letters to the editor, or post other nonbusiness information directly to the Mountaineer website. Much has been written about the information explosion and the numerous ways to keep track of the world in which we live. At the Mountaineer, our focus has always been local. While there are literally thousands of places to learn about events in the nation's capital or lands far away, there's no entity that has more of an interest in Haywood County happenings than the 128-year old newspaper that has always served this community. A community news organization provides a way to share successes, support each other during trying times and keep informed on the issues that matter most -- those that affect our lives on a daily basis. The Mountaineer, in essence, provides a commonality and forum that connects us as a community. That will never change. What is already changing is the way connections are being made and the way news is delivered. Now readers have more options for how to get their news and can interact with it like never before. We look forward to continuing to serve as your community newspaper, in print and online, and are excited about the interactivity these new improvements will offer. ___ (c)2011 The Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.) Visit The Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.) at themountaineer.villagesoup.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]