Most of your answers can come from the 'Help' pages.
There're a few caveats:
First, the platform you're on is a 'beta' version of a very successful community portal. Not all great features are available as yet, including some from previous versions. I'm running this one because it seems to be more secure, so far, then previous editions, and some others on the web. So, things will change as we go along...
One very important feature is the post editor. This thing is slick, and easy to use once you catch on to a few things. There are some advanced coding features not available yet, but they will come... and won't seem advanced or confusing to you, if you can already use Word, or similar... If you know 'coding' you can do some very cool stuff. If not, you'll still be able to do marvelous things, just with the editor as is.
If you've just registered, you have limited permissions: Nothing personal, just a rather annoying way of double checking board security... I'll put up a page with membergroup permissions etc when I have a chance.
(OK, that general permissions page is up 12/03/08 at http://CHIPSontheWEB.net/misc/members_descriptions.htm )
So if you don't have a 'download' button or something you can figure out the problem might be your assignment.
Then you can ask to be upgraded for eg.
Moderators and Admin may deny a specific permission for naughty members, while still leaving the rest of the 'general' permissions in place. Once you've registered, and Admin is notified of your presence, Administration or Bronze Globals will assign you to initial "Token" member groups.... Also, you will 'promote yourself' within a second 'regular' member group as you spend more time with us. Those forum related group permissions also will vary with 'rank', if you will.
And these 'arbitrary' membergroups may change also... it's all an experiment... Depends on you, and what you all want and need...
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Oh! Check our the Cool 
