You may use this site anonymously, without providing any personal information. However, you will not be able to post to the Forum, and will see only limited site content.

Members who register and contribute regularly can earn points and increasing site recognition, starting with the ability to post comments (at the "Registered User" level), and moving up to the ability to moderate threads and more (at the "Moderator" level).

Members with a record of valuable contributions and community participation may, at the sole discretion of an Administrator, earn access to discussions with Microsoft experts and additional special content and events, and may be considered for Moderator privileges.

From lowest to highest, the user access levels are:

• Guest: A Guest is a user who is not registered to use the site and may only read, but not post, content.
• Registered User: A Registered User is a user who has registered to use the site. This status is granted automatically.
• Registered WMT User: A Registered WMT User is a standard user who is also registered on Windows Mobile® Training. This status is granted automatically.
• Specialist: A Specialist has current Specialist certification from Windows Mobile Training. Specialists gain the ability to post photos to the site. Specialist recognition is granted automatically.
• Small Business Retail Specialist: A Small Business Retail Specialist has current Small Business Retail certification from Windows Mobile Training. Specialists gain the ability to post photos to the site. Small Business Specialist recognition is granted automatically.
• Moderator: A Moderator is the second highest permission level within the forum. By default a Moderator can perform any number of tasks within the forum. This includes approving posts, moving posts, deleting posts, editing posts, or banning users. If you have a problem, the best place to start is with a Moderator. Moderators belong to varying groups configured by an Administrator. Moderator status is granted solely at an Administrator's discretion.
• Administrator: An Administrator is the highest permission level within the forum. By default, an Administrator has full permissions to perform any action, such as moderating posts, approving users, and so on. Administrator status is granted solely to Microsoft employees and representatives.

• Post Factor – 5 points awarded to the user for posting a new thread or poll
• Reply Factor – 5 points awarded to the user for each direct reply to his/her pos
• Favorite Post Factor – 1 points awarded to a user each time his/her post is added as a favorite
• Favorite User (Friend) Factor – 10 points awarded to a user each time he/she is added as a friend
• Rating Factor – 5 points awarded to a user for each star his/her post receives
• Rater Factor – 1 point awarded to a user for each star rating he/she gives to a post

0 – 1,000 points: Colleague
1,000 – 7,000 points: Advocate
7,000 – 20,000 points: Expert
20,000 – 50,000 points: Ambassador
50,000+ points: Guru