We hope you have found our website useful.  The AAQ is using a leading open-source Content Management System (CMS) to allow members to access, review and contribute articles and information to our website, without the need to understand all the complexities of HTML coding.

The AAQ web site uses a CMS that allows us to control what content is published, while at the same time allows all members to contribute.  There are different levels of membership on this site, and these control what you as a user can do.

Guests: Anybody can access the AAQ web site, and indeed we encourage people to read the articles that are published about the Association and astronomy in general.  However there is some content that is only available to members of the Association, such as newsletters, the discussion forums and internal mail.

Registered Members: All members of the AAQ, regardless of their membership status (i.e. Associate, Full, Family or Honorary) has access to the full content of the web site, with the exception of the Council documents.  Members can access material not otherwise visible to guests.  However Registered Members do not have the ability to create new articles.

Authors: Authors are Registered Members who have been granted the ability to write and submit new articles.  This level is available to any Registered Member who has read the guidelines for writing articles, and submitted an application to have their level increased.  No other qualifications are required, and we encourage members to become Authors.  Authors have all the same rights are Registered Members.

Editors: Editors are the next level up the "article food chain".  These members can edit existing articles to provide updates and corrections. Editors have all the same rights are Authors.  Any author who has an interest in becoming an Editor need only ask.

Publishers: The final link in the chain are Publishers. They review articles written by Authors and/or changed by Editors, and if suitable for publication, they mark the articles as visible on the web site.  Until this is done the article is NOT visible to Registered Members or Guests.  Publishers have all the same rights are Editors.  Publishers will be a limited group of members whose job will be to maintain the look, feel and professionalism of the site.  Publishers will be invited to participate by the Web Site Committee.

Administrators: There is one final group, and they are the Administrators.  They have access to the configuration of the web site as a whole, not just the process of publishing articles.