Help

Reading, following, replying and writing on WestScript, answered briefly.

Short answers to the questions readers, commenters and writers ask most. Open a question to read the answer. Still stuck? Send it through the contact page.

Reading

Do I need an account to read posts?

No. Every published post on WestScript is public and free. Accounts exist only for invited writers and the moderators who look after the site.

What is the difference between a profile and a tag page?

A profile at /handle/ shows one writer: their bio, pinned introduction, categories and posts. A tag page at /tagged/name/ collects posts with the same tag from every writer.

A code block is wider than my screen. Is the page broken?

No. Code keeps its original line breaks so that what you copy matches what the writer ran. Scroll sideways inside the block to see the rest of a long line.

Does the site work without JavaScript?

Yes. Pages are plain HTML and CSS. JavaScript only adds small conveniences, like the copy button on code blocks and sending a reply without reloading the page.

Following

What does the Follow button do?

It opens the writer’s RSS feed at /handle/feed.xml. Add that address to any feed reader and new posts from that writer show up there. There is nothing to sign up for.

Can I follow the whole site?

Yes. The site feed at /feed.xml includes new posts from every writer.

Replies

How do I reply to a post?

Scroll to the discussion under the post, enter a name and your reply, and send it. No account or email address is needed.

Why is my reply not visible yet?

Guest replies are reviewed by a moderator before they appear. If a reply is not approved within 30 days, it is deleted automatically.

Can I edit or remove a reply I wrote?

There is no account to sign in to, so you cannot edit it yourself. Use the contact page, choose Privacy request, and tell us the post and the name you used. We will remove it.

Writing

How do I become a writer?

Writer accounts are by invitation; there is no public sign-up. Send a note through the contact page with the topic Request a writer invite and tell us what you would like to write about.

What does a writer get?

A profile and blog at /your-handle/ with portrait, bio and an optional website link
A pinned introduction and categories you name yourself
Posts with cover images, inline images, code blocks, tags and a contents card on long posts
An RSS feed of your own

The features page has the full list.

Who owns what I publish?

You do. Publishing gives WestScript permission to host, display and distribute your posts, including through RSS. You can ask for a post or your whole blog to be removed at any time.

Can I link to my own site or repository?

Yes. Your profile has a website link, and links in posts are ordinary links. Linking to docs, sources and your own projects is welcome.

Reports and requests

How do I report a post or a reply?

Use the contact page, choose Report a post or comment, paste the link and tell us briefly what is wrong. For copied work, choose Copyright notice instead.

How do I ask about my data?

Choose Privacy request on the contact page to ask for a copy, a correction or deletion. The privacy page lists what we keep and for how long.