You may be noticing some changes to The Times' Web site, nwi.com.

These changes are ushering in a cutting-edge social marketplace where Northwest Indiana and suburban Illinois residents can connect with their neighbors, voice their opinions, share photos and videos, find local businesses and spread the word about upcoming events through our virtual community, my.nwi.com.

You will still be able to visit nwi.com for the latest news, read stories, view videos and search our archives, just as you have in the past. But to enjoy all the new, robust features we're adding, you'll need to take a few minutes to register as a user and create your online profile. It's simple, quick and free.

One of the privileges that comes with registration is the ability to comment on stories. You may notice that comments made prior to this transition will no longer be visible. However, our registered users will see quicker posting of the new comments made under their profile.

These comments will not be moderated prior to being posted, so we ask our users to follow the guidelines listed in the comment sections of stories and show courtesy to their fellow users by sharing their passionate views with a good dose of civility. Another benefit of registration is the ability to flag comments that violate our guidelines. Once you're logged in, reporting abusive comments will be as simple as clicking a button.

With these changes, you may experience periodic downtime or navigation issues as we make the transition. We are doing our best to keep these to a minimum. If you see a problem that persists, we encourage you to let us know by e-mailing our online team at munewmedia@lee.net.

We're excited to welcome you to your new virtual community and hope you will join the conversation.