Hello, and thank you again for signing up for the D.C. Registry's newsletter. All web addresses in this message are enclosed in quotation marks. Please do not type the quotation marks into your browser window (our apologies to those for whom this is obvious).

It has been over two months since we sent out the last newsletter, so we have several new features to announce:

* New Up-to-the-minute news, weather, and more
* New web post cards
* New D.C. Discussion Forums
* New banner network

First, if you've been to the Registry lately, then you may have already noticed our new section near the top of the front page entitled Up-to-the-minute News, Weather, and more. This section contains a continuously updated news ticker with the latest world news, as well as updated local information. This section also contains a graphic with the four day weather forecast for the Washington area, as well as links to the latest traffic conditions, lottery numbers, daily horoscopes, and more. You can find it on our front page, which is located at " http://dcregistry.com", so check back often for the latest information.

We are also pleased to announce our new Web Post Cards. Just in time for the holidays, this feature allows you to send electronic greeting cards over the Internet. Since we have just released this program, only the Christmas and birthday cards are currently available, but we plan to eventually have cards for all occasions, such as Hanukkah, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, and many others. To send a card, go to the Post Cards front page, choose "Send a postcard", and then select Birthday or Christmas from the Occasions page. Then, simply follow the four easy steps to design your card, preview it, and send it. Your recipient will get an e-mail message giving that person the URL where he or she can pick up the post card using a unique ID number. You even have the option of being notified by e-mail when your recipient views the card. As this program grows, we would like to add more features such as background music for your card. The best part of all is that it's free, so no stamps are required. To send a post card, please go to "http://dcregistry.com/postcards/welcome.html".

We have also revamped the D.C. Discussion Forums so that their appearance fits in with the rest of the site. While we were at it, we also added some new features such as the ability to view just today's new messages, as well as a more powerful search engine. You also have the option of being notified if anyone posts a reply to your message. As before, we have 22 different forums on topics such as arts and entertainment, the D.C. dating scene, and many more. Post a message today and join the discussions at " http://dcregistry.com/bbs/welcome.html".

For those of you with web sites of your own, we invite you to join the Washington Banner Network (WBN), which allows you to advertise for free on other local web sites. The WBN works similarly to the large banner networks such as the Link Exchange, except that it has a targeted audience of other Washington, DC area web sites and viewers. If this is your target audience, then there's no better way to get free advertising in the Washington, DC area than the WBN. As a special bonus, if you mention this newsletter when you sign up, we'll give you 100 free credits, so that your banner will be displayed an extra 100 times on the Registry and on other local web sites. This offer is also open to existing members who update their HTML code from the beta version to the new version and send an e-mail message to "wbn@dcregistry.com" notifying us of this. Join today by going to "http://dcregistry.com/wbn/welcome.html".

Finally, we wanted to share with you some of our plans for the next few months. In January, we will release a new version of our Home Page Creator, which will allow you to create multiple page sites, upload your own graphics, and even include your own personal guestbook! These features and more are discussed at "http://dcregistry.com/homes.html", where you can create your own free home page today.

We also plan to implement some exciting new features, such as Search DC!, which will be the first and only online interactive database for the Washington, DC area. Using Search DC!, you will be able to search in many different categories (people, dining, etc.) using multiple criteria. For example, you will be able to search for a moderately priced Japanese restaurant in Arlington, and then display a map to the restaurant. You will even be able to search by zip code. For a preview, see our Classified Ads, which use the same powerful database search engine. While you're there, peruse all of the new job listings that have been posted by local companies in the last couple of months or post a free classified ad if you need roommates or have a car or some other item for sale. The Classified Ads are located at "http://dcregistry.com/classifieds/welcome.html".

As always, if you enjoy the Registry, we ask that you please spread the word! With your help, the D.C. Registry will continue to be the finest online source for information on the Washington, DC area. I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

Philip A. Hagen, Webmaster
D.C. Registry
http://dcregistry.com
Washington's Online Community