diff --git a/controller/Forums.py b/controller/Forums.py
index 221cc55..e2813b6 100644
--- a/controller/Forums.py
+++ b/controller/Forums.py
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import cherrypy
 from model.User import User
 from model.Notebook import Notebook
+from model.Tag import Tag
 from Expose import expose
 from Validate import validate, Valid_string
 from Database import Valid_id, end_transaction
 from Users import grab_user_id
 from Notebooks import Notebooks
+from Users import Access_error
 from view.Forums_page import Forums_page
 from view.Forum_page import Forum_page
 from view.Main_page import Main_page
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ class Forums( object ):
   """
   def __init__( self, database, notebooks, users ):
     """
-    Create a new Forums object.
+    Create a new Forums object, representing a collection of forums.
 
     @type database: controller.Database
     @param database: database that forums are stored in
@@ -32,6 +34,9 @@ class Forums( object ):
     self.__notebooks = notebooks
     self.__users = users
 
+    self.__general = Forum( database, notebooks, users, u"general" )
+    self.__support = Forum( database, notebooks, users, u"support" )
+
   @expose( view = Forums_page )
   @end_transaction
   @grab_user_id
@@ -54,19 +59,41 @@ class Forums( object ):
 
     return result
 
+  general = property( lambda self: self.__general )
+  support = property( lambda self: self.__support )
+
+
+class Forum( object ):
+  def __init__( self, database, notebooks, users, name ):
+    """
+    Create a new Forum object, representing a single forum.
+
+    @type database: controller.Database
+    @param database: database that forums are stored in
+    @type notebooks: controller.Users
+    @param notebooks: controller for all notebooks
+    @type users: controller.Users
+    @param users: controller for all users
+    @type name: unicode
+    @param name: one-word name of this forum
+    @rtype: Forums
+    @return: newly constructed Forums
+    """
+    self.__database = database
+    self.__notebooks = notebooks
+    self.__users = users
+    self.__name = name
+
   @expose( view = Forum_page )
   @end_transaction
   @grab_user_id
   @validate(
-    forum_name = Valid_string( max = 100 ),
     user_id = Valid_id( none_okay = True ),
   )
-  def default( self, forum_name, user_id ):
+  def index( self, user_id ):
     """
     Provide the information necessary to display the current threads within a forum.
 
-    @type forum_name: unicode
-    @param forum_name: name of the forum to display
     @type user_id: unicode or NoneType
     @param user_id: id of the current user
     """
@@ -85,7 +112,7 @@ class Forums( object ):
     threads = self.__database.select_many(
       Notebook,
       anonymous.sql_load_notebooks(
-        parents_only = False, undeleted_only = True, tag_name = u"forum", tag_value = forum_name
+        parents_only = False, undeleted_only = True, tag_name = u"forum", tag_value = self.__name
       )
     )
 
@@ -93,11 +120,64 @@ class Forums( object ):
     if len( threads ) == 0:
       raise cherrypy.NotFound
 
-    result[ "forum_name" ] = forum_name
+    result[ "forum_name" ] = self.__name
     result[ "threads" ] = threads
     return result
 
-  # threads() is just an alias for Notebooks.default()
-  def threads( self, *args, **kwargs ):
+  # default() is just an alias for Notebooks.default()
+  def default( self, *args, **kwargs ):
     return self.__notebooks.default( *args, **kwargs )
-  threads.exposed = True
+
+  default.exposed = True
+
+  @expose()
+  @end_transaction
+  @grab_user_id
+  @validate(
+    user_id = Valid_id( none_okay = True ),
+  )
+  def create_thread( self, user_id ):
+    """
+    Create a new forum post and give it a default name. Then redirect to that new post thread.
+
+    @type user_id: unicode or NoneType
+    @param user_id: id of current logged-in user (if any)
+    @rtype dict
+    @return { 'redirect': new_notebook_url }
+    @raise Access_error: the current user doesn't have access to create a post
+    @raise Validation_error: one of the arguments is invalid
+    """
+    if user_id is None:
+      raise Access_error()
+
+    user = self.__database.load( User, user_id )
+    if user is None or not user.username or user.username == "anonymous":
+      raise Access_error()
+
+    anonymous = self.__database.select_one( User, User.sql_load_by_username( u"anonymous" ), use_cache = True )
+    if anonymous is None:
+      raise Access_error()
+
+    # create the new notebook thread
+    thread_id = self.__database.next_id( Notebook, commit = False )
+    thread = Notebook.create( thread_id, u"new forum post", user_id = user.object_id )
+    self.__database.save( thread, commit = False )
+
+    # associate the forum tag with the new notebook thread
+    tag = self.__database.select_one( Tag, Tag.sql_load_by_name( u"forum", user_id = anonymous.object_id ) )
+    self.__database.execute(
+      anonymous.sql_save_notebook_tag( thread_id, tag.object_id, value = self.__name ),
+      commit = False,
+    )
+
+    # give the anonymous user access to the new notebook thread
+    self.__database.execute(
+      anonymous.sql_save_notebook( thread_id, read_write = True, owner = False, own_notes_only = True ),
+      commit = False,
+    )
+
+    self.__database.commit()
+
+    return dict(
+      redirect = u"/forums/%s/%s" % ( self.__name, thread_id ),
+    )
diff --git a/static/css/product.css b/static/css/product.css
index 094a159..c28299c 100644
--- a/static/css/product.css
+++ b/static/css/product.css
@@ -232,6 +232,14 @@
   margin-top: 1em;
 }
 
+.forum_threads {
+  text-align: left;
+  width: 500px;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  margin-top: 1em;
+  line-height: 200%;
+}
+
 .forum_title {
   font-weight: bold;
   font-size: 105%;
diff --git a/static/js/Wiki.js b/static/js/Wiki.js
index dcdb818..2675f39 100644
--- a/static/js/Wiki.js
+++ b/static/js/Wiki.js
@@ -317,7 +317,15 @@ Wiki.prototype.populate = function ( startup_notes, current_notes, note_read_wri
 
   if ( this.notebook.read_write != NOTEBOOK_READ_ONLY ) {
     connect( window, "onunload", function ( event ) { self.editor_focused( null, true ); } );
-    connect( "newNote", "onclick", this, "create_blank_editor" );
+
+    if ( this.notebook.read_write == NOTEBOOK_READ_WRITE ||
+         ( this.notebook.read_write == NOTEBOOK_READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES &&
+           this.user.username && this.user.username != "anonymous" )
+    )
+      connect( "newNote", "onclick", this, "create_blank_editor" );
+    else
+      connect( "newNote", "onclick", function( event ) { self.display_message( 'Please login first. No account? Click "sign up".' ) } );
+
     connect( "createLink", "onclick", this, "toggle_link_button" );
     if ( this.notebook.read_write == NOTEBOOK_READ_WRITE )
       connect( "attachFile", "onclick", this, "toggle_attach_button" );
@@ -748,7 +756,7 @@ Wiki.prototype.create_editor = function ( id, note_text, deleted_from_id, revisi
     read_write = true;
   else if ( read_write == NOTEBOOK_READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES ) {
     own_notes_only = true;
-    if ( user_id == this.user.object_id )
+    if ( user_id == this.user.object_id && this.user.username && this.user.username != "anonymous" )
       read_write = true;
     else
       read_write = false;
diff --git a/view/Forum_page.py b/view/Forum_page.py
index 80bf4ea..9f11de8 100644
--- a/view/Forum_page.py
+++ b/view/Forum_page.py
@@ -18,12 +18,16 @@ class Forum_page( Product_page ):
         H1( full_forum_name ),
       ),
       Div(
+        P(
+          A( u"start a new discussion", href = u"/forums/%s/create_thread" % forum_name ),
+          class_ = u"small_text",
+        ),
         [ Div(
           A(
             thread.name,
-            href = u"/forums/threads/%s" % thread.object_id,
+            href = u"/forums/%s/%s" % ( forum_name, thread.object_id ),
           ),
         ) for thread in threads ],
-        class_ = u"forums_text", 
+        class_ = u"forum_threads", 
       ),
     )