You will interact with each JotSpot page in one of four modes (states):

1. View: your pages as they appear when you navigate or link to them. You or others can read them or print them but cannot edit them.

1. Create: the process of naming a new document, usually with Wiki words. JotSpot prepares a 'place' for this new page in its database structure.

1. Edit: you use one of the three JotSpot editors to compose, change and save versions of your pages.

1. Preview: during editing, you may request that JotSpot present the page to you as it will appear if you then choose to save it permanently.

Phrased differently, you will spend your time either 'reading' (view) or 'writing' (create, edit and preview) to your wiki.

Different JotSpot features or actions make sense when you are 'in' one of these modes but not in another.

For instance, it would be possible technically to allow you to edit directly into any viewable page. However, this would also enable any other human being who had reached this page on the Internet to do the same thing. The edit mode, joined to the page permissions structure, conveniently supports your ability to decide who should edit a particular page - by separating editing and viewing.