Unlike a similar portal operated by the Army, the Navy rank and file aren't ordered to use NKO (see Army-Navy Game). They're motivated to do so to help their careers. On NKO, sailors can find experts to answer a single question or to tutor them for long periods, even if either or both party is at sea. It's a new concept for sailors, who effectively compete with their peers for promotions.
As a cold start, Morris tapped the coordinators of NPDC's 14 centers of training, covering combat systems, nuclear engineering, submarine operations, leadership and other topics. They were tasked with starting discussion boards and inviting people to join. Word of mouth quickly spread, and by June, five months after launch, 100,000 sailors were registered.
Navy, Uncensored
NKO's developers made a conscious effort to keep the portal open and unregulated at the beginning, so as not to scare people off. Of course, some military discussions will inevitably set off security alarms. One time a user asked a public discussion board for a password to a tactical combat system. No one answered, and users flamed the author for asking.
Morris describes the discussion boards as self-correcting in this way, but he says he also thinks it's important for administrators who police the boards to provide an explanation. As soon as this user's message was deleted, Morris posted a message that explained why and directed the discussion to the Secure Internet Protocol Network, a version of NKO and devoted to classified information. It's accessible only by sailors with high security clearance and from terminals in restricted sections of a naval bases or ships. A few thousand Navy personnel began using it early this summer.
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