diff --git a/models/discussion.rb b/models/discussion.rb
index f35189fd..b5d0757e 100644
--- a/models/discussion.rb
+++ b/models/discussion.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ class Discussion
   #this is the slug for the url
   key :slug, String
 
+  key :subscribed_users, Array
+
   timestamps!
 
   before_save :make_slug
@@ -55,6 +57,10 @@ def forum_description
     end
   end
 
+  def create_subscription! email
+    subscribed_users << email
+  end
+
   private
   def make_slug
     self.slug = self.title.to_slug
diff --git a/models/reply.rb b/models/reply.rb
index d6682546..27859625 100644
--- a/models/reply.rb
+++ b/models/reply.rb
@@ -13,8 +13,14 @@ class Reply
   #we need to make sure we have an author
   validate_on_create :author_check
 
+  after_save :send_subscription_notice
+
   private
 
+  def send_subscription_notice
+    _root_document.create_subscription! :author_email
+  end
+
   def author_check
     if author.nil?
       errors.add(:author, "Someone must have written this reply!")
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/programs_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/programs_spec.rb
index ad527f97..e0f92a02 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/programs_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/programs_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
     page.should have_content "Program created"
     page.should have_content "Hello world"
-    page.should have_content "By steve"
+    page.should have_content "By #{@hacker.username}"
     page.should have_content "puts"
 
   end
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/subscription_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/subscription_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b234959
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/acceptance/subscription_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/acceptance_helper'
+
+feature "Subscriptions" do
+
+  scenario "Subscribing to a thread" do
+
+#   Given I've commented in a thread
+    thread = Factory(:discussion)
+    me = Factory(:hacker)
+    reply = Factory(:reply, :author => me.username, :author_email => me.email)
+    thread.replies << reply
+
+    Pony.should_receive(:deliver) do |mail|
+      mail.to.should == [ me.email ]
+      mail.body.to_s.should =~ /\/forums\/#{thread.forum}\/#{thread.slug}/
+    end
+
+#   When someone else makes a comment
+    somebody = Factory(:hacker)
+    log_in somebody
+    visit "/forums/#{thread.forum}/#{thread.slug}"
+    click_link "Reply"
+    fill_in "Body", :with => "Here's my take on things: Dream big!"
+    click_button "Create Reply"
+
+#   Then I should receive an email
+#   (see pony block above)
+
+#   And it should have a link to that thread
+#   (see pony block above)
+
+  end
+
+# Scenario: Unsubscribing from a thread
+#   Given I've subscribed to a thread
+#   And I'm on the page for that thread
+#   When I click the unsubscribe link
+#   And someone makes a comment
+#   Then I should not receive an email
+
+# Scenario: Subscribing to a forum
+#   Given I'm on the index page for a forum
+#   When I click the subscription link
+#   And someone makes a new thread in that forum
+#   Then I should receive an email
+#   And it should have a link to that forum
+
+# Scenario: Unsubscribing from a forum
+#   Given I've subscribed to a forum
+#   And I'm on the index page for that forum
+#   When I click the unsubscribe link
+#   And someone makes a new thread in that forum
+#   Then I should not receive an email
+
+end
diff --git a/spec/discussion_spec.rb b/spec/discussion_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8a8669d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/discussion_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+describe Discussion do
+  
+  describe "#create_subscription!" do
+
+    it "adds a new email to the subscription list" do
+      discussion = Factory(:discussion)
+      discussion.subscribed_users.count.should == 0
+      discussion.create_subscription! "somebody@example.com"
+      discussion.subscribed_users.count.should == 1
+    end
+
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories.rb b/spec/factories.rb
index 0aae7e2d..5728e81c 100644
--- a/spec/factories.rb
+++ b/spec/factories.rb
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@
   "user#{n}@example.com"
 end
 
+Factory.sequence :username do |n|
+  "user#{n}"
+end
+
 #this factory defines a hacker
 Factory.define :hacker do |u|
-  u.username "steve"
+  u.username { Factory.next(:username)}
   u.email { Factory.next(:email) }
   u.password "foobar"
   #we need to set the password_confirmation to the same value as the password
diff --git a/spec/reply_spec.rb b/spec/reply_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..14d94527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/reply_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+describe Reply do
+
+  describe "subscriptions" do
+    it "adds one to its Discussion upon creation" do
+      email = "someone@example.com"
+      @discussion = Factory(:discussion)
+      @discussion.should_receive(:create_subscription!)
+      @discussion.replies << Factory(:reply, :author_email => email)
+      @discussion.save
+    end
+
+    it "triggers an email to others upon creation"
+  end
+
+end