FAQ: Forum Questions

Answer: There are many little icons in the topic view that might at first sight seem daunting. Please note that you might not see some of them if you are not logged in. Let's go over each one in turn. At the very top you will notice:

The above is used to get AWAY from the current topic. You can either go back to the forum listing, go to the forum indicated by the name in the button, or go to a previous or next topic in the current forum.

Just below these buttons you will see the topic that you are viewing. Inside the red box you will notice several small icons:

This icon will become orange when the user who posted the current topic is currently online. If the user is not online, the icon will look like this: .

Click on this icon to send E-mail to the user who posted the topic.

Click on this icon to send a private message to the user who posted the topic.

Click on this icon to report the topic or reply as inappropriate. An administrator will delete the topic/reply as soon as possible.

Below the red box containing the topic you are viewing, you will notice the following:

Use the above buttons to post a reply to the current topic. Instructions on how to post the reply will become available once you click on the "Show Post Form" button.

Below the buttons you may notice responses to the current topic. (If there are none, this means that no one has responded!). The layout of each reply is similar that of the topic itself.

If there are responses to the topic, there will also be a toolbar to help you sort them out. You can use it to select MAXIMUM RESPONSES TO VIEW, the SORT method, and SEARCH for a post by keywords. Make sure to press "set" when you want your changes to take effect.

Answer: Once inside a forum, you may be treated in two different ways: (1) as a logged-in user or (2) as a non-logged in user. To log in, you must first create an account. If you are logged in, you can post topics and reply to topics. No matter which one you do, you must "post" something. The best analogy is that of a message board where users "post" replies to each other's topics. If you are logged in, you will notice the following set of buttons on the forum page:

The button on the left takes you to the forum listing.
The button in the middle shows the post form, which is used to post a topic.
The botton on the right hides the post form.

Answer: A forum is a tool that allows users to communicate and collaborate ith each other. Users (such as yourself) can "post" "topics", respond to them, and comment on each other's replies. If you want to run an idea by a group of people, or look at other people's ideas and/or questions, this is the tool for you.

Each forum has its own name and a designated topic. If you visit the "Forums" link on the left, you will notice a listing of "Forums". You may click on any of them to enter the Forum.

Answer: "Post" is the general term used to describe adding anything to the forum. You may add topics and replies to topics. So, a "reply" is just a type of "post". A good analogy is posting messages on a bulletin board. Someone may "post" a "topic", and someone else may "post" a "reply" to that "topic". Our forums use the same terminology.

Answer: A topic is started when someone has a new idea or question he or she would like to share, and a reply is a response or answer to another user's idea or question.

To post a topic, use the "Click to Show Post Form" button in the forum view (immediately after you choose a forum). Note that you must be logged in to do this.

To reply to a topic, use the same "Click to Show Post Form" button in the topic view (once you have picked a topic to view).