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What is a forum?

Learn about forums and how they work.

What is a forum?​

In basic terms, a forum is an online discussion site. It is a meeting place where users can participate in discussions, share ideas, and exchange information on virtually any topic.

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Forums differ from live chat rooms because the messages are not limited by a line or two of text and the discussions are saved ("posted") and can be read at any time.

How do I join in a discussion?​

A member participates on a forum by creating a post. Posts can contain text, images, videos, and links.

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Other members can respond to the post creating a conversation, which is called a thread. A forum can contain many threads, with each thread being a single topic of discussion.

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A collection of threads that are based on a common concept are referred to as a Board.

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Boards are separated in to categories.

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A forum's main page will always display that forum's categories, each with a list of its boards. Clicking on a board will show the list of available threads or topics. Clicking in to a thread you can read the posted conversation and choose to post your own reply, joining in the discussion.

You can even choose to start your own topic of discussion by finding the board that best corresponds to your topic and creating a new thread.