Topics covered in this section:
An Overview of the conference system:
The Software
The Xisti Forums run on a software system called
pHp Bulletin Board. You have probably used one version or another of
this message system. The software provides levels called Forums, Topics
and Conversations (posts). This structure makes it easy to follow along
with conversations and add your comments. You can participate in all
of the Forums or just a few, depending on your interests.
There are some nice features for navigating in
this software. For example, the menu bar at the top of a Forum window.
It shows the path to the Forum you are reading and each area is a link
that will take you to that spot in the Forums. At the bottom of the
Forum screen is the Go Window ... you just select the Topic in the Forums
you want to read and click GO ... it takes you there. Clicking on the
Forums@Xisti graphic will also take you to the main category page from
anywhere in the Forums.
You will also notice that the system limits the
number of posts on a page, an especially nice feature for those who
have slow connections or access the site via web-tv. If the number of
new posts exceeds the default setting, a new page is created and a link
will be at the top of the conversation page. The system default it set
to show posts for the last 45 days. This is what new users will see
when they first visit the Forums@Xisti. Users have the option to change
the setting for the number of days of posts that are displayed. This
option is located in the user Profile Editor page.
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Your Profile
You may elect to set up a Profile to let other
members know a little more about you. You started your Profile at the
time you registered. You can edit your profile at any time by scrolling
to the top of any page and clicking on "my profile". This will take
you to a screen that lets you set up your profile. You might want to
include information about your interests, family, e-mail address, web
page or even post a link to a photo of yourself.
Your Publicly Displayed Name is the name you
selected when you registered. You can change it in the Profile Editor.
We like to have fun with our identities, using them to comment on all
kinds of things ... however, your login name always remains the same,
to help us recognize you if you do enjoy changing identities from time
to time.
Your Signature
You can select a signature in the profile screen.
This will be displayed after all your posts unless you deselect the
signature option.
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Responding to Posts
To respond to a post, click on the button labeled
Post Reply. This will bring up the New Post window. This bulletin board
has a really nice feature .... it displays the previous posts at the
bottom of the new post screen, which is nice if you want to refer back
to the post you are responding to. You can select a message icon to
indicate the nature of your post. You can also include Graemlins in
your post for expression. The Graemlins are displayed at the bottom
of the post window and can be added by positioning the cursor where
you want the Graemlin and then clicking on the Graemlin of your choice.
Click on the Add Reply button to add your comments to the conversation.
You may edit or delete your own posts ... you
might want to edit:
- If a post just doesn't sound the way you meant
it
- For clarity
- To correct typos or misspelled words
If you do edit, the software will note that the
post was edited.
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Using HTML or UBB Code in Posts
You may post responses in plain text or using
HTML or UBB code. The post window contains some shortcut buttons to
help you with UBB code. If using plain text, the lines will automatically
wrap, but be sure to insert paragraph breaks in long posts to make them
easier to read. Insert a paragraph break in a plain text post by pressing
enter twice. HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) allows the use of text
formatting. It also allows posting of images and links to other pages
or sites. When using HTML code in a post, you must remember to put in
line or paragraph breaks or your post will run into one paragraph.
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Posting Images
Images must be in a supported graphics format
such as JPG or GIF. Also, the image must be uploaded to an internet
server file such as your personal web page. You can reference the file
using HTML code so that it appears in your post. We encourage you to
include a picture in your profile, but please make sure it is formatted
correctly for the web by checking the file size and resolution. If you
use a program such as Adobe Photoshop for scanning images, it has a
feature for saving for the web. If you are not sure how to size an image
for the web, send an e-mail to help@xisti.before
posting your image. Formatting your images correctly will make them
load quickly … always an important issue on the internet. The HTML code
for posting an image is:
img src="http://www.sitename.com/directoryname/filename.jpg"
or
img src="http://www.sitename.com/directoryname/filename.gif"
In the example above, you would replace "sitename/directoryname/filename"
with the actual path to reach the file on your site. Make sure to include the HTML brackets around your image code.
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Role of Moderators
Each Forum has one or more hosts, called Moderators.
The duties of the Moderators include starting new conversations, keeping
conversations on track and helping to make sure all members are observing
the rules. That means that the Moderators must sometimes remind a member
of the Terms of Use. In some cases, a Moderator may choose to delete
a post if he/she feels it is necessary.
Moderators are the only members authorized to
start new Topics. If you feel a new topic is needed, please post your
request in the Suggestion Box, using the format shown there.
It is important that every member realize that
Moderators sometimes have a thankless job. They are volunteers who help
keep the system running smoothly for the benefit of all members. When
things go wrong, they put in many hours to help make corrections. Please
respect the service they give to make the Forums@Xisti a success and
a pleasant experience for everyone.
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Private Forums
You may have clicked on a Forum and got a message
saying that you do not have permission to enter this area. This is because
the Forum is private, requiring a password for access. We have a private
area for men and one for women ... the Locker Rooms. To gain access
to one of these areas, please e-mail help@xisti.com .
There are also private Forums for the site Moderators
and Administrators for discussing site maintenance issues.
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FAQ
The FAQ
for our software is available online. You will find answers to many
questions about the software by reading the FAQ.
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If you have questions after reading this file and/or the tips in the
Atrium Forum, please e-mail us at help@xisti.com.
We'll direct you to the information you need right away!
