How Do I Use the Help System?
Use the links on the top of this page to navigate to the topic(s) you would like help with.

When you register, you choose a User Name, and receive a Password via email. You use this User Name and Password to log into the discussion system and post messages.

How to Register

1. Click on the Register link that appears at the top of the pages of the discussion system:


2. Read the Usage Agreement and click the agree button if you agree to its terms and conditions:


3. You will be presented with a Registration Form - fill out the fields in the form as instructed, and click the Register button:



Only the User Name and Email Address fields are required - the other fields are all optional.

4. If registration is successful, you will be notified and presented with a Login button. Click this button to go to the Board Login page.

5. Check your email - you should have an email message in your inbox containing your User Name and Password. Use this information to log in to the discussion system and start posting messages.


It can take a few minutes for the email to be delivered to you.

How to Log In
To log in, click the Log In link that appears at the top of the pages of the discussion system:

You will then see the Board Login page. Enter your User Name and Password into the User Name and Password fields, and click the Login button to log in to the system:

If you would like your computer to remember your User Name and Password permanently using a cookie, check the Store User Name & Password Permanently on My Computer box before clicking the Login button. Next time you click the Log In link, your User Name and Password will be pre-filled.

You can check/uncheck this option any time you log in.

How to Log Out
To log out, click the Log Out link that appears at the top of the pages of the discussion system:

You will then be logged out of the discussion system.

You will then see the Board Login page. Towards the bottom of the page, you'll see a field called Email Address. Enter your email address in this box and press the Send button:

Your User Name and Password will be sent to you via email. It can take a few minutes for the email to be delivered.

Posting a New Topic
To post a new topic in a forum, click the Post a New Topic link that appears at the top of the list of topics on the forum page:

You will then see the Post a New Topic page. In the Topic Subject: field, enter the subject of your new topic. In the Type Your Message: field, enter the full text of your message. When you are finished, press the Send button to add your new topic to the forum.

Posting a Reply to an Existing Topic
To post a reply to an existing topic in a forum, click the Post a Reply on This Topic link that appears at the top of the topic page:

You will then see the Post a Reply page. In the Type Your Message: field, enter the full text of your reply. When you are finished, press the Send button to add your reply to the current topic.

If a topic icon has a small "bars" image, that topic is closed; no further replies may be posted to that topic.

You can only edit or delete messages that have not been replied to. In addition, you cannot delete the first message of a topic.

Editing a Message
To edit a message that you have posted, click the Edit link that appears next to your message on the topic page:

You will then see the Edit This Post page. In the Edit The Message: field, make your changes to the message. When you are finished, press the Send button to save your edits.

A note will appear below your message in the topic page, stating that you have edited the message.

Deleting a Message
To delete a message that you have posted, click the Delete link that appears next to your message on the topic page:

You will then be asked to confirm deletion. Click the OK button to delete your message.

How to Edit Your Profile
Click the Edit Profile link that appears at the top of the pages of the discussion system:

You will then see the Edit Profile page. Make any changes you like to your profile, then click the Save button to save your changes, or the Reset button to return the form fields to their original values.

Changing Your Email Address
If you move to a different email address, enter the new address in the Email Address field, and click the Save button.

For security reasons, you will be assigned a new password, which will be sent in an email to your new address, and which will take effect immediately. You must use this new password to log in next time.

Changing Your Password
If you would like to use a different password, enter your existing password in the Current Password field, then enter your new password in both the New Password and Confirm New Password fields, then click the Save button.

Changing Your Personal Details
To change your publicly-viewable details, enter new values in the City,State,Country, Occupation and Home Page fields as required, and click the Save button.

Changing Your Preferences
You can change your email preferences, and the default setting for how many topics are displayed on forum page. Choose your preferred options using the check boxes and drop-down list, and click the Save button.

You will then see the Search page. In the Search For field, enter the text you would like to search for. In the In Forums list, select the forum or forums you would like to search in. If you would like the search to be case-sensitive, check the Match Case box.

You can select multiple forums to search through by holding down the Control key and clicking on the desired forums.

Click the search button to perform the search, or the clear button to clear your search query and start again.

Refresh
You can refresh the current page you are viewing in order to make it display the most recent postings. Simply click the Refresh link that appears at the top of the pages of the discussion system:

Closed Topic
A topic that can no longer be replied to.

Forum
A collection of topics under a common subject. Each forum can have an unlimited number of topics. A board can contain one or more forums.

Home Page
The front page of a board, containing the list of forums and categories, board announcement, etc.

Message
Same as Reply.

Post
Same as Reply.

Reply
A posting to a topic. A topic consists of the original post that started off the topic, and usually one or more replies.

Topic
A new posting on a new subject. Similar to a thread in newsgroup terminology. A topic can have any number of replies, or follow-up posts, which are all grouped under the same topic.