Using Ajax USA Discussions

Discussion forums provide an opportunity for visitors of Ajax USA to read and contribute to discussions on a wide variety of subjects. You can read any discussion forum while surfing anonymously. However, to create new topics and posts, you must be registered and signed in.

You will find discussions throughout Ajax USA, although most discussions will reside here, in the Discussions folder. If you have any questions or comments about using discussions on Ajax USA, please post a new topic or message in the forum at the bottom of this page, or send email to webmaster@ajax-usa.com.

Structure of a Discussion Forum

Discussions are organized into forums, topics (also known as threads) and messages (also known as posts). From here on out, we'll use the terms Topics (in place of Threads) and Messages (in place of Posts).

Each forum resides on its own hosting web page. For instance, TV Talk is a discussion forum. Note: Only Content Administrators can create new forums.

Within each forum, there can be an unlimited number of topics. Usually, any registered user can create a new topic. Each topic is made up of the first message which kicks off the discussion, and then any number of response messages. Messages can be submitted in response to the first message or to any subsequent response messsage. Usually, any registered user can create a new message.

How to View a Topic

To view a topic, click the topic title on the Discussion's home page (EX: "Vacation Plans?" above is a topic). The resulting page lists the first message as well as any messages submitted in response to the topic. Responses to responses are, by default, hidden. To view any responses to a response, click the 'expand' icon  next to the first response. Conversely, to hide the set of responses to a given response, click the 'collapse' icon  next to the first response.

Here is a typical discussion topic. Note that the first response to the topic includes a subsequent response, and this response-thread has been expanded to show the subsequent response. The second response to the topic also includes a subsequent response, as indicated by the expand icon next to the response title. However, this second response has not been expanded.

Note: The messages appear in the following sort-order:

1. The Thread topic (the first message posted to the Thread) appears first.
2. Each response to the Thread topic appears in the chronological order in which it was posted, oldest on top.
3. Each response to a response appears in the chronological order in which it was posted, oldest on top, under the original response.

How to Reply to a Topic

To post a message in response to a topic, sign in, browse to the web page hosting the discussion, and:

1. Select the topic from the list of existing topics.
2. Browse the topic page, and click 'Reply' next to the message to which you are replying.
3. In the resulting page, edit the existing subject line (optional) and create a message by entering text in the text entry box.
• You can use the Toolbar to add formatting and hyperlinks and to your message.
• You can also attach a file to your message by checking the "Attach a file to this post" check box and then selecting the file to be added from your computer.
4. Click 'Reply' to submit your response message.

How to Create a Topic

To create a new topic, sign in, browse to the web page hosting the discussion, and:

1. Select the 'New topic' hypertext link above the list of existing topics on the forum's home page.
2. Enter a subject and message.
1. Optional: Use the Toolbar to add formatting and links to your topic message.
3. Click Post to create the new discussion topic. 

How to Subscribe to Forum Notification

1. Click the 'Subscribe' link above the list of topics.
2. Select from one of the following options:
• None: receive no notifications (default)
• Immediate: receive a notification each time a topic or message is submitted.
• Daily: receive one notification listing every topic or message submitted that day.
• Once a week: receive one notification listing every topic or message submitted that week.
3. Click 'Save'.

About Notification:

The system will only send email notifications when a topic or message has been submitted since a user's last notification. For example, if a user subscribes to 'daily' notification, but no updates occur on a given day, the system will not send an email notification.

To stop receiving notifications, follow the above instructions and select 'None' as your subscription option.

Forum: Using Ajax USA discussions