Forum Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
Some Introductory Notes:
In order to help familiarize you with the "how-tos" of forum use, the following explanation may be of some assistance when you are posting messages and replies in the self-help forums at Recovery Canada - The Wellness Network.
For some people who have used the "forum" format previously, it "feels" quite self-explanatory, however, navigation and posting can be somewhat difficult to new users of the message board method of communicating.
READING MESSAGES:
You will notice as you access the forum, that the newest subjects appear
at the top of the page. This is to enable you easier access to the
most recently posted subjects without the need to scroll through the page
to find them. Keep in mind, however, that replies to messages do not
appear as new subjects at the top of the page. They appear in a link,
threaded immediately below the message to which they are replies.
Things to remember:
POSTING MESSAGES:
Posting a message is very simple. Fill in the name and subject line, then simply enter your message. When
finished, choose "post message" if you are satisfied with what you have
written or "reset" if you wish to start all over.
REPLYING TO A MESSAGE:
This is a little more complicated than simply posting, however, really
easy once you've done it a time or two. When you click on a message,
instead of having the option to "Post a message", you will have the option
to "Post a follow up message". Fill in the name and subject line (if you wish to change it from the original).
Now, go to the text window to enter your message. When you're satisfied with what you have
written, hit "Submit Follow Up", or if you wish to start over fresh, hit
"Reset".
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Click here to view the Forum Users' Agreement.
Some Questions and Answers:
People put n/t after the title of their message when they do not have any text in their message. This helps you know that you don't have to click on the message to read it, but just read the subject line. If you want to post a message with no text, you will still have to put something in the message area of the form, even if it is just a period.
What is the difference between this forum and a chatroom?
In a chatroom, lines of text are sent back and forth constantly among a number of people. In a message board like this forum, separate messages are written by individuals and then sent to a server where they are stored, just like the files on your hard drive. As soon as a message is sent to the server, it is listed on the main page of the forum and is available for others to use. In a chatroom, there is no permanent storage of the text. It is only stored on your monitor screen (and therefore, in your RAM) until you close down the window that contains the text. This means that in the forums your message can be read by others later when they come online, even when you are no longer at the computer.
Can I put html tags anywhere in my posts?
No. You can not use HTML tags in any field. HTML is disallowed in the Message part of your posting. We regret this, knowing that simple HTML can be useful, but have eliminated it because we are aware of how it can cause errors and even be misused.
Your post most likely did not show up because your browser did not reload the page but simply pulled it out of cache. Click on the Reload/Refresh button of your browser and it should then appear.
Why did my message get posted twice?
Sometimes there are inexplicable glitches, but a message most likely gets posted twice when someone hits the Back button and then hits the Post button again. In other words, someone mistakenly does something that tells their browser to post it again.
Why did my post get mixed up with someone else's?
Sometimes funny things happen when you use the script for this program. This likely happens when more than one person happens to post at exactly the same time. The best way you can cope with this is to save your message before you hit submit. The easiest way to do this, if you use a PC computer, is to drag your mouse over the text you typed to highlight it and then hit Control + C on the keyboard to copy it into the Clipboard memory of the computer. Then submit your message and check to see if your message posts properly. If it doesn't, you can try again and paste the message back in (using Control + V).
Why can I sometimes get back into the forum without entering a username and password?
If you do not shut your browser down from one time to the next, then your browser remembers your username and password.
How can I keep my privacy when I am sharing a computer with others?
The safety of your own computer is your responsibility, however, you might find this information helpful.
First of all, always close the browser when you are finished using it. Otherwise, it assumes that the same person is still using it and remembers the username and password. Also, make sure that your browser does ask for your username and password after it has been shut down and re-opened. If it doesn't, maybe there is a setting that you can change.
If you are very concerned about someone else knowing that you visit this site, then you need to be aware of two things in your browser: the cache (the temporary files that are downloaded to your hard drive whenever you visit a site) and the history files (the list of addresses of all the sites you've visited). Look for the settings that allow you to empty the cache (temporary files) when you are done, and remove the history files. You will need to figure out what works for the particular browser you are using. Note: the cache and history only need concern you if there is someone else who uses the same computer as you and could cause you harm if they know that you visit this site.
What is a Forum Administrator?
A Forum Administrator is someone who develops, oversees, and maintains the forums at Recovery Canada - The Wellness Network. On this site, the Forum Administrators are also the Site Administrators. They put up new articles, links, etc., do the work that ensures that the forums and collections function as smoothly as possible, and make any other changes to the site. They make the decisions about what gets put on the site and monitor what goes on among members of the forums.
Where can I get the scripts for this program?
The scripts are written in Perl and created by Matt Wright. They are free to anyone who wishes to use them and you can get them as well as other scripts at: http://worldwidemart.com/scripts/.
Use your browser's back button to return to the forum you were using.
[ Recovery Canada Main Page ] [ Site Map ] [ Support ] [ Resources ]
[ Fun Spot ] [ News ] [ Inspiration ] [ Email
]