Forums - A Quick User Guide

I remember the days of the local bulletin board systems and dialing in to take part in the conversations. Bulletin board systems are the precursors of the modern internet forums. The earliest forums date back to 1996. Today web forums are the most active and alive forms of social media you can find.

To have a good experience and get the most out of web forums there are some very basic things you should remember.

• Read the rules of the forum. Every forum is different and has different rules. Some allow you to have signatures with links on your posts, some don’t. Some allow you to advertise your services other forums don’t. I have been guilty of not reading to rules and having posts deleted.
• Be respectful. This can be difficult when others post viewpoints that differ from your own, but remember that everyone there is there to share, learn and take part. Most forums also request that foul language not be used.
• Don’t spam. I should not even have to say this. No one likes it and it will just get you banned.
• Write clear and complete sentences. Forums are not chat rooms. Questions and answers are much easier to understand when they are written out with no short hand.
• Use the search feature. The search box is there for a reason. Always try searching for your answer before asking.

By following a few simple rules forums can be a great place to learn, discuss and discover new things that you are interested in. There are forums on all kinds of topics and you are sure to find one that interests you.