Justin
03-18-2007, 01:31 PM
In order for us to effectively communicate, we must develop and use a common vocabulary. Generally, this just means using the English language - including proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. I cannot stress this enough.
However, as with all technological innovations, the forum itself needs a set of vocabulary to describe it and it's various parts.
Since there seems to be some confusion, I have made this guide. I have included screen-shots (click the thumbnails to see the full-size image) of the various components. Please be advised that your view of these components may differ slightly, since my view as an administrator includes some features that yours does not, and also due to my choice of internet browser which may differ from yours.
The Forum
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/4513/forumsd5.th.png (http://img377.imageshack.us/my.php?image=forumsd5.png)The forum is the entire website - that is - what shows up in your browser when you navigate to http://forums.xgenstudios.com/index.php. It should always be referred to as 'the forum' or 'the xgen forum' or something along those lines.
Forum Sections
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/5610/sectionoc6.th.png (http://img74.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sectionoc6.png)
The forum is divided into several sections, based on general topics. The first section - 'Xgenstudios' - contains several forums devoted to topics about the company or the forum in general, and other topics. You should not find content about any specific games in this section.
Other sections include the 'Games' section, where any posts about a particular game (xgen or otherwise) should go. The 'groups' section will appear if you are a member of a user group (see the appropriate FAQ about that). The final section is the 'Community' section, where posts about art, music, and computers go, among other things.
Forums
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/6497/aforumod8.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aforumod8.png)
Within the sections there are several forums. Click on the forum name on the main forum page or within a section page to access the list of threads. Examples of forums are the 'General forum', ' Irrelevance forum' etc. These may also be referred to simply as their name - for example "This post should go in Irrelevance".
Threads
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/4951/threadsnh3.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=threadsnh3.png)
Within a forum you will find a listing of threads. There are 3 types of threads.
At the top you will find Announcement threads - these are threads that may only be posted in by forum administrators or moderators and contain important information. Please make sure you have read all the announcements. The speaker icon will turn yellow if there is a new announcement - be sure to check this.
The next section is the Sticky threads. These are threads that contain important information - such as forum rules. Only a moderator or administrator may 'stick' a thread (convert it to a sticky), but any user may post in it so long as the thread is open to posting.
Regular threads fall below the stickies. These are threads posted by normal users and may be posted in unless they are closed. Remember to check the date of the last post in a thread before you post. If it is more than 1 month ago, generally you should not post - this is considered 'bumping' and is against the forum rules.
To enter a thread, click on the thread name in the forum listing.
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1173/threadle0.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=threadle0.png)
Posts
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/3166/posthy4.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=posthy4.png)
When you enter a thread, you will see a listing of all the posts in the thread. Posts are the actual message that people have posted to the forum. The number of posts you see on each page depends on your personal settings.
Post Features
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1035/psotgeoem9.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=psotgeoem9.png)
There are a number of features on each post. First is the post body (the text posted). On the left, there is the postbit - this contains information about the poster. You will see their username, user title, avatar, as well as some other information such as join date and total number of posts. Below the post is the user's signature. This is an image or some text (or a combination of the two) that is posted below every post a user makes that helps identify that user to other people on the forum.
Hopefully this helps reduce the confusion concerning forum terminology. Please remember to always use proper spelling and grammar.
Happy Posting!
However, as with all technological innovations, the forum itself needs a set of vocabulary to describe it and it's various parts.
Since there seems to be some confusion, I have made this guide. I have included screen-shots (click the thumbnails to see the full-size image) of the various components. Please be advised that your view of these components may differ slightly, since my view as an administrator includes some features that yours does not, and also due to my choice of internet browser which may differ from yours.
The Forum
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/4513/forumsd5.th.png (http://img377.imageshack.us/my.php?image=forumsd5.png)The forum is the entire website - that is - what shows up in your browser when you navigate to http://forums.xgenstudios.com/index.php. It should always be referred to as 'the forum' or 'the xgen forum' or something along those lines.
Forum Sections
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/5610/sectionoc6.th.png (http://img74.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sectionoc6.png)
The forum is divided into several sections, based on general topics. The first section - 'Xgenstudios' - contains several forums devoted to topics about the company or the forum in general, and other topics. You should not find content about any specific games in this section.
Other sections include the 'Games' section, where any posts about a particular game (xgen or otherwise) should go. The 'groups' section will appear if you are a member of a user group (see the appropriate FAQ about that). The final section is the 'Community' section, where posts about art, music, and computers go, among other things.
Forums
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/6497/aforumod8.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aforumod8.png)
Within the sections there are several forums. Click on the forum name on the main forum page or within a section page to access the list of threads. Examples of forums are the 'General forum', ' Irrelevance forum' etc. These may also be referred to simply as their name - for example "This post should go in Irrelevance".
Threads
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/4951/threadsnh3.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=threadsnh3.png)
Within a forum you will find a listing of threads. There are 3 types of threads.
At the top you will find Announcement threads - these are threads that may only be posted in by forum administrators or moderators and contain important information. Please make sure you have read all the announcements. The speaker icon will turn yellow if there is a new announcement - be sure to check this.
The next section is the Sticky threads. These are threads that contain important information - such as forum rules. Only a moderator or administrator may 'stick' a thread (convert it to a sticky), but any user may post in it so long as the thread is open to posting.
Regular threads fall below the stickies. These are threads posted by normal users and may be posted in unless they are closed. Remember to check the date of the last post in a thread before you post. If it is more than 1 month ago, generally you should not post - this is considered 'bumping' and is against the forum rules.
To enter a thread, click on the thread name in the forum listing.
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1173/threadle0.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=threadle0.png)
Posts
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/3166/posthy4.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=posthy4.png)
When you enter a thread, you will see a listing of all the posts in the thread. Posts are the actual message that people have posted to the forum. The number of posts you see on each page depends on your personal settings.
Post Features
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1035/psotgeoem9.th.png (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=psotgeoem9.png)
There are a number of features on each post. First is the post body (the text posted). On the left, there is the postbit - this contains information about the poster. You will see their username, user title, avatar, as well as some other information such as join date and total number of posts. Below the post is the user's signature. This is an image or some text (or a combination of the two) that is posted below every post a user makes that helps identify that user to other people on the forum.
Hopefully this helps reduce the confusion concerning forum terminology. Please remember to always use proper spelling and grammar.
Happy Posting!