Conference Main Page

The Conference Main Page is the primary page of the conferencing system. From the Main Page you can access all of the major components of the system. If you plan to visit this conference more than once, you should bookmark the Main Page.

The Main Page has 4 major sections: the Toolbar, the Announcement, the Forums and Threads List, and the Form for Creating New Threads.

1. Toolbar

The Toolbar contains a number of buttons that launch various tools which will help you use the conferencing system effectively. The buttons that are displayed depend on the type of user, the settings for the conference, and the conference status. So you might not see all of the buttons explained here.

  • Exit - exit the conference.
  • New Messages - see all of the messages posted since your last visit. This button is not available for guest users.
  • Add Thread - move to the form for creating new threads. This form is explained below.
  • Search - search for messages and threads in this conference.
  • Options - personalize the Main Page by setting filters to limit the the number of forums and threads which are displayed. Options also lets you change your registration information.

    2. Announcement

    The announcement section is used in some conferences to post general information for all of the conference users. It is not visible in all conferences

    3. Forums and Threads List

    The heart of Main Page is the list of forums and threads. A forum is a general discussion area. A thread is a collection of messages which relate to a specific topic within the general discussion area.

    The first line in the list of forums and threads gives the status of the current filters. Threads can be filtered by the date of the most recent posting and by a keyword. You can change the filter with the 'Options' tool (See the Toolbar section above). For example, on a busy forum you might want to set the filter to 3 Days so that you only see the Threads which include messages posted in the last three days. Or if you are only interested in messages which relate to a particular topic, filter by a keyword for that topic.

    Under the title of each forum is a list of the threads associated with that forum. Each thread shows the date of the most recent message posted in the thread and the total number of messages posted to the thread. You can read the messages posted in the thread by clicking on the hypertext subject of the thread.

    To create a new thread use the form described below.

    4. Form for Creating New Threads

    If you want to begin a discussion about a new topic within a forum, you should create a new thread and then post an initial message to get the thread rolling. If you have not been granted permission to post messages to any forum you will not see the New Threads Form at the bottom of the Main Page.

    To create a new thread first choose the appropriate forum from the Forum Select Box. Then type in the subject of the thread in the Subject Field. Choose a short, descriptive name for the thread which will be clear to other users. Finally, click on the Add Thread button. You will then be promted to post the first message to the thread.