Internet forum
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==Forum structure== | ==Forum structure== | ||
===Posters=== | ===Posters=== | ||
| - | The | + | The '''poster'''s to the forum are considered the driving force behind the community. On some forums, a poster may edit or delete his or her own posts, although sometimes these rights are reserved. |
| - | Western-style forums often allow an avatar and signature. The avatar is generally a small image displayed below a user's username. The forum signature (or sig) consists of text and/or images defined by the user and put at the end of each of his posts. Both fundamentally are just expressions of the user's creativity, although many forums extend their rules to signatures. | + | Western-style forums often allow an avatar and signature. The '''avatar''' is generally a small image displayed below a user's username. The '''forum signature''' (or '''sig''') consists of text and/or images defined by the user and put at the end of each of his posts. Both fundamentally are just expressions of the user's creativity, although many forums extend their rules to signatures. |
===Moderator=== | ===Moderator=== | ||
The '''moderators''' (short form: "'''mod'''") are users (or employees) of the forum which are granted access to the posts and threads of all members for the purpose of moderating discussion and also keeping the forum clean (neutralising spam and spambots etc). | The '''moderators''' (short form: "'''mod'''") are users (or employees) of the forum which are granted access to the posts and threads of all members for the purpose of moderating discussion and also keeping the forum clean (neutralising spam and spambots etc). | ||
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A thread is contained in a forum, and is displayed in chronological order from newest to oldest, where the date is taken as the date of the last post. When a member posts in a thread it will jump to the top since it is the latest updated thread. Similarly, other threads will jump in front of it when they receive posts. When a member posts in a thread for no reason but to have it go to the top, it is referred to as a '''bump''' or '''bumping'''. Threads which are important but rarely receive posts are '''stickyed''' (or, in some software, ''''pinned''''). A sticky thread will always appear in front of normal threads, often in its own section. | A thread is contained in a forum, and is displayed in chronological order from newest to oldest, where the date is taken as the date of the last post. When a member posts in a thread it will jump to the top since it is the latest updated thread. Similarly, other threads will jump in front of it when they receive posts. When a member posts in a thread for no reason but to have it go to the top, it is referred to as a '''bump''' or '''bumping'''. Threads which are important but rarely receive posts are '''stickyed''' (or, in some software, ''''pinned''''). A sticky thread will always appear in front of normal threads, often in its own section. | ||
| - | + | ==Rules== | |
| + | Forums are governed by a set of individuals, commonly referred to as administrators and Moderators, which are responsible for the forums' conception, technical maintenance and policies. Most forums have a list of rules detailing the wishes, aim and guidelines of the forums creators. There is usually also a FAQ section contain basic information for new members and people not yet familiar with the use and principles of a forum. | ||
| + | ===Troll=== | ||
| + | A '''troll''' is a user that repeatedly and intentionally breaches netiquette, often posting derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community to bait users into responding, often starting flame wars. They may also link to shock sites or plant images on networks that others may find disturbing in order to cause confrontation. . | ||
| + | ===Sock Puppet=== | ||
| + | The term '''sock puppet''' refers to someone who is simultaneously registered under different pseudonyms on a particular message board or forum. The analogy of a sock puppet is of a puppeteer holding up both hands and supplying dialogue to both puppets simultaneously. A sock puppet will create multiple accounts over a period of time, using each user to debate or agree with each other on a forum. Sock puppets are usually found when an IP check is done on the accounts in a forum. | ||
| + | ===Spamming=== | ||
| + | '''Forum spamming''' is a breach of netiquette where users repeat the same word or phrase over and over, but differs from multiple posting in that spamming is usually a willful act which sometimes has malicious intent. This is a common trolling technique. It can also be traditional spam, unpaid advertisements that are in breach of the forum's rules. Spammers utilize a number of illicit techniques to post their spam, including the use of botnets. | ||
| + | ===Double posting=== | ||
| + | One common element on Internet forums is to post the same message twice. Users sometimes post versions of a message that are only slightly different, especially in forums where they are not allowed to edit their earlier posts. Multiple posting instead of editing prior posts can artificially inflate a user's post count. Multiple posting can be unintentional; a user's browser might display an error message even though the post has been transmitted or a user of a slow forum might become impatient and repeatedly hit the submit button. Multiple posting can also be used as a method of trolling or spreading forum spam. A user may also send the same post to several forums, which is termed crossposting. | ||
| + | ===Word censor=== | ||
| + | A word censoring system is commonly included in the forum software package. The system will pick up words in the body of the post or some other user editable forum element (like user titles) and if they partially match a certain keyword they will be censored. The most common censoring is letter replacement with an asterisk character; for example: in the user title it is deemed inappropriate for users to use words such as "admin", "moderator", "leader" and so on, if the censoring system is implemented a title such as "forum leader" may be filtered to "forum ******". Rude or vulgar words are common targets for the censoring system | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[TechNGames]] | * [[TechNGames]] | ||
[[Category: Internet]] | [[Category: Internet]] | ||
Revision as of 02:13, 18 March 2009
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site.
Contents |
Forum structure
Posters
The posters to the forum are considered the driving force behind the community. On some forums, a poster may edit or delete his or her own posts, although sometimes these rights are reserved.
Western-style forums often allow an avatar and signature. The avatar is generally a small image displayed below a user's username. The forum signature (or sig) consists of text and/or images defined by the user and put at the end of each of his posts. Both fundamentally are just expressions of the user's creativity, although many forums extend their rules to signatures.
Moderator
The moderators (short form: "mod") are users (or employees) of the forum which are granted access to the posts and threads of all members for the purpose of moderating discussion and also keeping the forum clean (neutralising spam and spambots etc).
Administrator
The administrators (short form: "admin") manage the technical details required for running the site. As such, they may promote (and demote) members to moderators, manage the rules, create sections and sub-sections, as well as perform any database operations (database backup etc). Administrators often also act as moderators. Administrators may also make forum-wide announcements, or change the appearance (known as the skin) of a forum
Post
A post is a user submitted message enclosed into a block containing the user's details and the date and time it was submitted. Members are usually allowed to edit or delete their own posts. Posts are contained in threads, where they appear as boxes one after another. The first post starts the thread; this may be called the original post, or OP. Posts that follow in the thread are meant to continue discussion about that post, or respond to other replies; it is not unknown for discussions to be derailed.
Thread
A thread is a collection of posts, usually displayed – by default – from oldest to latest. A thread is defined by a title, an additional description that may summarise the intended discussion, and an opening or original post which opens whatever dialogue or makes whatever announcement the poster wished. A thread can contain any number of posts, including multiple posts from the same members, even if they are one after the other.
A thread is contained in a forum, and is displayed in chronological order from newest to oldest, where the date is taken as the date of the last post. When a member posts in a thread it will jump to the top since it is the latest updated thread. Similarly, other threads will jump in front of it when they receive posts. When a member posts in a thread for no reason but to have it go to the top, it is referred to as a bump or bumping. Threads which are important but rarely receive posts are stickyed (or, in some software, 'pinned'). A sticky thread will always appear in front of normal threads, often in its own section.
Rules
Forums are governed by a set of individuals, commonly referred to as administrators and Moderators, which are responsible for the forums' conception, technical maintenance and policies. Most forums have a list of rules detailing the wishes, aim and guidelines of the forums creators. There is usually also a FAQ section contain basic information for new members and people not yet familiar with the use and principles of a forum.
Troll
A troll is a user that repeatedly and intentionally breaches netiquette, often posting derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community to bait users into responding, often starting flame wars. They may also link to shock sites or plant images on networks that others may find disturbing in order to cause confrontation. .
Sock Puppet
The term sock puppet refers to someone who is simultaneously registered under different pseudonyms on a particular message board or forum. The analogy of a sock puppet is of a puppeteer holding up both hands and supplying dialogue to both puppets simultaneously. A sock puppet will create multiple accounts over a period of time, using each user to debate or agree with each other on a forum. Sock puppets are usually found when an IP check is done on the accounts in a forum.
Spamming
Forum spamming is a breach of netiquette where users repeat the same word or phrase over and over, but differs from multiple posting in that spamming is usually a willful act which sometimes has malicious intent. This is a common trolling technique. It can also be traditional spam, unpaid advertisements that are in breach of the forum's rules. Spammers utilize a number of illicit techniques to post their spam, including the use of botnets.
Double posting
One common element on Internet forums is to post the same message twice. Users sometimes post versions of a message that are only slightly different, especially in forums where they are not allowed to edit their earlier posts. Multiple posting instead of editing prior posts can artificially inflate a user's post count. Multiple posting can be unintentional; a user's browser might display an error message even though the post has been transmitted or a user of a slow forum might become impatient and repeatedly hit the submit button. Multiple posting can also be used as a method of trolling or spreading forum spam. A user may also send the same post to several forums, which is termed crossposting.
Word censor
A word censoring system is commonly included in the forum software package. The system will pick up words in the body of the post or some other user editable forum element (like user titles) and if they partially match a certain keyword they will be censored. The most common censoring is letter replacement with an asterisk character; for example: in the user title it is deemed inappropriate for users to use words such as "admin", "moderator", "leader" and so on, if the censoring system is implemented a title such as "forum leader" may be filtered to "forum ******". Rude or vulgar words are common targets for the censoring system
