Instructional Note: Many headings and some verbage on the Forums are actually 'clickable links'. If you move your mouse over the word(s), they will change color and/or be underlined. At that point, you may click your mouse button and you will be taken to a corresponding section or page. 'Clickable links' will be used extensively in these instructions.
To Login (this is the first step of any Forum usage)
1. Click your mouse inside the Username box and enter your registration username.
2. Click your mouse inside the Password box and enter the password you used to register
3. Click inside the 'Log me on automatically each visit' to enter a check mark there if you choose to use automatic Login (requires that you have your browser set to allow cookies)
4. A new page will open with a 'Welcome to our forums' salutation, with your 'username' at the end. (located directly below the bar styled menu at the top of the page).
To Enter Any Forum
1. Login (if not currently logged in).
2. Scroll down (use the scroll bar to the right of your browser screen) the forum listing on the start page and find a Public Forum you would like to enter.
3. The forum names are 'clickable links'. Clicking on a forum name will open a new page that lists all topics for that forum.
To View Forum Topics
1. Follow Login and Forum Entry instructions above.
2. Topics listed under the Topics heading are 'clickable links'. If you click on one, you will be able to read all the posts that have been entered under that topic.
To Respond to a Topic or Post
1. Follow Login, Forum Entry, and Topic View instructions above.
2. While viewing a particular topic, simply click on the 'post reply' button at the top or bottom left of that topic viewing screen, or the 'quick reply' or 'quote' buttons at the bottom right of the message to which to wish to reply.
3. Click your mouse in the large text box (Message Body) and type your reply in regular sentence/paragraph format. Once you have completed your reply, scroll (bar to the screen right) to the bottom of that screen and click on the 'Submit' or 'Post' button. Your post will be submitted and a temporary forwarding screen will be display for a moment, then you will be redirected to the post viewing screen.
To Enter a New Topic
1. Follow Login, and Forum Entry instructions above.
2. Click on the 'new thread' button to the top or bottom left of that Forum Topic display screen. (Try searching and/or browsing the threads already in the forum to see if your question may have been answered before.)
3. Click your mouse in the single line Subject text box and enter a title for your topic.
4. Then click your mouse in the large text box (Message Body) and type your reply in regular sentence/paragraph format. Once you have completed your reply, scroll (bar to the screen right) to the bottom of that screen and click on the 'Submit' or 'Post' button. Your post will be submitted and a temporary forwarding screen will be display for a minute, then you will be redirected to the post viewing screen.
You may also find the Frequently Asked Questions of forum usage to be helpful. Also, you should read the rules regarding use of this site if you have not already done so.
Welcome to our great community!
