A discussion board, commonly known as an Internet forum or message board, is a type of website that allows users to communicate. Discussion takes place through the use of posts, which are messages posted by users and displayed in the order of the date and time they were posted. Each post is part of a topic, which usually focuses on a specific issue or issue. This allows discussion board members to have conversations without having to be physically online at the same time. There are thousands of discussion forums on the Internet, many of them focused on specific topics, although some are of a general nature.
Some Internet discussion forums are used to express frustrations.
Discussion forums differ from other forms of Internet communication in that they provide a permanent record of conversations that other members can read and discuss. Email, for example, provides a personal and private form of communication. Forum discussions are open to anyone who wants to express their opinion.
Sharing personal information in a discussion forum should be avoided.
The user usually has to register to start posting in a discussion forum. This gives the user a permanent username, which is tied to every post they make. Forcing users to register is also a way to help prevent spam messages, which are sometimes published by automated programs.
Discussion boards can be used to discuss topics within a group of friends.
There are many different types of software available to run a discussion forum. Some are for sale at commercial retailers, while others are open source, meaning they are free to use. While the basics of most discussion forum software are the same, plugins and support for additional features such as custom avatars, private messages, and custom themes may differ.
Most discussion forums offer a reporting feature for obscene or harassing posts.
Because a discussion forum is usually based on a specific topic and each user has a permanent username that they use to post, communities of like-minded people are often established. Unlike a regular chat room, old posts and threads can be searched, which can make a forum a useful source of information on your topic. The anonymous nature of the Internet also means that many people are more open with their opinions than they would be in real life, especially if the topic is controversial.
Discussion forums can be used to find new romantic partners.
Another difference between chat rooms and discussion forums is that information in threads and posts is sometimes indexed by search engines. This means that, over time, a discussion forum can get a significant amount of search engine traffic for old threads. For this reason, some discussion forums are set up for commercial purposes as sources of income. Many, however, simply establish themselves as a virtual community where Internet users with similar interests can chat and get to know each other.
Discussion forums can be used by people looking for different ways to get fit.
