A Web forum is a panel on a Website. It is an alternative to older media such as Usenet, Mailinglisten or in former times common mailboxes.

Usually a Web forum possesses a certain topic and is divided into Unterforen and/or Unterthemen. Contrary to the Chat communication takes place not in real time, but asynchronously. Discussion contributions (Postings) can be left, which can read and answer the interested ones. Several contributions to the same topic become as in the Usenet recapitulatory as thread (Thread) or topic (Topic) designates.

Contrary to the open Usenet most Web forums presuppose a registration. Many forums offer the possibility, threads to registered users too "„subscribe "“of being able to be informed i.e. by E-Mail if a new contribution were written there. Further functions, which offer many Web forums, are calendars with the birthdays of the members, systems of evaluation of the members, signatures, integration of Multimedia elements or small user pictures (Avatare).

Distinction forum/(bulletin) board

According to their structuring of the contributions forums can be differentiated with respect to two types. The classical forums represent the relations between the contributions within a topic in form of a tree. A hierarchical structure, by which one recognizes, develops which contribution as answer to which other contribution was provided. Each discussion contribution is loaded on its own side.

A bulletin board unites all Postings of a topic on a side ("„flatten "“contribution structure). After an adjustable number of contributions the topic becomes on a continuation page umbrochen. The advantage "„"“structure is a lower call time flattens. The bad clarity is unfavorable with extensive topics, if different discussions develop to a topic and are not evident immediately, to which contribution a discussion participant answers. Frequently the term board is used also for it, in order discussion platforms with (thematically and in terms of figures) spreads number at topic-specific forums to designate.

Web forums with linear representation as far as possible replaced the classical forums with tree structure.

Forum software

For the realization of Web forums forum software so mentioned is used. It places thereby the platform to the users and the administrator. The software can be written in different programming languages such as PHP or Perl and use different data bases such as MySQL or Oracle.

Today's Forenskripte goes beyond the bare supply of the discussion routines, as functions are offered like an WYSIWYG editor, calendar, private one to messages, dynamic group systems, HTML Templates, who actual on-line list, announcements and inquiries.

Admitted forum programs

• phpBB
• Invision power board
• Simple Machines forum
• vBulletin
• WoltLab Burning board
• YaBB

Presentation in forums

Large problems educate users, who do not follow the rules of the netiquette. They fall e.g. by letters of mismatching contributions, which use only storage location (Spam), or also by offenses against other members up. In forums, in which users also not registered may write contributions, the danger of misleading messages and of purely provocative contributions exists, so-called Trollen.

The problem here represents the Konsequenzlosigkeit of the digital discussion guidance as well as its determining anonymity. In an everyday discussion moral, social and personal interests and coinage prevent us to also actually express meant expressions and opinions - not least also from fear of the possible reaction.

Many forums differentiate therefore between different user roles, e.g. usual forum users and moderators. Thus also forums are based on a hierarchical system, which subdivides itself in users and tester. Large bypasses are mostly just necessary for technical interests, if there is present the size of the so-called board required and several moderators. Here the hierarchy would divide itself again; into a technical and social support (administration).

Moderators can intervene and have in the discussion the right to delete or edit contributions as well as users close. In addition they can often close or close discussions, i.e. prevent an adding of further discussion contributions to a topic, or shift discussions, which were platziert by forum users in a wrong category. Moderators are usually engaged users, who have to do something with the operator of the forum not necessarily. Contrary to an administrator they can usually change no attitudes of the forum software.

See also

• Usenet
• Computer-obtained communication
• Crossposting
• BBcode
• Shoutbox

Related links

• Background article to structure and distinction of forums and board of Stefan
• Hamburg regional courts: Forum operators are for contributions liable Heise on-line
• The Web forum as "“particularly dangerous mechanism"” Telepolis

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