Internetforum

An Internet Forum (from Latin forum, marketplace ), also web forum, discussion forum, computer forum, online forum or bulletin board, is a virtual space for exchanging and archiving of thoughts, opinions and experiences. The communication in forums is asynchronous, that is, a contribution will be answered not directly and immediately, but at different times.

• Moderated and unmoderated forums 4.1

Operation

Usually has a forum site for a specific main heading and is divided so that there are various sub-themes with a private directory, a sub-forum. One can debate Posts (English posts ) write that others read and reply. All contiguous sequential responding contributions are referred to as thread ( thread ) or theme (topic ). By starting a new thread, one begins a new discussion.

On the Internet, are particularly popular help forums, where users can receive advice on a specific topic. So an aid is offered, which may be the only help with specific problems and a few other sources of information. Are helpful, such as user forums also for hardware and especially software manufacturers because these defects on their products quickly and widely by user or user posts - be informed and able to respond - in software bugs ( programming errors ).

In some forums everyday problems, as well as current issues in politics or world events are discussed.

Undesirable is often the cross-posting, which refers to the multiple setting of the same posts within a forum, as well as advertising. Links to other Internet sites, for instance to display sources or additional information, however, are usually allowed.

Forenbetreiber

According to the type of operator to Internet forums can be divided into the following groups:

• Many Internet forums can be used free of charge and are often run by volunteers. By participating in the forums operation usually no commercial interests are pursued.
• In addition, manufacturers operate so-called support forums. They are set up by manufacturers, so that the users of its products " help yourself " can or manufacturer receives direct feedback from the users. In such a commercial Forums occurs sometimes requires that reports of unpleasant experiences (eg via error ) are suppressed, ie in particular will be deleted by moderators or trivialized. In some manufacturers forums, it is forbidden to mention competing products.
• In addition, there are commercial, but free evaluation forums (eg Ciao, Idealo or Dooyoo ) in which products or services are preferably described by users of these products or services.
• Is also often vendor-independent forums on manufacturer-specific products / programs for which the manufacturer support either absent, inadequate or too expensive ( keyword hotlines ) are. Such vendor-independent consulting services on the Internet for various products and problems can help to strengthen the rights and the influence of consumers, when consumers organize freely and to speak.
• Some colleges maintain internet forums for a specific study or research projects.

Due to the largely prefabricated Forum Software it is nowadays made ​​publishers quite easy to set up and operate their own forums. In contrast to the early days of development no programming skills are often required for the ongoing operation.

Especially in recent times, it came to disputes relating to the duty of monitoring the forum operators regarding the postings and avatars of the users and their legality ( Störerhaftung ).

With the development of internet discussion forums have become important means of communication that serve the exchange of knowledge or very often of entertainment. In the course of time, unwritten but also often written set of discussions standards and rules have emerged that are resistant to change and their meaning and validity is judged very differently.

Types of Internet forums

There are in communication on the Internet several technical approaches for realizing an internet forum. They range from the granddaddy of all Internet forums, Usenet, on the exchange of e- mails via a special server forums ( mailing lists ) to the modern web forums on the World Wide Web.

Usenet

Usenet was developed in the 1980s and is based on decentralized cooperating servers, to which you can send messages ( postings ) that must be available then in a newsgroup ( subject group ) for all subscribers of this group.

Mailing lists

Mailing lists work similarly to newsgroups. To get messages from a mailing list and sent before you can send messages to the participants of the list, you have to log in to the mailing list from this site. Messages that are sent to the mailing list will be forwarded to all those who are enrolled in the list.

Telnet Forum

Before the proliferation of the World Wide Web, there were numerous Telnet forums, some of which still exist. Because the protocol used to only be operated via Textbehelfe and give only plain text again.

Web forum

A web forum is an internet forum on a website, that is part of the World Wide Web. Web forums have largely suppressed most other forms of internet forums. In contrast to the open Usenet most web forums require registration, which the members form an online community. Many forums offer registered users the opportunity to topics (threads = engl. Threads ) to "subscribe ", that is to be notified by e -mail when there is a new post has been made. Other features offered by many web forums are calendar with the birthdays of members, members of the evaluation systems, signatures, integration of multimedia elements or small user pictures (avatars ).

Forum and Board

After their structuring of the posts to forums can be distinguished into two types: " Classical " and forums ( bulletin ) boards.

Similarities and differences of forums and boards

Both forums and boards have a page on which you can see an overview of the topics in the forum / board and users new discussion threads (also called threads or threads ) can create.

In contrast, forums and boards differ in the following points:

• On the overview page of a board, only the title of the first postings of a discussion strand is displayed in each case, while in a forum usually the whole line of discussion is presented in " unfolded " form.
• In a board, the individual contributions of a discussion strand / subject are purely chronological order, while in a forum discussion strands are sorted by the reference produces both chronologically, so that you can assign answers the contributions to which they are carried out.
• Many boards place much acclaimed topics on their overview page above, while in the forums overview pages are usually sorted in chronological order of Erstpostings the various strands.

Advantages and drawbacks of the traditional web forum

The classic forums show the relationship between the contributions within a topic in the form of a tree dar. The result is a hierarchical structure through which one recognizes the contribution which was created in response to what another post. Each discussion paper is loaded on a separate page. However, the threads themselves are chronologically according to their date of creation, ie linear order.

Many users, especially in IT, the feel, the tree structure and the direct accessibility and assignability of posts in a forum to be very pleasant. An auxiliary syntax to create a reference to a previous post, as in Boards ( @ XYZ participants, ...) is unnecessary, the course of a discussion always remains recognizable. Also, the fact that the summary page is always the same sort, is seen as an advantage.

Advantages and disadvantages of (Bulletin ) boards

A bulletin board lists all the topics on its summary page with the title of the first post of the thread. All postings of a topic are then displayed in chronological order on one side ( "flat" fee structure ). After a specified number of posts and the theme will wrap to a following page. The advantage of the "flat" structure is a lower retrieval time. The disadvantage is poor visibility at large-scale issues when various discussions on a topic and develop it is not immediately apparent on the contribution that a panelist answers.

Many users consider the sorting of the overview page for activity as an advantage. Through this sort of topics increased interest and participation will be moved to the highest position.

Frequently, the term Board will also make used to identify issues for discussion platforms with a ( thematically and numerically ) wide number of topic-specific forums.

Boards vs. Forums

Forums linear, activity- oriented representation - ie bulletin boards - have the classic forums largely obsolete with tree structure.

In the opinion of some of the web users this is due to the refined awareness of the issues and to the community education through membership.

Hybrid Systems

There are also Hybrid-Boards/Foren. The forum system SELFHTML for example, is highly configurable and can almost infinitely in terms of sorting and representation - and individually for each user - be set up between board and forum.

Webforensoftware

In the forum software is complete packages with different scope.

Presentation

For administrative organization and guiding the discussion are, depending on the size of the board, configurable privileges of individual users useful or necessary in practice. Two frequently decorated user groups, which are characterized by their typical privileges are called moderators and administrators.

Moderators can control discussion. You can delete or modify posts. Also, they can often decide on the access rights or even ban users. Mostly, they can also include discussions, so prevent a thread to new contributions to the discussion will be extended, or discussions that were placed by forum users in a wrong category, move. Moderators are dedicated users who do not necessarily have to do with the owners of this forum something. In contrast to an administrator they can not change settings of the forums software usually and have no access to the technical platform of the website, but use only the forum software.

The problem here is the anonymity of the digital conversation represents and the consequent lack of consequences when misconduct: In a direct conversation prevent us from moral, social and personal interests and stamping it, comments and opinions expressed thought actually pronounce - not least for fear of the possible reaction.

Moderated and unmoderated forums

Although a moderated forum immediately saves all the user contributions, but these are not published prior approval by the Board Administration / moderation. In unmoderated Operating subsidies are to be read immediately after the post. Depending on the forums software, the user can not edit or delete a post dispatched. However, there is a technical adjustment and has nothing to do with the function of a facilitator as a person.

Liability

In most countries, the legal opinion has prevailed, that in addition to the authors of posts and the operators of Internet Forums for content to be held liable unless they have knowledge of the contents. Since there is a general preliminary examination compulsory neither in Germany nor in most other countries, the knowledge acquisition occurs later than in the case of doubt only one with a complaint. The deadline for completion of the forum operators must respond in order not to be liable, a 24-hour period has been established.