Creating Threads & Posts: Guidance and Tips

Guides for registering, posting and tips for attachments etc.
User avatar
jbryce1437
Posts: 1879
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:28 pm
Location: Roker, Sunderland

Creating Threads & Posts: Guidance and Tips

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

The following guidance and tips are offered to Members to enable them to adhere to the standards required by the Forum. Before creating a new thread, please peruse the site and get an understanding of the layout and styles for threads and their content.

1. Creating a New Thread

1.1 Before creating a new Thread on any topic, all Members should first use the “Search” facility to ensure that there is not already an existing thread covering the same Topic. Also, ensure that the Thread being created is posted in the relevant section of the Forum for the Topic being raised, i.e. World Navies, Modellers Section, etc.

Introductions and Forum Policies: Introduce yourself in this section, or post queries about the Forum.

World Navies: World Naval Warships, crews, people, places, battles, photos, articles about warships.

Naval Shore Bases - past and present: Topics relating to shore bases, naval dockyards and naval air stations, etc.

Fleet Support Vessels: Topics relating to ships and vessels supporting the main fleet, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, United States Navy Fleet Auxiliary Force, etc.

Merchant Navy: Topics relating to the Merchant Marine service.

Marine Engineering, Weapons and Communications: Topics relating to engineering and communication subjects, including new innovations and unidentified equipment, etc.

Modellers Section: Topics relating to Model Making, including requests for help, plans, works in progress, etc.

Naval Arts and Culture: Naval and other Art, Books of interest, Poetry, Forthcoming TV shows, etc.

Photo Galleries: Photographs of ships and general naval images.

Preserved and Historic Ships: Topics on preserved and historic ships.

Service Records: For help and advice about Service Personal Records.

Fleet Club Bar – for off-topic posts, Naval Humour, etc.

1.2 Where threads are to be of a non-factual, or non-historic nature, or not a discussion/debate about serious subjects, then posting the thread in the Fleet Club Bar section should be considered. This section is reserved for general chat and the more humorous topics.

1.3 Having determined the most appropriate Forum section, next comes choosing a thread title. For some reason, many members forget that the title is there to act as a descriptive 'label' for the thread. It would expect that a thread about a particular ship, would have the name of the ship in its title!! Titles that simply say "Help" or "Have a Look at This" are not really very helpful in giving members some idea of what the thread content is. More importantly, if in fact the thread topic is interesting and important in its content, the information may become lost, as the search facility may miss it.

1.4 Thread titles are what they say, and should therefore be in "Title" case of Initial Capitals. Although it seems to be a trend of the internet age, using lower case for thread titles looks a bit infantile. Using uppercase exclusively is not preferred - "shouting" the title out will not attract any more readers. Do not place a full stop at the end of the thread title.
Where new posts are being created for specific classes of ships, they should, for example, adhere to the following standard format:
Battleships: Queen Elizabeth Class, Light Cruisers: Omaha Class, Frigates: Admiral Grigorovich Class, etc.

1.5 There are some unwritten conventions for some titles; for example, Royal Navy ships should always be pre-fixed HMS, Not H.M.S or hms or any other variation. Using the preferred format gives consistency, and helps members using the search facility when searching alphabetically. Other Navies should be titled similarly.

1.6 Thread content must primarily be in accordance with the Forum Code of Conduct. Bad language, personal insults, and strong religious/political views are liable to being removed without notice. We are a family oriented Forum and accessible to children, so do bear that in mind.

1.7 Threads and posts should not be started with merely URL links. Such posts/threads that simply contain links, with no explanation/comment or point(s) for discussion are likely to be removed without notice. This is because when the link inevitably fails (due to it being removed/changed by the host), all we get left with here on the Forum are error pages or the dreaded little red crosses, and hence the post/thread is rendered useless. Links should only be normally posted as a point of reference, or as support for post/thread content and an overview of the contents of the link should be given.

2. How to Create a New Thread

2.1 Ensure that you are in the Section to which your Topic is to be posted. For the purpose of this tutorial we have chosen Preserved and Historic Ships.

2.2 At the bottom left of the section you will find a red button marked “New Topic” as in the Fig 1 graphic below:
Fig 1
Fig-1.jpg
2.3 Click on the New Topic button and a Post New Thread dialogue box opens where you can enter text for your post. Choose a title which succinctly describes the Topic you wish to discuss. Initial Capitals only should be used for the title, i.e. HMS Belfast, as in Fig 2 below.
Fig. 2
Fig-2.jpg


2.4 You will note that the Font style is automatically chosen for you and the Font size is set as normal. Also the Font Colour is set at Black. Please do not change the Font Style, Font Size or Font Colour. The use of Bold, Italic and Underlined text should be used sparingly and only to emphasise small sections of text. Any deviation from these settings may be changed back by a Moderator.

2.5 When you are happy with the text that you have added, and double checked it for accuracy or mistakes, you can click on the Preview button (see Fig 3) to see the layout and content of your proposed post, correcting where necessary. If you would like to be kept updated about any responses to your post then, in the Options section at the bottom, tick the box marked “Notify me when a reply is posted”. When you are happy with the content and layout, click on the Submit button at the bottom of the Text Box and the post will then be uploaded to the Forum, in the section that you have chosen.
Fig 3.
Fig-3.jpg

2.6 As you become familiar with posting on the Forum, you may wish to attach a copy of a photograph or other type of attachment to your post. To add an attachment see paragraph 6.

3 Using the Edit Button

3.1 Editing of posts is time limited to four hours. If you require a post to be edited outside of that time, please contact a Moderator.
You cannot Edit another members post.

4 Post Content - What you Can and Cannot Post

4.1 When submitting a post to a thread, it must be relevant to the Topic under discussion on that thread. Where a post deviates greatly from the topic being discussed, it may be deleted, or moved, without notification to the Poster. Where deviation from the topic subject is required, then Members are free to send a Private Message to another Member to discuss the subject further.

4.2 The contents of a post must be the originators own submission, in the Members own words, and not copied and pasted from another source. Any post which are found to have originated on another website or publication, and may be subject to Copyright laws will be removed. Where content is included from another source, which authorises the use of the material, it should be clearly stated in the post and a link provided to the source. Posts comprising only a hyperlink to another site will be deleted. Submissions should at least provide an overview to the subject being hyperlinked.

4.3 As previously noted, text in the post must be made in the default black colour. Any text which differs from black will be reverted to the default colour. Coloured text may only be used in the Happy Birthday thread of Shore Leave. Emoticons, if used, in the post should be limited to one of each.

4.4 Where a post comprises only of images of ships, these should usually be posted in the Photo Galleries, either under a current thread title or by creating a new thread if a suitable thread cannot be found (posts in the Photo Galleries are not intended for ongoing discussion). If it is later found that a thread already exists, where the images should have been posted, then Moderators may subsequently move the post. A photograph about a specific ship, which may accompany comments, and for ongoing discussion should be included in an existing thread, or a new one created, in the World Navies section, for the relevant Navy. Similarly, if a member creates a new thread about an individual in the Service Records section and that person has a photo collection, then photos from that collection can be added to the individuals thread.

4.5 We run a friendly Forum and Members should be courteous and respectful to others, regardless of any disagreement. Any post containing angry, disruptive, or insulting content will be removed and action taken against the poster.

4.6 For your own protection, personal information, such as addresses and email addresses should not be posted in the Forum. The Private Message facility can be used by members to exchange personal information. Where email addresses are found in a post, it will be disabled as a hyperlink, to protect the poster from spurious and junk mail.

4.7 Posts and links of a commercial nature, offering goods or services for sale, will be deleted from the Forum.

4.8 The discussion of Forum Moderation actions in posts generally leads to flaming, trolling and baiting of our Moderators. Consequently, this type of discussion is strictly prohibited. If you have questions regarding the actions of a Moderator, you should raise it in a Private Message to the Moderator concerned. Alternatively, you can send a Private Message to another Moderator if you believe that mediation is necessary. Any posts regarding such actions will be deleted from the Forum.

5 Adding a photo or attachment

5.1 To add an attachment; after creating a New Topic and entering your message, scroll down to the tabs below the text box and click on the “Attachments” tab (see Fig 4), then click on the “Add Files” button. Locate the image that you wish to upload from your device, click on it and press the “Open” button. When the file has been uploaded, click on the button “Place inline” to add the file to the post. If you have selected the wrong file, you can delete it by clicking on the “Delete file” button. Several image file formats are supported, including jpeg (preferred), png, etc.
Images up to 1920 pixels x 1080 pixels can be displayed, so please ensure that the image that you are trying to attach is within those constraints.

Fig 4
Fig-4.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002

Return to “Using the Forum: Guidance and Tips”