Abbreviated list
- A display showing the subject(s) but not text of a series of messages.
Note that this may apply to the forum level or to the thread/list
level.
Browse --
A user task consisting of reading or skimming through forums, topics,
or message text looking for information of interest (rather than a specific
known message).
Bulletin board
-- An application that allows users to post announcements, but does
not support direct replies (e.g., replies may be by email, rather than
being posted on the site).
Discussion forum
-- An application that allows users to post original messages and replies.
Entry page
-- The top level web page providing access to a set of forums.
Find new
-- A user task consisting of finding new messages (i.e., those the user
has not read before).
Find specific
-- A user task consisting of locating a specific known message (e.g.,
to check for replies).
Forum --
A designated area within which a set of topics appear. Usually,
this is an overall content area. For instance, within the Simians Discussion
Forum entry page, possible forums will include housing, course
information, etc. Specific search and navigation options may be valid
only within a forum.
Linear --
A presentation in which all replies are associated with an original
post, as opposed to a threaded display.
List -- an
original post and the series of replies associated with it, in a linear
presentation.
Login --
A user task consisting of identifying oneself to the system, in order
to access restricted functions.
Message --
Any message posted on the site, further subcategorized as an original
message (in most online discussion systems, equivalent to a topic)
or a reply (to an original or previous message).
Original message
-- A message posted to start a new topic, as opposed to
a reply.
Post -- The
act of adding a new message (either an original message or reply).
Register
-- A user task consisting of establishing an account to allow login.
Reply --
A message posted in response to a previous message. In a linear
context, only the original message can be replied to. In a threaded
context, a reply can be associated with the original message or a previous
reply.
Search --
A user task consisting of using a search interface to locate information
of interest.
Thread --
an original message and the series of replies associated
with it, in a threaded presentation.
Threaded
-- A presentation which shows layers of replies to specific replies,
as opposed to a linear display.
Topic --
The designated subject of a thread or list of messages.
In many systems, this is equivalent to the subject of the original
message, but it could also consist of predefined selectable subjects
(or nominated topics in a moderated forum), or a combination of metadata
and a user-entered free text subject.