Basic terms used
In reading this guide or using the forum, you will find some basic terms helpful to remember:
- Topic: An organized collection of messages starting with an original post, listed in a category, with all replies listed chronologically.
- Post: Every topic element is called a post. Each post has a unique author and can be moved to another topic, or even start a new one.
- Original Post: Any topic’s first post. This determines where the title and tags will link to, as well as determining the focus of the topic.
- Category: The primary way to organize topics. Each topic is sorted into one category and each category has permissions that determine which users are allowed to create, reply and see its topics. Below you will find instructions for configuring notification preferences per category or even muting them.
- Tag: Tags are markers attached to topics that describe them. Topics can have only one category, but many tags.
- User: The majority of site activity revolves around registered users who can create posts, bookmark, like, tag, and flag posts.
Browsing the forum
Topic lists
The Tape community forum will show you all open categories and the latest conversations by default, but you can filter these lists by either category or tag (coming later).
See who is participating
Several ways are available for you to see who is involved in topics. You will see avatars (profile pictures) of:
- the topic creator (first photo);
- the most active participants;
- the most recent post creator (last photo).
- there are sometimes blue borders around the first photo, indicating that the original poster is also the most recent one.
A box at the bottom of the original post shows the author when the post was created, and how many replies and views the topic has received since it was posted. It also displays the avatars of the most active participants.
Navigation tools
Use the upper-right icon buttons to access the Search, Menu, or User page.
Opening or taking part in conversations
Create a new topic or reply to any existing content
By pressing any + New Topic or Reply button, you will see an editor panel that allows you to compose your topic or reply even while reading, searching, or navigating to different topics.
Drafts
The editor will automatically save drafts as you write. However, if you minimize it or navigate to another topic, the editor may disappear. Using the highlighted bar at the bottom of your browser or returning to the topic you were replying to will reopen the editor with your draft.
Quoting
You can easily quote text by selecting it and pressing the Quote button.
This can be repeated for multiple quotes even from different posts and users. The quoted text will refer to the original post.
Formatting
Your reply can be formatted using simple HTML, BBCode, or
Markdown :
This is <b>bold</b>.
This is [b]bold[/b].
This is **bold**.
Actions and Reactions
On each post, you’ll find action buttons:
- If you enjoyed and appreciated someone´s post, click the like button.
- With the link button, you can grab a copy-pasteable link to any reply or topic.
- The
…button will reveal more actions for you to choose from. Flag a post to privately inform the author, or the site staff, know about a problem. If you bookmark a post you can find it later on your profile page.
Notifications
A blue number will appear over your profile picture at the top right when someone replies to you, quotes your post, mentions your @username, or even links to your post.
In the Inbox, you will receive Personal Messages, and a green number over your profile picture to the left will indicate that you have received one. To see all your notifications, click your profile image.
When the site asks for permission to send you notifications, you can opt to receive all these notifications as push notifications on your desktop browser. We will send you an email as soon as a notification arrives when you are away, so you won’t miss any replies. We also offer the option to get notified about other activities on the site, either by topic or category.
By topic
Keeping up with new posts and comments on the same topics is something you may want to do regularly. Perhaps you just read great feedback in our “Feature Requests” category and are interested in finding out what other ideas users share.
You can change your notification level for any individual topic via the notification control at the bottom of each topic and its original post.
If you choose:
- Watching - you will be notified of every new reply on this topic, and a count of new replies will be shown.
- Tracking - A count of new replies will be shown for this topic. You will be notified if someone mentions your @name or replies to you.
- Normal - You will be notified if someone mentions your @name or replies to you.
- Muted - You will never be notified of anything about this topic, and it will not appear in “Latest”.
By category
Notification levels can also be set per category. To change any of these defaults, see your user preferences, or visit the category page, and use the notification control above the topic list, on the right side.