Here's some basic descriptions and instructions on using this Forum feature.

• A 'Forum' is just like a bulletin board that contains many conversations on various topics. Click on a Forum to enter it and see the posted 'Topics'. The Forums are grouped into categories (e.g. the 'Items to Sell/To Buy' forum is in the 'General' forum group).
• When you click on a Forum to enter it, a list of all the conversation 'Topics' are listed. Click on a topic to open it and see the first message and all the replies.
• When viewing a 'Message', you can 'Reply' and add your own response to the conversation topic. A handy feature is the 'Quote' button which is the same as 'Reply' but copies the content of the message where picked 'Quote' and includes it your reply so the context of your reply is provided. This is useful if you're addressing a specific point.
• Everyone can also create a new 'Topic' in a Forum. Click on the 'Add New Topic' button to type in you message. Start simple, and explore some of the more advanced editing features later (like bold, colours, text sizes, and the addition of pictures).
• Interested in any new 'Topics' added to a Forum, or any replies on a given 'Topic'? Look for the 'Email me when someone posts...' checkbox at the top of the list. You'll get an email when it happens so that you know to go check out what's happening. You can even specify to get the notifications as a bundle once a day or once week so that you're not getting an email for every new happening.
• Keep the messages for a topic of conversation on the topic of the original message. If you have a different topic, start a new one.

This will send an email to you when anyone adds a new topic or replies to any current topic in a forum. The steps are:

1. Open forum of interest (“General Topics > General” in this example).
2. Click the checkbox labeled “Email me when someone posts to this forum”.

3. Bonus: When you receive a subscription email, you have the option of replying via email instead of having to visit the forum to respond. See “Using Email to reply to subscribed topics” below for more details.

   

This will send an email only when a specific topic has a reply. Here are the steps:

1. Visit the web site, then locate and open the topic you want to unsubscribe from (“General Topics > General > Subject: Insurance” in this example)
2. Click the ‘Subscribe’ option checkbox.
3. Bonus: When you receive a subscription email, you have the option of replying via email instead of having to visit the forum to respond. See “Using Email to reply to subscribed topics” below for more details.

Unsubscribing from a topic

If you have been receiving emailed subscription notifications on a topic, and are no longer interested in monitoring the thread, you can ‘unsubscribe’ from that topic.

• Visit the web site, then locate and open the topic you want to unsubscribe from
• Uncheck the ‘Subscribe’ option.
• Note that you can resubscribe to the topic again (see Subscribing overview above).

Using email to create new web site forum topics

You can easily start a new topic on the web site forums from email with a few simple steps. IMPORTANT: The email you are sending from must match the email associated with your Sask Alpine web site account. This is the way the web site knows who you are, allows the topic to be created, and tags that topic with your Sask Alpine web site user name.

1. Create a new email and address it to one of the following email addresses:
   • coaches@saskalpine.com - puts the message into the 'Coaches Forum: Club and Provincial Level' forum on the web site, and then broadcasts this message to all that are either directly subscribed or part of the Club Prime Coach Contacts group.
   • clubContacts@saskalpine.com -  puts the message into the 'Club Prime Contact Messages' forum on the web site, and then broadcasts this message to all that are either directly subscribed to that forum or part of the Club Prime Contacts group (usually the administrators).
   • para-alpine@saskalpine.com - puts the message into the 'Para-Alpine General' forum on the web site, and then broadcasts this message to all that are subscribed to that forum.
   • cwg@saskalpine.com - puts the message into the 'General Discussions' forum set up special on the Canada Winter Games page on the Sask Alpine web site. It is then rebroadcast to all subscibers.

The following emails are more focused and are intended to be used by the specific groups involved:

• coachReport@saskalpine.com – for coaches’ monthly report submissions (to be used by Sask Alpine's provincial coaches):
• boardAndStaffForum@saskalpine.com - For board and staff-only messages (to be used for all Sask Alpine executive and staff - which includes the office manager and provincial coaching staff)
• boardOnlyForum@saskalpine.com - For board-only forums (can only be seen and used by Sask Alpine executive members)

1. Enter the subject – this will turn into the subject of the forum topic (“Sask Alpine 2008-07-16 Executive Meeting Minutes” in this example).
2. Enter whatever you want into the body of the email – this will turn into the message for the topic (text message with link to file on web site in this example).
3. Send the email message. It may take up to ten minutes before it is picked up and appears on the targeted forum.

Using Email to reply to subscribed topics

If you want to add a reply to the subscribed message you received, just reply to it and type in your message. Whatever you type will be added as a new reply to the message on the web site forum topic.

Leave subject line alone. The ‘funny’ group of characters on end of subject allows web site to find the original message that your reply should be hooked to.