What are the discussion forums?

1. Print out these instructions, or open them in a new window so that you can refer to them as you proceed. There are two ways to do this: 1) choose "new window" from the file menu, copy the URL from this window and paste into the new window; or 2) right click (Windows) or click-hold-down (Mac) anywhere on the page (not on an image or link) and choose "Open Page in new window" from the pop-up menu.
   
   
2. Click on the "Enter Forums Now" link at the bottom of this page. This takes you to the main forum page.
   
   
3. You should see a "Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register." in the top right hand corner of the screen. Click on the "Register" link. This takes you to the forum registration page.
   
   
4. The forum registration page has two fill-in-the-blank boxes (username and email address), a "hide email from public" check box near the top of the page, two radio buttons (I Agree and I Do Not Agree) near the bottom of the screen, and a "Register" button at the bottom of the screen. Choose a user name (this may include spaces and IS case sensitive, I'd suggest something simple like your first name plus last name initial, e.g. fsmith), fill in your email address, choose whether you want you email address viewable by other members (I'd suggest not as anyone can gain access to the forums --- be sure the box is checked if you don't want your email made public), read the user agreement and check the "I agree" button if you accept the terms, then click the register button at the bottom of the screen. Clicking the "I Agree" button results in two actions: First, it takes you to the forum registration successful page, and second, the web site emails a forum password to the email address you specified.
   
   
5. Now go check your email. You should have an email from the web site that includes a password. You'll need that password to complete your registration.
   
   
6. Go back to your web browser once you have your password. The forum registration successful page has three fill-in-the-blank boxes (username, password and login duration), an "Always stay logged in" check box, and a "Login" button. Enter the username you specified along with the password from the email. Remember that you user name and password are case sensitive. You can just leave the "Minutes to stay logged in" at 360. Check the box "Always stay logged in" if you always use a computer that is under your control. Press the "Login" button once you've done.
   
   
7. At this point you should be logged in and viewing a the forum's main page. This is the same page as you viewed in step 3, except now is should have the words "Hey, 'username', you have 0 messages" where 'username' is the username you used to register. This page lists all the open forum topics. You can now click the "profile" link at the top of the screen to view your user profile. You can change many of the attributes associated with your profile, including: "Password" --- make it something you can remember, but that is not easily guessed (send a message to the forum administrator if you forget your password, they can reset it); "Name" --- this is different that the username you log in with, it is the name that other forum members see and can include spaces. I'd suggest you use your full name (e.g. Fred Smith) or first name and initial (Fred S.). Click on the "Help" link at the top of the screen for more details on aspects of the user profile (it will pop up a new window so that you can read the help while viewing the user profile page).
   
   
8. If you are a RMSKC member, let the forum admin know that you have joined and that you are a member of RMSKC. Do this by first clicking on "Members" at the top of the screen. This will display all forum members. Next, click on "Forum Admin" and then click on "Send this member a private message." near the bottom of the page. The Forum Admin will then set you status to "RMSKC member" so that you can view the "RMSKC member only forums."
   
   
9. RMSKC members can send the Forum administrator a picture as an email attachment if they would like to have their picture displayed along with their name (take a look at the admin profile for an example of this) --- go ahead and send it in whatever format you want and he'll reformat as needed (jpeg or gif, 96x96 pixels) and install it on your forum profile.
   
   

Enter Forums Now