Using this discussion forum

Firstly, please do be patient. This discussion forum can be a little slow to upload the page you click on.
It also looks terribly confusing at first, but it is quite easy to learn and will be very enjoyable to use. Please do take a little time to become familiar with it all. If you get lost at any stage just click on Project Fred - latest sightings (the top of the list, in bold above) and you should be able to see how to get to where you want to go from there.

Secondly - you may find it easiest to print these instructions out so that you can refer to them as you move around the site. The print command is on the right hand side of this page, just above the green bar going across the middle of the page.

Finding your way around.
The discussion forum is divided into BOARDS.
If you click on Project Fred - latest sightings (but not right now!!) you will see three items listed in bold and underlined. These are BOARDS.
Two of these BOARDS are read-only and are for your information (this one and the What You've Missed one).
The third one (Latest Sightings) is where you can write your own stuff.
Click on Project Fred - latest sightings, now, to see this. To get back to these instructions you need to then click on "Instructions for new users" and then click on "Using this discussion forum".
Now you know how to get back here!!!

To get back to the Project Fred home page. As this is different sortware, we are not able to put a link back to the Project Fred home page. So, I am afriad you will have to either press the 'Back' button or put the Project Fred home page in your favourites and get back to it from your favourites.

Reading what has been seen on previous Project Fred walks.
Now click on Project Fred - latest sightings and then click on What you've missed in 2006. Under the subjects here are listed the walks that we have done. If you click on one of them you can read what we saw. You will not be able to add anything here.
Basically, once you know how to use this discussion forum, you will probably mostly be using Project Fred - latest sightings.

Adding your own comments and sightings.
To do this you need to click on Project Fred - latest sightings, and then on Latest Sightings in whatever month it is now. You will then see a list of Subjects come up. These are the TOPICS of conversation within the Latest Sightings BOARD.
They are threads of discussion started by someone and can be replied to by others.
There are three basic things you can do. You can add your own new TOPIC, modify what you have done and reply to other people's TOPICS.

Adding your own new TOPIC.
Click on 'Start new topic' at the far right of the screen just above the green Subject bar. A new box will come up.
In the subject box add a meaningful title and PLEASE put the date.
In the Message icon bit you can have a smiley or a thumbs up or various other signs for your new TOPIC.
In the large blank box type your message and PLEASE end with your name.
When you have finished click on 'Post' at the bottom of the screen.
Easy, ain't it.

Modifying your own TOPIC.
If you want to change what you have written, then you can.
Click on your message so that it comes up on screen. Click on Modify at the right hand end of the screen just UNDER the green subject bar.
Make your changes and then click on Save at the bottom of the screen.

Replying to other people's TOPICS.
To make a comment to someone's TOPIC of conversation click on the message so that it comes up on screen.
Click on Reply just above the green subject bar. A new box comes up and you can type your reply in there. PLEASE end with your name.
When you have finished click on 'Post' at the bottom of the screen.
Your reply will then get displayed under the first posting of the TOPIC when you click o the TOPIC to view it.

If you have any questions of difficulties then please e-mail me at project.fred@virgin.net.

Enjoy !!!!!