How to start a new thread on a discussion forum or reply to an existing thread

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Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.

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How to start a new thread & How to reply to an existing thread


Everyone is "new" to a discussion forum at least once in their forum life. If you're new to discussion forums, here's a picture tutorial that will show you how to start a new thread.

If you have a question about detailing your car, then it's usually best to start your own dedicated thread than it is to do what we call, tagging on to someone else's thread.


Here's why you want to start your own thread...
By starting your own thread, your topic will get better and more attention which means you'll get the help you're looking for faster and more effectively. Starting your own thread helps you to help yourself.



Note that before you can start a thread or reply to an existing thread, you need to be a registered member of the Autogeek Discussion Forum.



After you have successfully registered with the forum and your account has been processed, you should see your forum nickname on the forum homepage on the right hand side in what's called the User CP block.

What you should see if you're logged in...
HowToTellIfYourLoggedIn.JPG


(The homepage of the forum is made up of "blocks" of information as a method of compartmentalizing specific types of information.)


If you don't see "Welcome back Your Forum Nickname" in the block that means you're not logged in and instead you will see a place to enter your forum nickname and your password.

What you will see if you're not logged in...
NotLoggedInOrNotARegisteredMember.jpg



You must be logged into the forum in order to start a new thread or reply to an existing thread.


Click here to go to the forum homepage to see if you're logged in.


In the below post, I'll show you how to Start A New Thread


:)
 
If you want to start a new thread, the first thing to do is to locate a Forum Group related to your topic.

At the top of each page is a Horizontal Navigation Bar, it looks like this...


How to get to the list of Forum Groups
Click on the word "Forum" and it will take you to the list of "Topical Forum Groups"
NavigationBar.jpg




How To Locate a Topical Forum Group
Here's a section of the "Topical Forum Groups", if you can't find a group that matches your topic, then post it in Detailing 101

TopicalForumGroups.jpg





How To Start a Brand New Thread
To start a new thread, locate the button that reads, "New Topic" and click on it. This will bring up a place for you to type your message. After you type your message and you're happy with it, at the bottom of the message box is a button that reads,

Submit Reply

Click on that button and your very own Thread will be posted to the forum!

NewTopic1.jpg





How To Reply to an Existing Thread
To reply to an existing thread, locate the "New Reply" button, which can be found at the top or bottom right hand side and click on it.

This will bring up a a message box where you can type your reply. When you're finished, there's a Submit Reply button below the message box, click on it and your reply will be posted to the thread.


NewReply.jpg




That's all there is to it!
Once you post your own thread and reply to a couple existing threads, you'll be on your way to a Forum Posting Pro!



:)
 
Thanks Mike! I have been tagging since I got here. When I get ready to start a new thread,I"ll reread the tutoral!
 
I had a guy e-mail me yesterday asking me how to start a thread...


Starting a thread is easy once you know how... it's the first time that can be a tad confusing... so hopefully this tutorial will help Lurkers new to forums but interested in joining in the fun get registered and posting with the rest of us...



:dblthumb2:
 
Thanks Mike, you have been a God send over the last few years.
:xyxthumbs:
 
Good morning Mike, I made a new thread under product review for Turtle wax ice sealant and spray wax. I am not able to access the thread. What did I do wrong
 
Buster906 said:
Good morning Mike, I made a new thread under product review for Turtle wax ice sealant and spray wax.

I am not able to access the thread. What did I do wrong
Click to expand...


Well technically you broke the forum rules. The forum rules state this forum is to discuss products sold on the Autogeek.com store not products you by at Walmart. Your post was "Reported" and one of our Admins moved it to the "Moderators Forum".

I just moved it back out to Detailing 101 here,



Turtle Wax Ice Products



The Mods were just doing their job by enforcing the rules. Most people never read the rules so don't now the boundaries of this forum or ANY forum. (Think about it? When is the last time anyone reading this joined a forum and started out by reading that forum's rules?

When I join a forum, for example the Mercedes-Benz forum, I don't read the rules before I start posting but I"m also savvy enough to not post stuff I know would be against normal forum rules or normal forum etiquette. Most people don't read forum rules so they post stuff that goes against the rules. Then the post gets reported and the the Mods enforce the rules.

I guess the big picture is this.... the bills for this forum including yours truly are paid for by the sales. There's no such thing as a free lunch. That might be a new concept to many on this earth but live a few years and you'll find out there's really nothing for free. There's a cost to everything. All the college students in favor of the idea of free college as touted by some presidential candidates are simply naive. There's no such thing as free college or free anything.

So the forum rules were writing to keep the discussions on products sold on the Autogeek store since it is the Autogeek store that pays for the server hosting to host this forum, the server hosting to host the pictures, the vBulletin Mechanic we pay to upgrade and maintain the forum and prevent it from being hacked, my time to type out in-depth, how-t answers and articles that help people get successful results the first time instead of ruining something expensive, and on and on and on.

When someone makes a post about something they bought somewhere else, for example the Harbor Freight cheapie polisher, why don't they go to the Harbor Freight Detailing Discussion Forum and make that post? The answer is because Harbor Freight doesn't INVEST in hosting a forum and paying someone with experience to tell their customers how to use the stuff they buy at the Harbor Freight store.

This forum is part of the "Customer Support Experience" our customers get when they invest in us. They invest in us and my boss invests back into them with this forum. He doesn't invest into this forum to answer questions for products where people invested their money somewhere else, like Walmart.

That said, if you look at your thread, I did answer your question in an effort to help you, that's customer support. I realize that you purchase products from us and even though we don't sell Turtle Wax Ice we like to be a helpful and friendly forum and as such sometimes our forum rules simply need to be relaxed.


One of the things I do on this forum is answer questions. You asked a question about Turtle Wax Ice in the thread we're talking about and I answered you and you asked a question in this thread on "How to start a new thread", and in keeping with my history... I answered your question.

I hope my answer makes sense and maybe someday the manufactures of all the products in the world will all invest in their own forums to provide excellent customer service after the purchase like we strive to do here on AGO.

Again, here's the link to your thread...

Turtle Wax Ice Products


Check on it please as I also asked you a question.


:)
 
My apologies, I never researched to see if AG sold this brand. No loss. I will stay to giving reviews only AG sells
 
Reprimand accepted. I do not wish to be removed as a member. AG forum is a very useful forum for us detail people.
 
It's all good...

Sometimes I use a reply as a teaching moment... to teach the forum, not the poster.


I also understand that most people don't and never mean any harm... they just have questions... and lucky for me I like answering questions and I'm a speed typist.


:D
 
....


Seen a lot of people asking questions in the "Chatbox" or trying to use it like a Search Engine.


If you have questions then simply start your own thread. Give the thread a great title or subject line and this way people will know what it is you need help with or what it is you're seeking more information about.


This thread I'm typing in has "pictures" that show you how to start your own thread.

I know if you're new to this thing we call as "discussion forum" can be confusing the first time but with a little thinking, looking and reading you can do it. I'm confident.


:)
 
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