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MIT Forums FAQ

• I lost a long message I was posting. Is there an automatic timeout and if so how can I adjust it?

  By default, a Forums session times out after you have been idle for 60 minutes. (This has been the default since Fall 2001. If you used Forums before that you may have the old default of 10 minutes set.) Users may increase the timeout period by selecting the preferences button on the bottom of the Forums' pages and changing the value in the Minutes of inactivity until automatic logout: item.. Generally, for long messages it's a good idea to compose the text in a separate file, and then copy-paste it into a Forums post so that you have a backup in case of problems.

• Is there a limit to message size?

  Yes. In the Academic Fourms, postings by regular participants are limited to 6000 characters, which averages out to be about 900 to 1000 words. If you post a message that is over the limit, the message will be truncated at 6000 characters. If you wish to post a longer message, you can submit it in two or more installments.
  Postings by hosts are not limited by the 6000 character limit.

• Is there a URL to go directly to my discussion folder?

  For a URL that will take you directly to your discussion folder, do the following:

  • Log in to Forums as usual, and go into your discussion folder, i.e. from http://forums.mit.edu/ select Academic Conferences, log in, select your Course heading, and then your folder/subfolder.
  • Once you are in your folder, take the URL that appears in your browser's navigation bar, for example:

            http://forums.mit.edu/acad?13@1.8hFPL8CV^8@.ee6bb1e
    

    and remove everything between the @ symbols:

            http://forums.mit.edu/acad?13@@.ee6bb1e
    

  This URL can be used for a direct link -- when entered in a browser, it should prompt the user to log in, then go directly to your folder.

• Can I post enclosures or attachments?

  Because enclosures present some problems (such as spreading viruses and potentially eating up the server space quickly), this feature of WebCrossing is not enabled in MIT Forums -- more specifically, hosts and sysops can post them, but nobody else can see them. Instead, we recommend one of the following:

  • For relatively short text, simply cut and paste it into the post.
  • For longer documents or formats other than text, put the file on your own web pages, and include a link to them in the Forums post. For example:

      Demo message
    
      <a href="http://web.mit.edu/lockername/www/diagram.jpg">diagram.jpg</a>
    

• Who can read the discussion? Can hosts modify these settings?

  The default access for course discussion folders is for "Participant" permission for all MIT Forums registered users (those with username@mit.edu email addresses). The host can control user access, in particular to limit access to only the course students and staff.

  Notes on modifying user access:

  1. Users must register in Forums before you may modify their access.

  2. Names must be entered in the form listed in the MIT directory -- not by email address or Athena username. The MIT directory listing may be found in several ways:
     • From the Web

       Go to http://web.mit.edu/search.html and use the Directory option to look up the user.

     • From Athena Use the command

         athena% finger username@mit.edu
       

       where username is the person's Athena username, @mit mail address, or last name.

     • From Eudora Eudora PH instructions from the HelpDesk stock answers

     In each case, use the entry exactly as it appears in the name field. For example, the listing for jfoster includes:

       name: Foster, Jean L
     

     and the form to enter on the access page is:

       Foster, Jean L
     

     You may enter multiple names (one per line), and then press the "Add Users" button. An error will be generated if a user hasn't yet registered in Forums.
• Can I change the order of discussions in a folder?

  The host can control the position of a discussion/folder in the list by specifying a "sort sequence" (under "edit folder"). What you would do is go to each discussion/folder within the folder where you want to change the order, click on "edit folder" and change the sort field -- higher numbers go on top. For example:

  Discussion title	Sort sequence
  Hello world	100
  Will JAVA rule?	99
  A normal discussion	0
  This is an old chestnut	-100

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Last modified: July 21, 2004