Forum Training

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Forum Training

• January 12, 2014

2
What We Will Cover

• Overview of Phorum Terms
• Use, Administration, and Moderation of Phorum.
• Hands on Demonstration of Phorum
• Discuss Roll Out Plan for Phorum
• Questions

3
What We Will Cover (cont)

• Phorum has many features, we will focus on the
  basics.
• Phorum is on your test site. Experiment. Test.
  Give feedback.
• BEV will also be experimenting and testing.
• BEV does NOT have an Online Discussion Forum.
  TOP counties are pioneers in this area. BEV and
  the counties will learn together.

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Overview of Phorum - Phorum Terms

• Phorum - Phorum is the software that is used to
  manage the Online Discussion Forum on your web
  site.
• Online Discussion Forum - Provides a web-based
  forum in which participants with common interests
  can exchange open messages and ideas. Much like
  a bulletin board that visitors can view and post
  messages to.

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Overview of Phorum - Phorum Terms

• Topic - In online discussions, a topic is a
  subject with a common theme. Anyone can create a
  new topic.
• Post - To publish a reply to a topic on the
  Online Discussion Forum. Also a message that has
  been previously published is called a post.
• Thread - In online discussions, a series of
  messages that have been posted as replies to each
  other on the same topic.

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Posting to the Discussion Forum

• In order to view or post to the discussion forum
  an individual must first log in.
• The user name and password for logging into the
  discussion forum will be the same as the user
  name and password for the People Directory.
• The forum will NOT be visible to the public.

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Posting to the Discussion Forum Demonstration
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Moderation of the Discussion Forum

• Forum Moderators
• Can Receive emails of all posts to a topic. (This
  is the default setting for your Discussion
  Forum.)
• Can Approve posts before they are added to a
  topic.
• Can Edit and Delete posts to a topic.
• Can Close a thread.
• Can Hide a thread.
• Note Forum Administrators determine whether
  Forum Moderators receive posts before or after
  they are added to the thread.
• Be aware that moderators are powerful! Main
  responsibility is determining appropriate content
  for your Discussion Forum.

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Forum Moderator Demonstration
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Administering the Discussion Forum

• Forum Administrator
• Can Designate Forum Moderators
• Can Stop Phorum
• Key Forum Administrators and Forum Moderators
  are separate roles.

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Online Discussion Forum Roll Out Plan

• Initially, the Online Discussion Forum will be on
  the countys TEST website only.
• TLT members will use and test the forum.
• The county VCE agent(s) and TLT members will
  decide when they would like for the forum to be
  placed on the counties production website.

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Online Discussion Forum Long Term Support Plan

• County TLTs will field questions from members of
  the community regarding the use of the Online
  Discussion Forum.
• BEV will handle technical issues of forum, i.e.
  software upgrades and patches.

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Questions about Forum?
14
Community Connections and Virtual Business
Incubator Overview

• January 12, 2014

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Community Connections

• What is the Community Connections program?
• Provides professional web hosting service to
  non-profit and community organizations for a
  small fee (20 per year)
• Gives organizations a web presence
• Gives organizations an opportunity to increase
  communication and interaction with members of the
  community

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Community Connections

• What services are provided with a Community
  Connections account?
• Web hosting for a web site (up to 20 megabytes of
  text and graphics)
• Two permanent email addresses
• An online mailing list (listserv) that allows up
  to 100 subscribers

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Virtual Business Incubator

• What is the Virtual Business Incubator (VBI)
  program?
• Provides home and micro businesses (5 or fewer
  employees) with professional web hosting service
• Provides marketing and business management
  assistance to help understand how to integrate
  the Internet into their business through
  Community Readiness Workshops

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Virtual Business Incubator

• What services are provided with a Virtual
  Business Incubator account?
• Web hosting for a web site (up to 20 megabytes of
  text and graphics).
• No charge for a VBI account until June 30th,
  2005.
• After June 30th, 2005, the business will need to
  find a new web hosting service.
• One permanent email address
• An online mailing list that allows up to 100
  subscribers

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Comparison of Web Site Listings and Accounts
Community Group Listing on Web Site Community Connections Account Local Business Listing on Web Site VBI Account
Can be used by Non Profit And Community Organizations Non Profit And Community Organizations Any Business New home and micro businesses
Charge for Service Free 20 Per Year Free Free. BEV can not host after 6-30-2005
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Questions about Community Connections or VBI?