When using message boards, people do not have to be online at the same time in order to converse. How Message Boards Work .
People write messages about topics of interest.
As other people visit the message board, they are able to quickly scan the messages that previous visitors have left. If they find a message which addresses a topic of interest, they are able to read that message as well as all subsequent replies to it. Some message boards are more focused than others. It is considered rude to visit a focused message board and write about unrelated topics. Most websites begin with a general, all topic message board.