Some people may attend from their offices during the day while others will drop in after putting the kids to bed in the evening. Some people will drop in several times a day. Others may come less frequently. It is completely up to you to decide when and how often to come. Unlike a conference held in person, the discussion takes place over time rather than all at once.
Online discussions can continue over several days or even weeks.
Much like a series of email or letters, the discussion unfolds over time with everyone able to see everyone else's comments as the discussion progresses. When you as a participant want to add a comment, the process is similar to sending an email or filling out an online form. You simply enter your comment into an online text form and when you are finished, your comment is added to the discussion. It is immediately available to viewing by other participants, but also becomes part of the permanent discussion transcript. When you come to the conference, you will be able to see all of the new comments that have been added since the last time you attended.