page_title: Online community
section_title: Bulletin boards
hierarchical_section_title: Online community / Categorization / Bulletin boards
caption_attribution_description: English: A screenshot of a newly installed version of IPB 3.4.6
context_page_description: An online community, also called an internet community or web community, is a virtual community whose members interact with each other primarily via the Internet. For many, online communities may feel like home, consisting of a "family of invisible friends". Those who wish to be a part of an online community usually have to become a member via a specific site and thereby gain access to specific content or links. An online community can act as an information system where members can post, comment on discussions, give advice or collaborate. Commonly, people communicate through social networking sites, chat rooms, forums, e-mail lists and discussion boards. People may also join online communities through video games, blogs and virtual worlds. The rise in popularity of Web 2.0 websites has allowed for easier real-time communication and connection to others, and facilitated the introduction of new ways for information to be exchanged.
context_section_description: Bulletin boards or Internet forums are websites which allow users to post topics also known as threads for discussion with other users able to reply creating a conversation. Forums follow a categorised structure with many popular forum software solutions categorising forums depending on their purpose with multiple forums that can potentially contain sub-forums that within contain threads. With time more advanced features have been added into forums with the ability to attach files, embed YouTube videos and private messaging now common place. Currently the largest forum Gaia Online contains over 2 billion posts.
  Members are commonly assigned into user groups which control their access rights and permissions with two popular levels of staff access:
  User: A standard account with the ability to create topics and reply
  Moderator: Moderators are typically tasked with the daily administration tasks such as answering user queries, dealing with rule breaking posts and the moving, editing or deletion of topics or posts.
  Administrator: Administrators deal with the forum strategy including the implementation of new features alongside more technical tasks such as server maintenance.
caption: A screenshot of a newly installed version of IPB 3.4.6
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