Welcome to the Getting Started help section.

Follow these simple instructions to start using Commuter Connections' Bulletin Board system. You may want to print out these instructions for easy reference later as you are using the system.

1. How to register as a member.

2. I am at the main screen that reads "Commuter Bulletin Board." Now what?

3. How do I add a topic?

4. How do I respond to a topic?

5. What are the "Profile" and "Preferences" hyperlinks for?

 


1. How to register as a member.

Register as a new member by clicking on the "register" link that will be located in the upper right-hand side of the screen. This will bring up the "Rules, Policies, and Disclaimers" screen. Read over these terms and conditions of using the Commuter Connections bulletin board system and choose "Agree" if you agree with the terms to proceed.

This will take you to the "Bulletin Board Registration" screen where you must type in information about yourself such as the name that you want to be known as on the bulletin board, your e-mail address, etc. To enter information, you can select a field by clicking your mouse in it. Once you see the cursor blinking in the field, you may type in information. Go to the next field by pressing the TAB key. When finished, click the "Submit" button near the bottom of the page.

The system will then bring you to a "Congratulations" page. Click the "Click here to enter the Bulletin Board now" link to begin using Commuter Connections' bulletin board system.

The system will automatically assign you a password that will be e-mailed to the address that you specified. Until you receive this e-mail, you may enter the bulletin board to view topics and replies. You will need your BBS password before you can post a topic or a reply.

 


2. I am at the main screen that reads "Commuter Bulletin Board." Now what?

Let's say that you are interested in finding carpool partners originating from Fairfax County, VA where you live. You will notice a list of "forums" (discussions about general areas of interest) that are divided up into the following categories (separated by the pink band of color):

    1. Carpooling
    2. Related Discussion Groups

Under the "Carpooling" category, select the forum that you would like to post a message on. In this example, click on the "Fairfax County, VA" hyperlink.

Clicking this hyperlink will take you to a screen listing the "topics" (discussions about specific areas of interest) that have been created for, in this example, the "Fairfax County, VA" forum. To view all "Replies" to a specific topic simply click on that topic in the list. While you are viewing the replies to a topic you may post your own reply by clicking on the "Post Reply" button.


3. How do I add a topic?

Once you have selected a forum, you will be viewing a screen listing topics for that forum. To add, or "post", a new topic click on the "Post New Topic" picture that is located in the upper right-hand side of your screen. Doing this will present the "Post New Topic" screen where you must enter information into the fields of the screen where you can type. Follow the instructions located at the top of the screen to fill out the fields correctly.

Once you fill out your "User Name", the actual topic title in "Subject", and the message in the "Message" field, you may click on the "Submit New Topic" button located at the bottom of the page to submit your new topic.


4. How do I respond to a topic?

Once you have selected a forum, you will be viewing a screen listing topics for that forum. To respond to a topic, first click on the topic title listed under the "topic" heading that you would like to respond to. Now click on the "Post Reply" button located in the upper right-hand side of the screen (also in the lower left-hand side of the screen.) Doing this will present the "Reply to Topic" screen where you must enter information into the fields of the screen where you can type. Follow the instructions located at the top of the screen to fill out the fields correctly.

Once you fill out your "User Name", your "Password", and your reply in the "Your Reply" field, you may click on the "Submit Reply" button located at the bottom of the page to submit your reply.


5. What are the "Profile" and "Preferences" hyperlinks for?

On the upper right-hand side of all Commuter Connections' bulletin board screens are hyperlinks which read "Profile" and "Preferences".

Upon clicking the "Profile" hyperlink, you are presented with your "User Name" and "Password". Type those into the appropriate fields and click the "Submit Identification" button at the bottom of the page. The next next screen will allow you to change information about your account such as the following:

When finished, you must click the "Submit Modifications" button at the bottom of the page to submit your profile modifications.

Upon clicking the "Preferences" hyperlink, you are presented with several options that control the way things can be viewed within the bulletin board such as:

When finished, you must click the "Submit Preferences" button at the bottom of the page to submit your preferences.

 


Click your "Back" button in your browser to go back to the page you came from,
or click Here to go back to the bulletin board's main screen.

 

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