Whatever it is, 'online communities' - forums, message boards, bulletin boards or web-based discussions boards -- draw millions of people together to ask questions, share information, show off or just hang out.

One of those millions is Sriram Sharma. Most days, you'll find this writer and gaming enthusiast at sites like Kawabonka.com participating in rants and raves about the latest version of Quake III Arena, or on hardware sites like Hard[OCP] or on Fark, a site that links to quirky and other news stories.

"It's on sites like Somethingawful.com, an entertainment site or Gigpad.com, a music discussion site that I can discuss topics, and find people who are as quirky as myself," says Sriram, "Plus there's the whole thing about acquired knowledge."

You'll find forums on topics ranging from professional technical help to stamp or coin collecting, writing, entertainment, movies, technology, gaming, science fiction and underground hackers! "Almost all have a specific thing to talk about. Anything too open-ended doesn't appeal much," says Sriram.

To participate in a forum all you need is a Web browser that can handle forms. Messages posted get organised into discussion topics - or 'threads'. You can read all messages posted on a date; post a reply within an existing discussion; or start of a new thread. This isn't always convenient, since you have to click from page to page or scroll up and down to follow the thread of a conversation.

Public forums could be open to all users, like Slashdot.org, or require registration. There are also private groups open only to members or paid subscribers.

Veteran posters opine that good forums are those that are moderated, or have some sort of filtering, since this makes them more readable.

A strong sense of community and loyalty is what drives most forums especially at sites like Slashdot.org and Kuro5hin.org (pronounced 'Currosion'), a mecca for geeks to discuss technology news and happenings. Slashdot attracts more than a million unique visitors every month. It is news based and invites comments on news links posted by founders CmdrTaco and Hemos, who moderate it. Sites like Kuro5hin.org are discussion oriented. Another popular forum is Ezboard, which has a fairly large online community.

'Forum culture'

Every forum has a distinct culture but there are a few common traits. Because forums evolved from USENET groups, there are similarities between USENET and forum culture. Both have regular members along with lurkers and a few trolls and spammers who always annoy the regulars.

Confused? Here's a basic attempt at understanding forum culture.

Lurking is a term used for people who just read posts and discussion threads, without posting anything themselves. Lurkers far outnumber users who actually post. Most don't really want to be part of the forum, but look for information and insights. They will only post if they can't find what they're looking for. Also, some lurkers are wary of being flamed. So they prefer to reply to a post by email.

Forum regulars have 'avatars' characterised by a small image, and name. "Some become legends due to their 'post count' or wit. There's a lot of fanboyism and bandwagonism in forums," says Sriram, whose avatar is moshkid on Gigpad, slashgod on Somethingawful, and sriram on Kawabonka. People seldom use their real names.

Trolls are NOT scary creatures from Harry Potter, but insulting or contradictory posts deliberately aimed at provoking angry responses. Some people consider trolling an art form. However, experienced forum members recognise trolls for what they are and simply ignore them.

Spammers, who fill up your mailbox with advertisements or inane schemes, are on forums too. Their posts end up being edited by the moderator, flamed or banned.

Flaming is a long-standing tradition and a scathing criticism aimed at keeping out what members consider 'morons who ask dumb questions'. Flames can be lots of fun, both to read and write and for many it's an art. Oh - and the recipients of flames sometimes deserve the heat. Sriram has a few choice images that he keeps aside to flame people he thinks deserve it.

Flame wars however aren't fun. These are series of angry posts, mainly from two or three people directed toward each other. It can ruin the camaraderie of a discussion group if it gets out of hand. Posting at a forum can be a big ego trip. "There's a lot of post counting going on at some forums. Everyone secretly wants to have the highest post count," says Sriram.

He also shares the lingo and catchphrases of some forums: "Kawa has FOPAP, FOPAA, WALLHACK LAMER, FAG, ZERG and RUSH. Slashdot always gets this "FIRST POST! woot!, which is a catchphrase like LOL."

Having a group of people together doesn't guarantee that they'll hit it off and become friends. The same holds good for online forums: there are few real communities on the Web. According to Sriram, most have only 25-30 people posting regularly. But the more successful ones like Slashdot attract comments seconds after an article is posted.

Sriram has made a lot of friends online on the various forums that he posts. "Somethingawful.com has 'goon meets' all over the world. I've not met many of them, but I know what they look like, and have seen their faces in many post-your-picture threads."

Says Sriram: "Somethingawful.com is my favourite forum and simply the best. It's a paid service, but worth it. I like forums because you can be anyone you want."

The Forum Posters Survival Guide Follow these rules before you hit 'submit'. Posting for the first time is rather like making an impression on a group of people you've never met. If you want to be liked and accepted, it helps to make a good first impression. Lurk before you post! If you're looking at being part of a particular forum, lurk around with the objective of understanding the culture before you make your first post. Get a sense of how the people who are already there act. It'll give you an idea of whether you'll be able to hit it off with the forum. The consequences of not lurking: You'll just get flamed or laughed at! Read the forum rules. Most public forums don't have too many rules. However some might not permit multi-posting (identical posts to two or more forums). Also try to adhere to the basic rules of netiquette. Keep messages short. Focus on a single idea or topic. Use relevant subject headings, key words etc, and structure what you write. Don't waste anyone's time or bandwidth. Avoid duplicate posts and high-resolution images. Don't expect instant responses to all your questions. And if you do expect responses, be prepared to participate and share ideas on what other people post too. Don't assume that all readers will agree with your rants and raves. Expect negative feedback and criticism. Be nice when responding to messages with which you strongly disagree. Avoid getting personal or insulting another forum poster. Most forums have strict rules about threats, harassment, name-calling, obscenity, spam etc. Disobeying rules could get you banned. Look for more discussion groups on RediffSearch or on Online Community Report.

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