Message areas

This page describes what callers can do in the message areas, on any terminal. The letters are the keys on a text terminal, and the PF keys are a 3270's.

The areas¶

Message areas
    Area                 Description                           Msgs   New
  1 General              Talk                                    42 *   3
  2 Other                More talk                               17

Area number, [N]ew scan, [T]o you, [F]ind, [S]can setup, [Q]uit:

Action	Key	PF	What it does
an area	its number	`S` by it	its messages, a page at a time
new scan	`N`	PF5	reads the new messages of each area in the scan, area after area
to you	`T`	PF4	the newest 100 messages addressed to you (in any case), in the areas you read; `*` those you have not read
find	`F`	PF10	messages whose subject, text or author has the words in them (in any case, two characters or more), newest first, up to 100
scan setup	`S`	PF11	which areas the new scan goes through
add area	`+`	PF6	the sysop only

Scan setup¶

Every area is in the new scan until the caller takes it out. Typing an area's number (or S beside it on a 3270) switches it in or out, A (PF5) puts every area in, and X (PF6) takes every area out. Areas marked * are in the scan. The choice is kept with the account.

If the sysop has put areas in groups, they are listed by group (areas in no group first), with a Group column.

In an area¶

An area lists its messages a page at a time (Enter for more on a text terminal, PF7/PF8 on a 3270), with * marking those not yet read. Typing a message's number reads it, even if it is not on the page. R (PF5) reads from the first new message, P (PF6) posts, and L (PF9) posts a poll: a question and 2 to 10 answers, separated by |.

Reading¶

Action	Key	PF
next	`N`, Enter, space	PF11, Enter
previous	`P`	PF10
reply in the area	`R`	PF4
reply by mail	`M`	PF5
delete (yours, or any for the sysop)	`D`	PF9
vote it up or down (or take your vote back)	`V`	PF1
the thread: every message from the one it began with, replies under what they answer	`T`	PF6
the message this answers	`O`	PF2
answer a poll (again: your answer changes)	`A`	PF12
back	`Q`	PF3

A message's votes appear beside its number (+3 -1). A poll's answers appear under its text with each answer's share, and your answer is marked *.

Aliases and signatures¶

In the profile, I sets an alias and G sets a signature (up to three lines). In an area where the sysop allows aliases, posting asks whether to post under the alias. The message is then from the alias (in newsgroups and echoes too), although the sysop can still see who wrote it. An alias is checked like a new user's name, and cannot be anyone else's name or alias. The signature goes under every post and mail written on the BBS.

Reading in an area marks the area read up to that point. Reading messages found by To you or Find does not, so the new scan still shows those messages as new.

For how to write messages, see Writing messages.

See also: Administration, TN3270