Forum

Forum is a term that originates from the Latin word for public place, where people gather to discuss various topics. In the context of the internet, a forum is a website or section of a website that allows for public discussion or sharing of information and ideas among users.

Overview

An online forum is a site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text and are at least temporarily archived. Also, depending on the access level of a user or the forum set-up, a posted message might need to be approved by a moderator before it becomes publicly visible.

History

The modern forum originated from bulletin boards and are a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content.

Structure

A forum is hierarchical or tree-like in structure: a forum can contain a number of subforums, each of which may have several topics. Within a forum's topic, each new discussion started is called a thread, and can be replied to by as many people as so wish.

Types of Forums

There are several types of forums, including message boards, discussion boards, bulletin boards, and Internet forums. Each of these has its own specific features and uses, but all serve the same basic purpose of providing a platform for people to communicate and share information.

Uses in Medicine

In the field of medicine, forums can be used for a variety of purposes. They can serve as a platform for healthcare professionals to discuss case studies, share research findings, and collaborate on patient care. Patients can also use medical forums to share their experiences, seek advice, and provide support to others dealing with similar health issues.

See Also

• Internet Forum
• Message Board
• Discussion Board
• Bulletin Board

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