• Registration: You must register before you can post a message to The Truth Tree.  However, if you register on any of the boards you are automatically registered on all of them.  It is not necessary to register more than once.  To register, simply go to any forum and click on "Register".  We do not require you to fill out every single item on the registration, only those items that you wish to reveal about yourself.   However, the Name field will be the name you will use on the boards, and the email address is required in order to confirm your registration.  Filling in a non-valid email address will block your registration.  The first time you register your posts will not immediately appear on the forum index pages.  Instead, they will be sent to the moderator.  The moderator will then grant full posting privileges usually within 24 hours.  Each user is allowed to post no more than 5 messages per day on any one message board.  The Truth Tree is non-commercial.  Read our Mission Statement to find out more.
• E-mail addresses: The Truth Tree requires that you give a valid e-mail address when you register, but your e-mail address will never be revealed to anyone unless you reveal it yourself. The e-mail address you give when you register will be the address to which The Truth Tree will send any notices, so please use an e-mail address that you regularly check.
• Notifications: If you check the "Notify original author" box when you reply to a message, the author of the message will receive your reply by e-mail.  If you do this, make sure that what you are sending is a polite and friendly message.  You can also check the "Notify me on response" box and receive an e-mail when someone responds to your message.
• Resources: When writing a message, scroll down to find links to the Merriam Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and Alta Vista's Babel Fish language translator.  In a matter of seconds, you can check your facts, choice of words, spelling, and even foreign words or phrases with these "brain extenders."  How many other web sites make these helpful resources so easily available?

• HTML code. Larry Arnold wrote an excellent guide to using html code in your messages.  Html enables you to change the font and color of your text and include images and links.  If you have inserted some html code but are unsure whether it will display as you want it to be displayed, you can click on "Browser view."
• Subject line. In order to keep the index page from looking too cluttered, the subject line (what you put in the box labelled "Subject" above where you put in your message) is limited to 80 characters.  When you reply to a message, sometimes it is appropriate to be creative and compose a new subject instead of accepting the old one with a "Re: " beside it.  Your message will seem more interesting and more likely to attract readers if you give it an appropriate subject.  If you gain a reputation as a good message writer, you can quickly develop a loyal following of readers.
• Low bandwidth users. If you have a slow connection and would prefer the home page to load faster every day, make this page one of your browser's "Favorites" and use that link to access the Truth Tree. This page keeps the same small picture from day to day which eliminates the downloading of a lengthy .GIF picture.
• Need a handy start page? This can speed up your internet surfing.  Ron Savori created this start page that you can download and make your browser's default start page.  You can then search Google and the Encyclopedia Britanica without actually logging onto those sites.
• Resolution: We recommend that you try setting your monitor's display to 1024 x 768 or higher in order to experience our site the way it was intended.  Most monitors today fully support this resolution.
• Problems Posting: This is from Julie D. who got it from Larry Arnold: When you've just written a big, powerful, wonderful post that you don't want to risk losing, *before* you click "POST", take your mouse, highlight the whole post, right-click, and select "Copy". (Or click your mouse on the text and hit Ctrl-A to highlight it, followed by Ctrl-C to copy it, and Ctrl-V to paste. - Ron.) Then, if your post fails to authenticate, or whatever, the text will still be on your clipboard. If you run into real trouble, you can always save it as a .txt file and post it later. Keep in mind, the Anyboard message software relies upon your browser accepting Cookies; if it does then Anyboard will "remember" you, and you won't have to keep re-entering your password.

• Some of the message boards on The Truth Tree have moderators and some do not. The default moderator for boards without a designated moderator is Remi.

• Moderators are appointed by Remi. They have volunteered to help keep spam and irrelevant posts to a minimum. They have the power to delete messages and in extreme cases to ban users. We hope they will seldom have to delete messages, and banning users will never be done except as a last resort. We are strongly opposed to censorship. No one will have his messages deleted merely because he is expressing a view at variance with that of the moderator.

• We greatly appreciate the time and effort our moderators expend on the Tree. Please treat them with respect!

• If you would like to moderate a board, send Remi an e-mail.

Q: I don't feel like discussing issues! I am angry at so-and-so and want to tell that person off! How about if I just resort to personal insults?

A: We strive for high-level discussion. We want the debates on The Truth Tree to be notable for clarity and courtesy. Please do not make insulting remarks. Try to keep your attention centered on the topic; not the person with whom you may disagree.

Q: Can I get away with posting advertisements, spam, pornography, or marketing material?

A: The Truth Tree does not exist for those purposes. Such messages will be immediately deleted. If a user persists in posting solicitations, spam, flames, or pornography his ISP will be notified and he may be banned.

Q:Is it OK to use profanity?

A: There is no hard and fast rule on this, but profanity makes the boards less hospitable to parents and children. One day we may get the Truth Tree rated by RSAC and due to the salty bits will have to have a "language" advisory. But that's no big deal. The feeling about profanity goes back to the personal insults rule. Profanity used as an expletive is perhaps less offensive, though not especially creative. Try using an alternative word and you may find that your posts are more effective and that your vocabulary will increase. Try to avoid at least initiating ad hominem attacks, and perhaps even more important: don't respond in kind when you are attacked. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Q: What are some alternatives to profanity?

A: Poppycock! Balderdash! Thunderous tomfoolery! Perfidy! Egregious nonsense! Arrogant ignorance! Pernicious impertinence! These, which are seldom used, add more color--even a hint of humor, and are more likely to bring a smile to a reader's face than the ubiquitous s. or f. word.

Q: Can I post on any subject I like?

A: No. You should try to keep to the subject of the forum, be it Evolution, Abortion, Religion, or whatever. Granted, it is not always obvious whether a message is topical. There may be times when a discussion, say, on gun control or capital punishment will spill over into the political area. This is all right if it isn't too far afield. In some cases it may be advisable to move certain messages to a different board.  Ultimately the issue of topicality is up to the moderator.  You may discover for yourself through trial and error what the moderator considers to be topical.  Be sure to read the position statement for each forum!

Q: I've written something so insightful that I want everyone to see it.  Can I cross-post from forum to forum within The Truth Tree?

A: No.  This wastes disk space and often violates topicality.  Cross-posts will usually be deleted.

Q: How about if I post a link to my bodacious web page?

A: Sure! Why not? Truth Tree regulars have very often posted great links to great web sites.  We sometimes hardcode these links into the position statements when we really like them. We would appreciate a link to the Truth Tree from your web site, of course. To learn how to link to us, click here.

This concludes the Truth Tree Forum FAQ.  Should you have any other questions, please direct them to your forum's Moderator, who is either listed at the top of the forum or is Remi by default.