Bulletin Board Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use the bulletin board? 

The bulletin board was created for patients, caregivers and others touched by melanoma.  You are encouraged to voice your opinion, ask questions, and meet the network of people who are being proactive in their desire to find answers about this disease without going it alone.  Everyone can view the bulletin board.  If you would like to post a reply or start a new topic, you must be a registered user.   If you are already a registered user, please log in to use the bulletin board.

Is the bulletin board safe? 

The MRF requires all users to register with the site in the interest of creating a safe environment for everyone.  The bulletin board is staffed by moderators who may or may not be present at the time of your use.   To report an issue or file a complaint, please contact the MRF.

How do I log in? 

To log in to the bulletin board, you need to be a registered melanoma.org site user.  If you have not registered for an account, please fill out the short registration form.  If you are a registered user, please log in.  Once logged in, you will be taken directly to the bulletin board.

I forgot my password.  How can I find out what it is? 

If you have forgotten your password, you can request that your password be reset.  The new password will be emailed to the email account that you used during the registration process.  Request a new password.

Why do I need to be a registered user? 

The MRF requires you to be a registered user to create a safe environment for everyone.   The site registration allows us to track down conversations and address any behavior that does not follow the bulletin board policies. 

How do I create a profile? 

During the registration process, you will be prompted to create a profile.  This is optional and you do not have to have a profile in order to participate on the bulletin board.  If you would like to create a profile after you have registered, please click on the Update Info button on the top-right hand corner of the webpage.  Select Profile – Profile Information.  Follow the instructions on the page to add your profile.  You can go back at any time and add or change the information that you have created.

What are your posting policies? 

The primary goal is to provide support and information to people who are facing a difficult time in their lives.   Toward that goal, the MRF has developed guidelines and code of conduct for the melanoma bulletin board.  These will be strictly enforced and any post that violates these guidelines will be removed.

How do I report an issue or file a complaint? 

The MRF takes all issues and complaints extremely seriously.  To report an incident, please contact us.  Please provide the bulletin board user’s name, the subject of the post (with URL if possible) and the time of the incident.

How do I view a topic and the replies? 

To view a topic from the main melanoma bulletin board page, you can either click on the topic subject or the view icon ().  If you would like to see a preview of all of the replies, you can also use the collapse/expand arrow next to the topic to see the topic information.

How do I post a new topic to the bulletin board? 

To post a new topic to the bulletin board, you must be a registered user.  To post a new topic to the bulletin board you will need to ¬ login [link to login] using your username and password you created during the registration process.  If you are not a registered user, please register [link to register page].   Once you are logged in, if you go to the bulletin board page, you will see several buttons to create a new topic: 

To create a new topic, click on the Create a New Topic button.  You will be directed to a new page to enter your message.   If you would like to create a topic anonymously, click on the Create a New Topic Anonymously button.  Your username will not be shown to the rest of the users.

How do I view the replies? 

To view the replies, you can either click on the reply title or go to the topic page to see all replies.  The activity column will show you the date of the last reply and the number of new replies since the last time you logged in.

How do I post a reply? 

To post a reply, you have several options.  You can either reply to the main topic post or to one of the replies within the topic thread.  To reply to the topic, click on the Write a Response or the Write a Response Anonymously button.

 
To reply to one of the replies within the bulletin board, click on the reply link next to the response.

How do I add a personal motto to my posts? 

To add a personal motto, you will need to create or edit your profile.  To add or edit your profile, click on the Update Info button that is displayed in the top right corner of the page when you are logged in.    Go to the Profile Information section and add in a personal motto in the text box.

Can I delete a topic or reply that I have posted? 

No, once you have posted an item to the bulletin board, you cannot delete it.  If you would like a topic post or reply removed from the bulletin board, please contact the MRF.  Please include your username, topic post subject with link to the page and indicate what you would like removed and why.

Where can I get more information about a user? 

If the user has created a public profile, you will be able to see information about the user.  All usernames within the bulletin board will take you to a user’s profile.

How do I see posts from another user? 

To see all posts from a particular user, click on the person’s username and go to the bulletin board posts tab.  From this page, you will be able to see both topics and replies posted by that person.

What are email alerts? 

Email alerts are email messages that get sent with new posts or replies to a topic to help you stay on top of replies to your own posts or new bulletin board activity.  Email alerts are optional and are not turned on unless requested.

How to I sign up to get email alerts? 

You can sign up for email alerts during the creation of new topics or replies and when you are viewing a topic.  You can choose to receive emails with just the new replies to a topic or all posts on either the bulletin board or off-topic forum. 

How do I turn off email alerts? 

To manage email alerts, click on your name within a bulletin board post or go to the Update Info button at the top-right hand corner of the webpage.  Click on the tab - Email Notifications.    From this page, you can manage your email alerts.

• Delete Email Notifications – To delete an email notification, click the drop link next to the email alert.
• Change Email Frequency – If you do not want a new email sent for every new reply or topic, you can choose to receive emails hourly, twice a day, daily or weekly.  To change your settings, check the box next to the email alerts you wish to change and then select the frequency in the update options drop down box.  To make the change, click the update button.  Alternatively, you can also click the edit link next to the email alert to make changes.

My question is not listed here.  Where can I get help? 

For additional help, please use the contact form to send a message to our community moderators.