What is a category, topic and message?

A category manages your topics into sections or groupings.  This is a way of sorting your topics logically.  A category is a sub-division of a forum that deals with a specific subject area within the larger subject of the forum.

A “topic” is a subject of discussion that appears in a category.  A topic can also be called a “thread”.  A new topic is created anytime a forum member posts a new message that is not a reply to an existing message.

A message is a word communication sent by one person to another user or multiple users.  It can be the originating message that starts a new topic or it can be a response within an existing topic.  Messages are also called “posts.”