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What is Sify Discussions?
Sify Discussions is an online platform provided by Sify.com that allows users to discuss and debate on various topics that are of varied interest. Think of this as an electronic discussion board that allows users from around the world to hold discussions by exchanging text or HTML messages & images.
What are the advantages of Discussions over e-mail and chat?
Discussions allow and encourage a healthy and interesting exchange of ideas over the net. It allows users to expose themselves to different schools of thought and also voice their opinions on key issues. Unlike chat, users need not be online all the time - after posting their opinion they can log off and view the responses at any convenient time.
Do I need to register to use Sify Discussions?
If you just want to read or view the messages, you don't need to register. However, if you'd like to participate in or contribute to a forum, you need to register as a Sify User to use Sify Discussions. If you do not have a Sify ID yet, click here to sign up for one. (Link to common registration page)
What are forums, threads and posts?
A forum is like a single room in which users discuss a topic. Each forum or room is devoted to a particular topic.
Forums are composed of several pages of individual discussions of threads. These threads are arranged in reverse order (latest first) in a series of pages.
A thread is an individual discussion. It is started when a user submits a new post by clicking on 'Post a New Topic'. After a discussion is started, it grows as users use the 'Post a Reply to this Message' link at the bottom of every message or post to respond to earlier messages. A thread is arranged so that messages in response to a given message appear latest-first just under it, and indented slightly to the right. As multiple messages are exchanged, the thread "grows" rather like a tree's branches, with each branch being a particular sub-discussion. It can take a while for new users to get used to electronic forums, but once you are used to it, you will find that navigation is quite easy.
A post is simply an individual message in a discussion. Unlike a real-world discussion where usually only one person can respond to another, a bulletin board allows multiple discussions to emerge because many people may respond to a single post. Every post other than the first one is a response to an older post.
How do I read a discussion?
As explained in the previous question, a discussion on an electronic forum is like a many-branched tree, with each distinct line of conversation being like a branch. You can start reading from anywhere in the "tree". All messages that follow the message you started from will be listed right below it and you can click on them to follow the conversation. If you want to back up to earlier in the discussion, simply click on the subject just above the post. You can also start from the forum's main page and read the entire discussion starting from the first post onwards.
How do I post a message?
To post a message to start a new discussion, use the 'Post a New Topic' link. To respond to an existing message, go to the message page and scroll to the bottom and use the 'Post a Reply to this Message' link provided. Fill in your reply in the form provided and your response will automatically appear in the right place.
How do I search the Sify Discussions?
Use the search box that is on every post and on every forum page.
What is my Sify Discussions profile?
If you regularly participate in discussions on the Sify Discussions, it helps to maintain a consistent identity. This means you should post under the same name. To prevent impersonation and to provide enhanced functionality for searching and listing, Sify allows you to reserve up to 3 handles for yourself by clicking on the 'Create Profile' link. You can change your handles at any time. To create a Sify Discussions profile, you must first be registered on Sify. If you are new to Sify or have not yet registered, you will be prompted to register first. Click here to create your Sify profile!
I already registered on Sify, how do I create a profile?
If you already registered, you can use your login id and password to set up your Sify Discussions profile. Just click on 'Create Profile' and sign in as directed with your existing username and password.
Why didn't my post show up?
Your post most likely did not show up, because your browser did not reload the page, it simply pulled it out of cache. Please reload your browser and it should then appear.
I am unable to post. Help!
If you hit the "SUBMIT" button and nothing seems to happen, it may be that high traffic is slowing down the Sify Discussions software. In this case, please do NOT hit submit multiple times. Your message will be posted in the order submitted. If you see a browser error message such as "Site not found" or "Unable to connect to server", make sure your network connection is okay. If you see a Sify error message "Unable to post, try again later", you may have either been prevented from posting for using certain banned words in your post, or for violations of our Terms of Service. Please contact us at if you feel you have been prevented from posting for no valid reason.
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