How to:

Post
If this seems a bit like Delia Smith explaining how to boil an egg, note that a lot of people don't know how to boil eggs.

Post unto others as you would have them post unto you.

The ethic of reciprocity is interpreted here to mean do unto others in a good way, whether or not that is how you want to be done unto yourself.

See also the full FAQ.

Edit your posts
Click on Modify on the the upper right-hand of all your posts. You can also click on the quick edit icon on the right-hand side. It's slightly faster, though it doesn't give the full range of edit options and may not work on all browsers.

There is no edit line. acf is set up this way because it would be nice for people to trust each other rather than to concentrate on when the last edit was made for forensic purposes.

Delete your posts
There's an icon for post removals as well. The facility to disappear your beloved handiwork is available because you may come to the conclusion that it isn't so beloved after all. It's a tool to help streamline threads; possibly save yourself blushes; and withdraw comments made in anger.

As with any freedoms, these have to be used responsibly to be worth anything. Let's be careful out there.

Post Links
When you type or paste an URL, the forum software will (usually) fetch the name of the web page as you submit your post. To control your links do this instead:

blue = where you're linking
red = the code you need to add
black = description of the link; the bit that gets clickified, if you want to get technical about it

Post Images
If you don't have your own webspace, open an account at an image hosting service such as Picasa. Once you know exactly where your photo resides, place tags around it:

Clicking on automatically pastes [img][/img].

Putting image tags around photos on other people's sites is, unfortunately, stealing their bandwidth. So please don't.

Take up space
There is some room available on acf's server for your pictures. You'll see the gallery listed in the 'while you were away' bar. Code appears underneath uploaded images for linking purposes.

Make clickable pics
[url=http://www.link.com][img]http://www.yourphoto.jpg[/img][/url]

View unread topics
Bookmark this. To see the last 100 posts, go here.

Clicking on will take you to the first unread post in a thread.

View recent topics
Click on 'while you were away', which is only visible when logged in. That is a list of topics which have been posted to since the last time you visited. Scan all topics which you haven't read by clicking on the link so named at the lower right-hand corner of that page. That list will grow indefinitely until you either view threads or mark them as read.

The nearby R2U (textese for Reply to You) will show a list of threads to which you have contributed.

Use the rest of the blue bar
Mark all topics as read: an EMP for all s.
Bookmarks: private place to save threads you want quick access to.

Search
There's a field to the right just below the banner when you're logged in. It comes equipped with a dropdown menu whose items change depending on how deep you've burrowed into the forum, e.g., "search this board" will appear if you're in a board. Note that choosing the "entire site" option Googlefies things. If you click on the magnifying glass you'll be taken to a page where you can finely define your parameters.

Check if you have a personal message (PM)
Access your mailbox by clicking on the "user name you have X messages, X are new" link to the left and below the banner when you're logged in. You can opt to be notified via email by clicking on Profile in the menu. Then click on Personal Message Options (underneath Modify Profile) to the left on that page.

There is also an auto responder function. Type your message, tick the "Turn on the auto responder?" box, then click the button to change your profile. Unfortunately, there is no indication that it's working! (Your message disappears from view.) But it is. To turn it off, click the button again, without typing anything else.

Add an avatar
Profile > Modify Profile | Forum Profile Information > I will upload my own picture

Add a signature
Scroll down from where you add an avatar.

Add a website link to your profile
Right below where you add a signature. This will appear underneath your name/avatar on the left.

Change your display name
As opposed to your user name, which you use to login. Profile > Account Related Settings.

WAP acf
No frills interface

Any other questions?
Official forum software documentation. Not all of it applies to acf, which is a custom version.