The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #19340 Message #213795
Posted By: Night Owl
18-Apr-00 - 01:40 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat FAQ - Newcomer's Guide
Subject: Definitions and Terminology
What's a THREAD, anyhow?
"Thread" is a term that has been around the Internet for a long time, probably from the ancient time when there were Newsgroups but no World Wide Web (WWW). A "threaded" discussion is one that has a number of separate messages that discuss a single topic.
If you're a Mudcat Member, you can trace threads that are interesting to you, and check to see if messages have been posted to them recently. Otherwise, threads stay listed on our forum menu for 24 hours after the most recent message was posted. You can bring a thread back onto the menu for another 24 hours as often as you like - find it with the "search" engine or filter, and post a new message to the thread. The message can contain just the word "refresh," if you like. We delete duplicate, blank, and excess "refresh" messages when we find them, so don't worry about your "refresh" message cluttering anything. We cannot delete excess or duplicate threads, so try not to create a second thread on a subject when there has already been one - better to refresh the old thread and continue the discussion there.
I don't know about how many threads and personal messages you can keep on your personal page, but I don't think I'd worry about it unless your personal page starts loading very slowly. I keep about 40 traces threads and 40 personal messages on my personal page, which is probably too many because the page is slow to load - but I'm not ready to delete them yet. Do as I say, not as I do...
-Joe Offer-
What's "Refresh" Mean? Somebody asked why a Mudcatter posted a message with just the word "refresh" in it. The Mudcatter didn't have anything to add, but he refreshed the thread and brought it to the top of the Forum Menu by posting a new message to it. That made me notice it. I checked the one songbook I thought might have the requested song, but had no luck. Maybe somebody else will know it.
If there's no answer to a thread in a day or two, find the thread using our "filter" and post a new message to refresh it. Messages disappear from the menu if nobody posts a new message in 24 hours, but you can always find it by putting a phrase from the thread title in the filter box and setting "age" to an appropriate time, like three years. If you don't remember the thread title, try putting a phrase from the thread in our "search" box.
Define "mudcat"
mud cat any of several catfishes capable of living in Muddy Waters.
Source: Webster's New World College Dictionary
Catfish and Muddy Waters are inextricably connected to the Blues. Max started the place as a blues site, but generously invited us folkies to join him. Sometimes, he's still not too sure of us. Ask him what he thinks of Gordon Bok.
What's a cookie?
A cookie is a small file a Website deposits in your computer. The cookie identifies you the next time you visit the site. Your Mudcat cookie gives you access to various features, particularly the ability to send personal messages and to post in the forum and be identified as a member with a known personality. When you log out of Mudcat, the cookie is deleted from your computer. When you log in, it's put back on.
And an explanation of GUEST.
Another advantage of Mudcat Membership is that the messages you post are identified as coming from you. If you are not registered or if you post messages from a computer that does not have your Mudcat cookie, you will have to fill your own name in on the the messages you post, and you will be identified as Guest, So-and-So. Guests are welcome to post messages at the Mudcat, to don't be taken aback by the fact that you're identified as a guest. If you're a member and the messages you post identify you as a guest, then it's time to Reset your cookie (click)