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bulletin boards and discussion forums :: online communities, social networking, extranets
An internet forum is essentially a web application for holding discussions and posting user generated content creating a virtual community. These can be useful for outward and inward facing communications; internet forums can be added onto intranet systems to act as staff bulletin boards which can used to improve communications within an organisation. They can also be included on outward facing websites to gauge customer feedback, provide product support or simply as a meeting place for likeminded users.
These forums can be set up to be monitored by an administrative user, thus removing bad language or inappropriate behaviour.
Forums can also act as mass communication tools, which unlike emails don't pester but instead allow them to browse content at their leisure. Forums also have the added benefit over email that comments and conversation can be instigated between users over a specific topic.
