How Do I Use the Message Board?

If you used the old message board, you're already registered on the new message board and can use your old user name, so skip down to the “Get a new password” section below.

Register as a New User:

1. Open your browser and go to the HEA website (heainfo.org). Use the “Message Bd.” link in the Quick Links menu, or click on Message Board → Go There Now in the Menu on the heainfo.org home page. Or type in “heainfo.org/phpbb_forum/” in your browser. You'll see the following screen:

2. The remaining screenshots will show only part of the screen. Here's a screenshot showing a red circle showing where you should look for “Login -·Register.”

3. Click on “Register.” You'll see the following:

 

3. Click on “Before January 11th, 1998” to show that you are 13 years of age or older. You'll see the following:

 

4. Read the Registration Terms. If you agree to the terms, click on the appropriate box. If you accepted the terms, you'll see the following:

 

5. Type in a username, working email address, and password. You can change the Time Zone if you want. Then type in your city, country, and choose the reason you are interested in HS/ES. Finally, look at the Confirmation code box (it will look different than this sample) and type what you see into the hard-to-see box directly under the confirmation code box (to the left of the button “Refresh confirmation code.” Click on “Submit.”

6. You'll receive an email from heainf5@heainfo.org containing a link. Click on that link in the email to authorize your registration.

7. When you click on the emailed link, you'll go back to the Message Board opening screen. You can now type in your username and password to enter the Message Board.

8. Be sure that you read any new announcements every time you log in. You can either keep that password or you can change it through User Control Panel --> Profile --> Edit account settings. There you'll put in your username, email address, new password (twice), and old password () and click on "Submit."

Get a New Password:

When I converted to the new message board, all of the old posts and member usernames were kept. The only thing that was lost was the user passwords. So if you used the old message board, you'll need to request a new password. Follow these steps:

1. Open your browser and go to the HEA website (heainfo.org). Use the “Message Bd.” link in the Quick Links menu, or click on Message Board → Go There Now in the Menu on the heainfo.org home page. Or type in “heainfo.org/phpbb_forum/” in your browser. You'll see the following screen:

2. The remaining screenshots will show only part of the screen. Here's a screenshot showing a red circle showing where you should look for “Login -·Register.”

 

3.Click on “Login.” You'll see the following:

4. Here's the same screenshot, with 2 circles. The first marks where you should type in the username you used on the old message board. The second marks where you should click to indicate that you need a new password.

5. Now the screen should look like this:

6. Type in your username and the email address you used to register on the old message board. Click on the “Submit” button.

7. You'll get an email from heainf5@heainfo.org with your username and new password. Copy the password, then click on the link within the email.

8. You'll be back at the Message Board, with the message that you've been authorized. The Welcome Screen will then appear.

9. Enter your user name and new password and click on "Login."

10. The new password is computer-generated, so it may be difficult to remember. You change it through User Control Panel --> Profile --> Edit account settings. There you'll put in your username, email address, new easier-to-remember password (twice), and current password (the one you received in the email) and click on "Submit." Be sure that you read any new announcements every time you log in.

The User Control Panel

Change your password

You can change your password in your Profile (go to User Control Panel --> Profile --> Edit Profile). You will need to enter your new password twice and your old password once, so be sure that you've copied the password assigned to you in the confirmation email so you can paste it in as your old password.

 

Change how the Message Board looks & change your privacy settings

You can also change the style (appearance) of the Message Board. Go to User Control Panel --> Board Preferences and make a choice for "My board style." The style named "Minimal" is black text on white so is very readable, but it's kind of ugly. The style named "RedSilver3" is black text on an ivory or beige background and looks better. The default style is called "prosilver" and allows you to change the size of the text. Look for the symbol that looks like this:

Click on the up or down arrows to decrease/increase the text size.

You can adjust your privacy settings in the User Control Panel too. So far, we're not using avatars or signatures.

Currently there are 3 forums:

(1) General Information/Opinions about HEA. The first forum is for posts on improving the HEA organization, the website, message board, chat rooms, and conference. Do not post anything here that you do not want read by the general public.

(2) Hypospadias & Epispadias Association Forum. Most posts are made here, under the appropriate subforum topic (e.g., Spouses, Parents, Epispadias, Teens, etc.) Please make your posts "on topic." Off-topic posts may be moved by the Forum Administrators or Moderators. Posts here cannot be seen by the general public and they will not be indexed by search engines.

(3) Articles and Other Resources. Post links to hs/es-related information here. Sections on Articles on the medical and psychological aspects of Disorders of Sexual Development (DSDs) are temporarily unavailable.

 

Guests

Guests (people who haven't registered) cannot post. They can only read the posts in the first forum. When you come to the Message Board, you will see only this first forum until you log in. People who are logged in will see all three forums.

That's it! Let me know if you have suggestions or problems.