If you look at the bottom of the messages after you enter the forum you will see an icon/symbol showing two people with an arrow pointing right and the word REGISTER
Click on that and you will be asked for a name, email address and password.
This is the only name you will be able to use, so choose carefully.

You MUST do this or you will not be able to post messages.

And that's it. You are now a member. (You don't need to register if you just want to read messages.)

Even if the pop-up window doesn't disappear you can log-in immediately.

You can do this by clicking on the next icon – (two arrows and Log in / Log out) – and enter your name and password.
It couldn't be simpler.

Please don't forget to Log out when you have posted your message, otherwise the next time you log in you'll actually be logging out!

None of your information, apart from your chosen user-name, will be displayed anywhere on the site.

If you have trouble registering your membership please

Forgotten your password?

Enter you user name and click on the lock icon.

Guidelines

These guidelines apply to EVERYONE.

The guidelines are divided into two sections: things that aren't allowed, and things that are just good posting advice. The former will get you banned. The latter will only get you banned if warnings are ignored.

Things that aren't allowed

Flaming: Do not insult, demean, or otherwise attack other members of the message board.
Trolling: Do not bait people into insulting or attacking you.
Spamming: Do not flood the board or post just for the sake of posting.
Advertising: Do not try to sell stuff here.
Content: Postings not directly related to Oakdale or immediate surroundings will be deleted.

General posting advice

Remember that you're not the only person here. While I appreciate those who take an active part in the Forum, please don't try to dominate the board. It's not a contest.
Seriously, I mean it. This is not your own personal blog. It's a message board. If you want a blog, go to Livejournal or MySpace or something. You can get one for free.
Do not "mug" other people's topics. Avoid going off onto a wild tangent just because it's something you're interested in. In fact, try to avoid going off on tangents. Left to themselves, topics tend to drift until they have no relation to, well, the topic. Try to avoid that.
Only post if you something meaningful to say. Posting "I agree!" or "LOL!" or smiley-only messages just adds noise.

When debating, don't just repeat your position over and over. That's not debate; it's just being stubborn. If you find you are the only one posting on a subject, or that you have posted twice as many messages as everyone else put together – drop it. No-one else is interested.

Don't argue in generalities (e.g. all Tories / Kids / Martians). No demographic group is homogenous enough for such arguments to work.

Please don't SHOUT. Posting messages that are all in CAPITAL LETTERS is considered to be SHOUTING and therefore bad-mannered. Such messages will be removed.

Comments on the rules

Some of the above rules will no doubt irritate people. I've been accused of being a fascist for deleting a single post.
I've been compared to Stalin because I quietly removed a few topics that people found offensive. Yes, I do receive complaints about some of the topics, and sometimes the complaints are justified. But the way some members view it, if I do anything to keep the board in order, I'm some sort of crazed dictator, although I try to moderate the Forum with a light touch.

One complaint I've received is that sometimes I'll delete topics that I personally view as irrelevant, or wind up a debate when I think it's run its course. "How dare you do that?" people say. "It's a free board!" Well... it is, and it isn't. There will be those who argue that because the internet has total freedom of everything, my board should follow suit. The board is, as I said above, dedicated to the village. If anyone can post about absolutely anything on it, then the board ceases to have that identity. It just becomes another backwater internet cesspool of nothingness. I don't want that, and I'm sure you don't either.