Discussion Groups and Off-Topic Sections

Discussion groups enable users to communicate with one another. The Information System hosts:

Discussion Groups (general)

The general discussion groups are dedicated to school-related topics expected to be of interest to lots of users. Reading contributions posted in these is optional. Before posting a message in a general discussion group, the user is prompted to go through a questionnaire focusing on the rules governing its use - a measure whose purpose is to prevent posting off-topic messages.

Please ensure that you use the general discussion groups merely for discussion purposes and not for posting messages that do not belong to these. Announcements, invitations, and advertisements should be posted on the Noticeboard.

The drop-down menu at the bottom of each post allows you to rate it. Once you do so, the total rating score as well as the number of times the post has been rated and its prevalent rating (all situated at the top of the post) are recalculated.

To get only the posts with high rating displayed, use one of the filters (top 10, new highly rated, highly rated) available inside the thread. The new highly rated filter can also be applied to the whole discussion group (using 'new highly rated' in the New posts tab of the group). Similarly, the list of threads can be limited to the highly rated posts only (using 'highly rated' in the Posts tab of the group). These options, when activated, cause the posts with the post-rating score greater than the one you specified to get displayed (does not apply to the top 10 option).

To change the post-rating score utilized for filtering posts, please use the following path:

If you do not want to go through the individual threads in order to find certain posts, you might want to enter the thread/post list using the path below and go to the section titled 'Find' enabling you to search for posts containing a specific string and/or made by a specific person. You can also apply the search to either new posts, all of them (including the ones you have read before) or only your favourite ones. You might even want to check the do not mark as read option for the System not to mark the posts as read during the search operations.

Provided you click on the mark as favourite option (available in the menu that pops up after you click on the spanner icon of the first post), a reference to the tread gets added to your Favourites section that can be accessed using the path below. An alternative way of doing so is by marking the thread as favourite while still in the thread list (using the same icon).
The path to the Favourites section is as follows:

After being added to the Favourites section, the thread reference will have, for instance, the following form:

Japan 74 new messages, 14 in favourite ones).

Provided you click on 'in favourite ones' when your active display mode is the Threads one, it is only the threads containing some new messages that get displayed. If you do so when the active display mode is Posts, it is all the new posts made in your favourite threads that get displayed.

Tabs:

Posts

Provided you click on 'all', the application will display all the posts of all the threads making up the discussion group. The posts can be filtered using 'highly rated' (displays only the posts with the post-rating score greater than the one you have specified; if no such posts exist, the application prompts you to lower the score) or 'reacting to my posts' (displays only the posts reacting to yours, provided such exist).

New posts

If you click on new, it is only the new posts that are displayed. The new highly rated option allows you to display only the new posts with the rating score greater than the default one or the one you have previously specified.

Threads

The Threads tab enables you to display all the threads (not posts) making up the group. Clicking on the filter reference will display filtering options available for this mode.

NB: Every time you switch into one of the aforementioned modes, the System will keep it active until you change it, i.e. you will find the mode active next time you visit the group.

Every thread (when displayed in the Threads mode) allows users to choose from several options depending on its current settings, total number of posts making up the thread as well as that of new ones, rated ones, etc.

• Options associated with new posts:

  new

  If selected, displays all the new posts.

  new highly rated

  If selected, displays the new posts with the rating score greater than the default one or the one you have previously specified.

• Options to choose from when there are no new posts in the thread

  all

  If selected, displays all the posts making up the thread.

  highly rated

  If selected, displays the posts with the rating score greater than the default one or the one you have previously specified (only if there are some rated posts in the thread).

  reacting to my posts

  If selected, displays only the posts reacting to yours (provided there are any such posts); the number of posts reacting to yours (as well as that of new posts) is displayed for every discussion group on the main Discussion Groups page

• Option to choose provided there are more than twenty posts in the thread and their rating is not disabled:

  top 10

  If selected, displays top ten posts (with the highest rating score).

Yes, you can prevent the person from posting messages in a thread. To do so, click on 'Posting restrictions' situated at the bottom of the opened thread. Enter the personal identification number (učo) of the person whom you want to prevent from posting into the text field and save your choice by clicking on 'Restrict access'.

The discussion groups have been designed to be used by thousands of users. Those who do not regularly visit them several times a day are not usually willing to read through them when the number of threads and messages (often unrelated to the topic of the thread under which they have been posted) is overwhelming. The rules are here to make the discussion groups attractive also to those who only read them.

The discussion groups have been incorporated in the System to provide the academic community with a communication tool. To keep the communication sensible, the users should follow certain rules. In the event of any violation, the culprit's access to the discussion groups is denied and he/she may even become subject to disciplinary proceedings.

The discussion groups consist of threads. The person creating a thread becomes its owner - the one who also specifies its discussion topic. When contributing to a thread, you should stick to the topic and refrain from posting any messages that are irrelevant.

The thread owner, being the person who also moderates the discussion, is entitled to delete the messages breaking the rules specified here. Provided you consider the removal of your message unjustified, please do not contact the System administrators to complain (as judging which message is relevant and which is not is always a matter of personal taste), but rather create a new thread of your own.

The removal right mentioned above, however, is not granted to the owner of the thread created as part of a course discussion group, where messages can only be deleted by the teacher of the particular course.

As regards marking, the messages in dark frames are the ones you have not read yet. All the messages can be edited and, unless they have been reacted to, deleted by their authors. Provided a thread owner removes a message, the one who has posted it is notified of the fact by e-mail. Provided a branch of a thread has not been contributed to for a month, it is automatically removed (this, however, does not apply to course discussion groups).

To read messages posted in course discussion groups, please use the following path and then click on the code of the required course:

It is no teacher's or any other University staff member's duty to react to or read the messages posted in the groups.

Other Rules Governing the Use of Discussion Groups:

The rules concerning the form of message and its contents:

When posting a message, please try to avoid violating copyright (Copyright Act No. 121/2000 Sb.). The preferred language is, if possible, Czech (or Slovak).
Translator's note: I am sure the administrators will not get upset when you use your English.

Please try to refrain from typing in CAPITALS since these are normally used for the purpose of emphasizing (shouting) what you are saying.

The rules concerning the name (subject) of your post:

Please ensure that the name of your post (subject) makes it clear what the post is about for the other participants to quickly get the idea of which posts they should read and which they should skip. Therefore, try to avoid vague expressions such as 'Help', 'Question', 'Problem', etc.

The rules concerning copying posts:

Please try to avoid copying posts from one thread to another unless you are really sure their authors agree with it. Provided you decide to do so, you should also provide the original context of the post you are copying.

The rules concerning posting the same message in more than one section (cross-posting):

Due to forcing users to read the same messages repeatedly, this activity is prohibited.

The rules concerning irrelevant messages:

Posting irrelevant messages, i.e. those that do not relate to the original topic, in discussion groups is forbidden.

The rules concerning discussion topics:

When making a post, please ensure it relates to the topic of the thread since reading irrelevant posts is annoying. Provided someone tells you off for your conduct, try to adjust it and stay away from disputes. The thread owner is the person whose thread-related requests are binding.
Using indecent language and verbally attacking a message author instead of objecting to his/her message is forbidden.

Please do not post any notifications, invitations, or advertisements in discussion groups. For this purpose, the application called Noticeboard should be used.

When composing a message, please do not include any unrelated comments in it as this usually results in other users reacting to such comments and thus starting an off-topic sub-thread.

The rules concerning managing threads:

As a thread owner, please try to keep the quality of your discussion as high as possible while tolerating its participants' opinions. Nevertheless, if someone's message strays from the original topic or breaks one of the rules stated above, it should be removed. If contributors post questions, try to answer them, if possible.

Please remember that it is every moderator's duty to prevent his/her discussion group from being used the way (applies to both the contents and form of discussion) that might lead to damaging the school's reputation.

The rules concerning administrators' rights:

The System administrators reserve the right to make any changes to the discussion groups for the purpose of improving the way they function as tools providing quality academic discussion. That is why they are always ready to remove any messages (including reactions to these) that do not follow the rules listed on this page and to take measures preventing their authors from participating in the discussion in the future.

The Threads mode allows you to use the following filters:

• marked as my favourite ones
• containing new contributions
• including the ignored ones
• of which I am an owner
• contributed to by the person of the učo ...
• containing new reactions to my posts

Inside a thread, you can have either all messages or only the new ones displayed. The thread can also be marked as your favourite one (using the mark as favourite reference accessible through the spanner icon) or as the one that should be permanently ignored (using 'ignore permanently'). The threads marked as favourite are displayed at the top of thread list, whereas the 'ignored' ones are not displayed at all or displayed at its bottom (for further information, see below).

If a thread has been marked as ignored, the new posts in this thread are not included in the total number of posts of the group this thread is in. Besides, the ignored thread is not displayed in the thread list unless you select the including the ignored ones option - you can do so after clicking on 'filter' in the Threads mode.
You can always undo the ignore permanently operation by clicking on 'stop ignoring' (accessible via the spanner icon, again).

Yes, it is. You can have 35 to 200 messages displayed per page, where 35 represents default value. You can change this number using the following path:

Provided your page contains a lot of posts and you move your mouse cursor over a small rectangular area situated on the left side (see the image bellow) of a post reacting to the one which is either abbreviated or hidden, the abbreviated/hidden post gets displayed and will remain so as long as you keep the cursor over the reacting post.

Provided the parent post of the one your mouse cursor is over is fully displayed on the page, the former gets highlighted.

When in the Threads mode, click on the thread containing the post you want to edit and then on the post. Click on 'edit the message'. After editing the post, click on 'Save'.
Users are advised to edit their messages only shortly after posting them. An alternative way of adding new (or correcting old) information is by posting new messages, since otherwise the changes made in the old ones might be rather confusing for those who have already read them

A post can be removed only if no one has reacted to it yet. Provided you decide to do so, click on the remove the message option (available in the menu that pops up when you click on the spanner icon situated in upper-right hand corner of the post you want to remove).
A thread owner can remove his/her thread any time he/she decides to do so. As regards course discussion groups, these can only be removed by teachers.

If you want to remove a discussion group, click on the remove this discussion group reference situated at the bottom of the settings page (to be taken to this page, click on 'Discussion group settings' located at the top of the group) and then confirm your choice by clicking on 'Yes, remove the discussion group including all its messages'.
A discussion group owner (the only user allowed to remove a discussion group) should not remove his/her group provided it contains some posts as such an operation may cause undesirable confusion on the part of its contributors.

To mark a read post as unread, click on the spanner icon situated in the upper right-hand corner of the post and select 'mark as unread'. This option is usually used when the user plans to react to the message later on and does not want to search the read ones for it.

Yes, it is. Please make sure that the image you want to attach to the post has been uploaded to a certain location on the Internet, or to the IS File Depository. Provided the image is stored in the IS File Depository, you should bear in mind that it expires (and thus becomes unavailable) after some time. Therefore, if you want it to be accessible even later on, you should prolong its expiration period after some time.
Before typing a message, please ensure that you switch into the HTML mode (using the HTML button) allowing you to edit the source code of the message.

To include a small image, insert the following tag into your text:

<img src="https://server.domain.cz/your_image.jpg"/>

If the image is big, you might want to use a link to it in combination with the image tag of its thumbnail:

<a href="address of the original (large)"><img src="address of the thumbnail (small)"/></a>.

You can insert a mathematical expression into your message using the following tag:

<img src="https://theses.cz/auth/system/imgfilter.pl?_your_mathematical_expression_">

Examples:

• <img src="https://theses.cz/auth/system/imgfilter.pl?x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}">

  Example screenshot:

  

• <img src="https://theses.cz/auth/system/imgfilter.pl?\vareps=\Bigsum_{i=\1}^{n-\1}
  \frac1{\Del~x}\Bigint_{x_i}^{x_{i+\1}}\{\frac1{\Del~x}[(x_{i+1}-x)y_i^{5$\star}+(x-x_i)y_
  {i+1}^{5$\star}]-f(x)\}^\2dx">

  Example screenshot:

  

• <img src="https://theses.cz/auth/system/imgfilter.pl?f=b_\0+\frac{a_\1}{b_\1+ \frac
  {a_2}{b_2+\frac{a_3}{b_3+a_4}}}">

  Example screenshot:

  

To learn about inserting mathematical contents (functions, matrices, etc.) into the IS applications by means of TeX, please use the following path:

Scroll down to the ROPOT section and click on 'text format of questions'. This will take you to the page containing the information.