WebBoard's default mode only allows one conference to be expanded at a time.
Your system administrator has chosen to install a new way of viewing the topics page. You can expand more than one conference at a time. For example:
As you can see, the three conferences containing messages are all expanded (these are: "Racing Results", "Install Issues," and "Warranty Questions").
You'll also notice some links at the bottom of the page. These allow you to expand, collapse, or refresh all conferences at once.
Essentially, this system functions as a "mediator" between WebBoard and you. Every time that WebBoard "thinks" a conference (or message) has been expanded, the system stores the result.
So when you click on the "expand all conferences" link (see the purple square in the image below), it simply asks WebBoard to expand each conference in turn, and then displays the combined result:
If you're previously expanded all conferences, then you'll simply see the message list that WebBoard provided when the conference was last expanded.
Otherwise, it will be updated, as needed.
On the other hand, if you ask to refresh a conference, then WebBoard will always be "asked" to provide the most recent message list.
To the left, you can see that each conference has a Refresh link, followed by a time. That's the time that the system last received the conference's message list from WebBoard. (The time is from your computer, instead of the WebBoard server.)
This helps you decide whether you want to refresh a given conference. For example, if you're in (or are watching) a very active discussion involving other poster(s), you might want to refresh often. Otherwise, you may feel little need to do so.
You'll also see a Post link underneath every conference. There's no longer a Post link on the toolbar. This means that you have to expand a conference before posting (this is exactly how WebBoard works).
But if the conference has no messages, you can post to it, merely by clicking on the conference name, just as you can with WebBoard in its "normal" mode.
In our example, the system administrator (or board manager) has allowed users to return to "normal" display mode. I.e. to WebBoard's "native" functionality.
Your system administrator (or virtual board manager) may not allow you to do so. In that case, you won't see a link at the end. (See the previous image: look for the "control functions" box.).
After you decide to view "all" messages, "new" messages, or "attention"
messages ... please select the
From that point on, don't use the Refresh links. Just expand and collapse conferences. You'll notice a dramatic improvement in speed. This is because the WebBoard server is doing very little work to deliver the result.
If you wish to read a discussion, click on the subject, instead of
the 
or
signs.
Due to a peculiarity of WebBoard, you may experience some sluggishness
if you use the "expand" or "collapse" links on discussions in
different conferences. These are the and signs
that appear next to the subjects.
If you want the best possible performance, refresh the conference first, and then expand (or collapse) all the discussions that you desire (within that conference).
Even better: simply click on the subjects, and refrain from using the
or links that appear to the left of discussions.