lack of many forum functions or instructions on where and how to use them. A help section without the ability to find the correct question is useless.

Ask away there are plenty of fine folks here who will help you...just don't ask me..cuz I don't know jack...

https://mingle2.com/welcome/help

Based on your reply, I followed the link provided. Took me to a help section with F.A.Q where I went to forums/community. There were 2 items neither of which were information I was looking for. For instance:
How do I use the quote function when I want to write a reply?

I initiated a new topic post that was deleted. It was deleted without any explanation.

search - how do I search in the forums for a previously identified subject?

Sorry, but some of us need a little guidance in using a custom designed piece of software. I don't see much similarity between your forum process and Microsoft Office.

That is what this forum is for....to answer questions not on the FAQs

To quote someone, use the quote button under the member's post. Just type your reply after the word "quote" in the brackets

You can't do a search for topics on here. You can google subjects. If you want to see a topic you have posted in, click on "My Topics". There is "Community" "Recent Topics" and "My Topics"

This might help you get a grasp of M2 Community Forums.

Think of it as a community bulletin board at city hall or a post office.
There are different boards concerning different topics.

People come and pin what they have to say about something and others come and pin replies to that original subject.

If the subject is popular it stays on the board but as less and less people respond to it, the original subject gets buries under other, newer subjects.

What you have is a bulletin board that is full of layers upon layers of 'post it' notes pinned together.
To find what you seek, you either page thru all the 'post it' notes or you just pin a new one and hope there is a response next time you return.

Each 'thread' also has a series of 'post it' notes pinned to it. If it is a popular thread, there are layers of 'post it' notes you would have to read thru to get to the current understanding of what is being discussed at that moment in time.

So, think of it as people walking up to a bulleting board, writing their thoughts on a post it note, pinning it to a stack of other people's posted notes and walking away, or writing another note. Some people stand in front of the board and post many times before leaving. Some post once leave and come back later to read what others posted and/or post a response.

My browser has a functionality to do what is called "Find on Page". I can search a webpage for keywords and it highlights those keywords. I can then read what is posted, related to those keywords.

and this is supposed to work? We'll try it.

ok. learned something