Hi Miguel,
Documentation should clarify these meanings, so that their interpretation remains consistent. If not defined in the forums/doc, then the faqs: https://openacs.org/faq/one-faq?faq_id=122349 ..but they are not defined there. =(
Here's my understanding of the definitions in the context of OpenACS:
closed - members are accepted by invitation only; Current members can post (provided permissions allow it).
disabled - inactivated , unable to view, post etc the forum.
read-only - a permissions setting where forum members cannot write to the forum.
moderated - post requests to a forum are potentially screened by a moderator before they are posted (or potentially deleted after screening).
Apparently, a forum is not displayed when it is closed, unless the user viewing the page is a member of the forum.. this seems like consistent UI.
Wouldn't it be nice to have some basic documentation to go with this package?