diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/DiscussionService.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/DiscussionService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b29a380bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/DiscussionService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2011 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Alfresco
+ *
+ * Alfresco is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Alfresco is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with Alfresco. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+package org.alfresco.service.cmr.discussion;
+
+import org.alfresco.query.PagingRequest;
+import org.alfresco.query.PagingResults;
+import org.alfresco.service.NotAuditable;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
+
+/**
+ * The Discussions service.
+ * 
+ * @author Nick Burch
+ * @since 4.0
+ */
+public interface DiscussionService {
+   /**
+    * Creates a new {@link ForumPostInfo} in the given topic,
+    *  specified settings
+    *  
+    * @return The newly created {@link ForumPostInfo}
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumPostInfo createForumPost(ForumTopicInfo topic, String title,
+         String contents);
+   
+   /**
+    * Creates a new {@link ForumTopicInfo} in the given site
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumTopicInfo createForumTopic(String siteShortName);
+   
+   /**
+    * Creates a new {@link ForumTopicInfo} attached to the
+    *  specified Node
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumTopicInfo createForumTopic(NodeRef nodeRef);
+   
+   /**
+    * Updates an existing {@link ForumPostInfo} in the repository.
+    *  
+    * @return The updated {@link ForumPostInfo}
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumPostInfo updateForumPost(ForumPostInfo post);
+   
+   /**
+    * Deletes an existing {@link ForumPostInfo} from the repository
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   void deleteForumPost(ForumPostInfo post);
+   
+   /**
+    * Deletes an existing {@link ForumTopicInfo} from the repository
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   void deleteForumTopic(ForumTopicInfo topic);
+   
+   /**
+    * Retrieves an existing {@link ForumPostInfo} from the repository
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumPostInfo getForumPost(ForumTopicInfo topic, String linkName);
+
+   /**
+    * Retrieves an existing {@link ForumTopicInfo} from the repository,
+    *  which is within a site
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumTopicInfo getForumTopic(String siteShortName, String linkName);
+   
+   /**
+    * Retrieves an existing {@link ForumTopicInfo} from the repository,
+    *  which is attached to the specified Node
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   ForumTopicInfo getForumTopic(NodeRef nodeRef, String linkName);
+   
+   // TODO Decide about the primary post on a topic
+   
+   
+   /**
+    * Retrieves all replies on a Topic
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   PagingResults<ForumPostInfo> listForumPostReplies(ForumTopicInfo forum, int levels, PagingRequest paging);
+
+   /**
+    * Retrieves all replies to a Post
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   PagingResults<ForumPostInfo> listForumPostReplies(ForumPostInfo primaryPost, int levels, PagingRequest paging);
+   
+   /**
+    * Retrieves all posts in a site
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   PagingResults<ForumPostInfo> listForumPosts(String siteShortName, PagingRequest paging);
+
+   /**
+    * Retrieves all posts attached to the specified Node
+    */
+   @NotAuditable
+   PagingResults<ForumPostInfo> listForumPosts(NodeRef nodeRef, PagingRequest paging);
+
+   // TODO Hot, New and Mine listing support
+}
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumPostInfo.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumPostInfo.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..daa82a450d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumPostInfo.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2010 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Alfresco
+ *
+ * Alfresco is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Alfresco is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with Alfresco. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+package org.alfresco.service.cmr.discussion;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Date;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.permissions.PermissionCheckValue;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
+
+/**
+ * This class represents a Post in a Forum Topic 
+ * 
+ * @author Nick Burch
+ * @since 4.0
+ */
+public interface ForumPostInfo extends Serializable, PermissionCheckValue {
+   /**
+    * @return the NodeRef of the underlying post
+    */
+   NodeRef getNodeRef();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the NodeRef of the topic this belongs to
+    */
+   NodeRef getTopicNodeRef();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the System generated name for the post
+    */
+   String getSystemName();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the Title of the post
+    */
+   String getTitle();
+   
+   /**
+    * Sets the Title of the post
+    */
+   void setTitle(String title);
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the HTML Content of the post
+    */
+   String getContents();
+   
+   /**
+    * Sets the (HTML) Content of the post
+    */
+   void setContents(String contentHTML);
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the creator of the post
+    */
+   String getCreator();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the modifier of the post
+    */
+   String getModifier();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the creation date and time
+    */
+   Date getCreatedAt();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the modification date and time
+    */
+   Date getModifiedAt();
+   
+//   /**
+//    * @return the Tags associated with the post
+//    * TODO Are posts ever tagged, or only ever topics?
+//    */
+//   List<String> getTags();
+}
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumTopicInfo.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumTopicInfo.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..731fee6e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/discussion/ForumTopicInfo.java
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2010 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Alfresco
+ *
+ * Alfresco is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Alfresco is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with Alfresco. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+package org.alfresco.service.cmr.discussion;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.permissions.PermissionCheckValue;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
+
+/**
+ * This class represents a Topic in a forum
+ *
+ * TODO Decide about the primary post on a topic
+ * 
+ * @author Nick Burch
+ * @since 4.0
+ */
+public interface ForumTopicInfo extends Serializable, PermissionCheckValue {
+   /**
+    * @return the NodeRef of the underlying topic
+    */
+   NodeRef getNodeRef();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the NodeRef of the container this belongs to (Site or Otherwise)
+    */
+   NodeRef getContainerNodeRef();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the System generated name for the topic
+    */
+   String getSystemName();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the creator of the topic
+    */
+   String getCreator();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the creation date and time
+    */
+   Date getCreatedAt();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the modification date and time
+    */
+   Date getModifiedAt();
+   
+   /**
+    * @return the Tags associated with the topic 
+    */
+   List<String> getTags();
+}