Forum upgrades - please read

1. we will always have the latest version of the forum software, with tech support
2. the forum will be backed-up in case anything happens
3. the forum will be more secure with better features

more details can be found here:

• Chat Room - Your members can chat in real time using the new AJAX Based Chat Room.
• Topic Rating - Your members can rate topics with a 1 to 5 star rating.
• Post Thanking - Your Members can 'Thank' other members for their posts.
• Points System - Replaces post count by setting how many points members can receive for New Topics, Replies, being Thanked and more.
• Social Networking - Facebook Like, Twitter Tweet, Google +1 and improved Topic Sharing.
• Mobile Optimised View - Improvements to Mobile Optimised view.
• Member Profiles - Improved member profiles with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.
• Registration - Registration Improvements including customisable registration form.
• Private Messaging - Improvements to Private Messaging including Outbox, Full Inbox Alert, Full Inbox Actions.
• Image Upload Resizing - Automatically resizes uploaded images over a configurable size.
• SPAM Filter - New Configurable SPAM Filter with configurable actions to take when SPAM is detected.
• User and Group Settings - New User and Group settings including disabling Signatures, Links, Images, Private Messaging.
• Forum Ads - Support for 3rd Party Ads including VigLink, AdSense and others.
• External URL's - Create External Links that are displayed on the Forum Index page in the list of Forums.
• Answer/Resolution Posts - Admins and Moderators can set sticky Posts that are the Answer, Resolution, or Official Response to a question poised in Forums.
• Ladder Groups - Support added for Multiple Member Ladder Groups.
• [HIDE] BBcode - Hides message content till the member replies in the Topic.
• Improved SEO - Lots of improvements for Search Engine Optimising and configuration.
  
• Google Analytics - Built in support for Google Analytics.
• Forum Statistics - Improved forum statistics including most active users.
• Custom Header and Footers - These can now be configured from the Forum Admin Area for both desktop and mobile views.
• Custom Registration Rules - Create Custom Registration Rules from the Forum Admin Area.
• Security Improvements - Password complexity requirements , incorrect login settings, new error handling, and more.
• Search Improvements - The admin can now set the default search age for searches.
  
• FURL's - Improvements to Friendly URL's.
• Plus many more new features and improvements.

if anyone has questions about this, let me know.

along with this, we've set up a non-intrusive ad service in order to help the forum pay for itself as much as possible, so that we don't have to rely as much on donations or out-of-pocket funding. this service comes through sites like viglink, google adsense and others, and looks to me like a pretty good option. if you see these links, which imbed themselves in posts for common, everyday sites such as ebay, amazon and scores of others, please do click on them and check out what they have to offer!