Your Forum Version 2

[Michelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti]

Do you release new versions at all? If not, why?
Nope, I do make changes here and there. But to call it version 2 I find rather lame.
I mean I would call it version 2 only if you moved your forum to a whole new one, what's the point of calling it version 2 cause you just made some changes? Cause that would mean a whole new fresh start - that to me is version 2.

I have changed the name of my forum a few times cause if didn't go with the plot at the time.

[Reisuke]

So I think this is a pretty decent topic. In all honesty forums shouldn’t have versions. Why? Because you, as a staff, know what you’re getting into when you create a forum therefore you shouldn’t let it die (because versions usually comes when a forum dies). I mean proboards is free so I suggest creating a new site and just moving on. Unless you don’t plan to let your site die, holding on to the hold material is what will never get those creative thoughts moving.

I, Reisuke, only create new skins/graphics and other stuff when needed. Why? Because graphics don't make the site, the ideas produced make the site. Yeah graphics attract people, but that's like in real life. You look good, you attract people. You look bad, you don't. Except the ideas are like personality which, in the end, always win. So if you stick to doing what you originally planned your site should never die. UNLESS you kill it, like I did. :D

[ToriJ]

I tried making a new skin and called it version two once but that didn't go over so well. Although it wasn't version two for my forum just a fancy name for a skin. I think a new version would have to be a complete overhaul in everything to officially count but I'm not against admins calling their forums version two if they changed the entire skin and board layout, etc. But if it's just a few simple changes like a new banner and a few extra boards I would not call it a version. I would call it a few simple updates.

[smexie]

I don't do new 'versions', nor plan too. My site/s that II run or co-run get overhauls, mainly because they've died. But I generally make small changes as I go, with a big 'spring clean' type thing once a year. But to make a new version, to me, just seems like you're saying 'yep, old site died, but I'll start again and hope it survives'. I just don't see the point, just try to revamp your old board. A new version is basically revamping an old board, but trying to cheat the hard work out of it, n my opinion.

[Des]

I think a new version would comprise of the following:

- A major change in the layout
- A major change in the actual concept (for eg. in an rpg site, the plot)
- A major change in the administration.

I have personally never made a version 2 for my own forums, but I think it is a good idea as it:

- Tells people you've been around for a while.
- Are trying to constantly innovate.
- And aren't bogged down in the past.

Also, it is good for those who are already posting because:

- It adds a refreshing change to the forum.

However, it may not be liked by the original members who joined the forum in the first place because they liked the layout/concept/management or whatever. I think the main thing about having a version 2 is whether you really need one. At a stage like discussed in another thread on this forum about hitting a plateau, this might be just the thing you need. But too many versions may not be liked by the members of your forum who joined for something else.

[grieves and squick]

Our forum doesn't have new "versions." We roll out new default skins, but a new skin does not a new forum version make.

A new version for a forum usually represents, or is meant to represent, a new level or major change to the board, or is just meant to feel more fresh. What I like to aim for is something fresh every day instead

[M.S. Skid Roe]

I don't use versions, what I do is way different actually. I have found that biggest part of a forum community get tired/bored of the same old thing. So, I do a few noticeable tweaks to a forum a week and then write a short report about what has changed with it. I find this is an easy way to keep members happy as well as providing some content for the forum, even if it is only about the site. I don't do this with just my forum either. I do this with all of my blogs as well. For instance, when I created my forum for my blog. I wrote two articles, One was for my blog which was introducing the new forum as well as giving out my social network profiles so people could add me. Another was for the forum which basically told everyone how the forum could be used to their advantage in their daily internet marketing activities.

[Death's ☠ Apprentice]

on my forum I have decided to have Acts instead of VERSION, this is because the plot may deepen or something new was introduced to the site =] i thought it was a good idea. Also with my site being an RPG i thought it suited.

[Cool Runescape HQ]

Sept 27, 2009 6:51:01 GMT -8 Des said:

I think a new version would comprise of the following:

- A major change in the layout
- A major change in the actual concept (for eg. in an rpg site, the plot)
- A major change in the administration.

I have personally never made a version 2 for my own forums, but I think it is a good idea as it:

- Tells people you've been around for a while.
- Are trying to constantly innovate.
- And aren't bogged down in the past.

Also, it is good for those who are already posting because:

- It adds a refreshing change to the forum.

However, it may not be liked by the original members who joined the forum in the first place because they liked the layout/concept/management or whatever. I think the main thing about having a version 2 is whether you really need one. At a stage like discussed in another thread on this forum about hitting a plateau, this might be just the thing you need. But too many versions may not be liked by the members of your forum who joined for something else.

An RPG WITH PLOT?! This is DISCUSSION! Not a game!

[chaoschild]

Well I'm currently renovating my site after it went dead about 2 years ago. Obviously the progress is slow, since I know nothing about coding and have to learn as I go. I have a Heroes RPG and I used to have a standard cannon plotline that everyone knew the outcome of, as well as the characters and such.

Now I've decided to make the plot open-ended, so that the members can decide the outcome as well as have an influence in how the site operates. I only have four members that are really inactive at the moment, but in time, I believe that this new strategy may work out well.

[webmaren]

I would describe versions as such:

• X.0 - There has been a significant change including new design, new board configurations, new code, and perhaps a staff realignment.
  
• 2.X.0 - There have been notable changes to either the design, board configurations, or code.
  
• 2.2.X.0 - Notable bug fixes.
  

This nomenclature resembles closely how software projects are versioned, and I see it as the most accurate way to describe updates to any computing service. Note that an X.0 version does not need to have a major change in the underlying code of Proboards. Look, for example to Linux distributions, which release X.0 versions steadily despite the following release history of the actual Linux kernel:

June 1996: Linux 2.0
January 1999: Linux 2.2.0
January 2001: Linux 2.4.0
December 2003: Linux 2.6.0

The entire lifetime of the Ubuntu distribution (11 releases, all of which could arguably be called X.0-level) has occurred under Linux 2.6.0.

[Descent Into Darkness]

Definition of New Version: To me it's the complete overhaul of the entire site. This being everything from board remodels, banners, forum skin and colors, codes, etc. As well as brand new plot, staff, rules, etcetera. If it's a new version, nothing should look the same, everything on the forum should be different and noticeably so. New Version means just that.. it's ALL new!

Definition of Forum Upgrades: To me, this can be anything from changing from Proboards to somewhere else. It can also mean that you changed nothing but the skin and a few codes to make the forum more appealing to new members, to draw them in. Perhaps changed some of the rules, deleted a few boards and added a board to an already existing section. I suppose you could also call this a froum overhaul or forum spring cleaning if you wanted. Sure there are changes and they are recognizable, but only to members that have been a part of that site for quite some time. New and potential members who are just visiting aren't going to know the difference so there really is no need to go advertising it to anyone but those members that belong to your site so when they enter the next time, they're not sitting there blinking and wondering what the heck is going on.

[Zesha]

Truthfully, if I did make a new version, I'd keep it on the same board instead of making a whole new one, like some people do. For one, it would keep all the old information. For two, it wouldn't clutter the server as much. But that's only one half of it. A lot of forums I've seen don't do much except change a few things in their plots, rules, and get a new skin. If it were something dramatic--say, new boards, new rules, new plot, new skin, new everything--then I could see making a new board and a new version. But other than that, I don't really see why people make version 1, 2, 3, 507, etc.

[amaranthine]

When I introduce a new version of my site, everything is changed. I change the skin, I change the layout. Generally there will be staff changes, as well as content. I wouldn't tack on v2 to the name of it, though (anymore, used to). There would be new codes, as well as discarded ones. A whole bunch of stuff would have to happen for me to call it a new version.

[Luke]

My site is about to go into v3. The things we are changing is the name, all the boards, all the coding.
I believe that having a skin change doesn't count as a new version but I see alot of forums have loads of versions because they made a new skin.
I rarely change versions on my forum because we as staff don't really like the word version. Changing a version would be changing nearly everything on the forum which most people don't do when they change version. Well thats what my staff and I believe.