Cedric

On forums and non wordpress websites it does.

Be careful with that though. As it creates dullness among your community. I’m in favor of using AI to get topic ideas, but I wouldn’t let it create an opinion I don’t have. If you lack the inspiration to create a reply, then personally I think it’s better to say nothing at all.

Fun fact: when you buy a new car, you often think it’s the leather that you can smell — but it’s actually the chemicals.

Have a good weekend all! I've got some work to do this weekend. I also want to play some Black Ops 6. What do you all have planned?

That could definitely be another option. Would maximum take 30mins to an hour to complete a more brief evaluation.

Lmao, I was about to ask the same thing. I’ll have to read Pete’s reply after work today, as he definitely took his time to explain again, and I’m running out of time. 😋

They buy it for the traffic and content. The content attracts the traffic, but they always drive away the people who made the content in the first place. While slowly, it's only a matter of time until traffic declines and their once so valuable revenue drive, is now gone.

As an admin, your staff looks (up) to you for direction and motivation. If you’re inactive or seem disengaged, it can send the wrong message to your team. They might start to question their roles or feel like their contributions don’t matter. Over time, this can lead to staff burnout or even a full-on loss of interest. I'm not perfect, I've been guilty to this too! But your activity sets the tone for the entire team. A quick check-in, an update on the forum’s goals, or even just acknowledging their efforts can go a long way toward keeping your staff motivated. Some people need confirmation as humans. Without this leadership, the passion and drive that make your community thrive can start to fade. Here’s why staying active is so important: You need to set the example: If you’re engaged, your team will feel inspired to follow suit. You need to build the trust: When staff feel supported and valued, they’re more likely to stay committed. You need clear communication: Regular updates help your team understand their roles and how they contribute to the bigger picture. You need to maintain the morale: A connected admin fosters a positive environment where staff feel energized and proud to contribute. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure about how to stay engaged, don’t be afraid to lean on your team. Open communication can be a powerful motivator for everyone. Let’s discuss: How do you, as admins, stay motivated and keep your team engaged? And for staff members - what do you need from your admin to feel supported and energized? Looking forward to hearing your insights! :giggle:

As simple as that sounds, that's just how the way it should be. Being happy and having a decent life!

Great nominations everyone! Keep them coming. Perhaps we'll setup a poll to do the final decision.

That's what she said.

Fair enough.

Something in me says that having multiple people each focusing on their own speciality could be a new and interesting method to review. We’ve always been accustomed to a reviewer taking all parts, but what if we have per example 2-3 reviewers working on 1 review request? That could make the process lighter for everyone.

A bittersweet morning!

Do I sense some interest in doing them?! 😂

Feel free to claim another spot.

The thing with reviews is that they require a few hours work to do them properly. You need additional staff who’s willing to do it. And in my experience, it doesn’t last long before no one wants to do them any longer. They were a huge part of our services back on InvisionFree/ZB when everyone offered them and everyone wanted to be a reviewer. We have our Directory for bigger reviews and Topsites for brief reviews. What I suggest for now until we see some actual results that this is wanted: perhaps you could offer a credit offer where you’re requesting a review from members (and staff could join as well of course) and then we can evaluate who’s got it in them to perhaps make this into a standalone forum or even service. Trust me, I’d love to offer it, but I’m not up personally for doing them all the time. So we need to see who’s interested in offering and requesting them, before we can take further steps.

I’ve got 1.3, 2.0. 2.2.2. Installed 1.3 on my server, but it has a few database problems. It’s been patched recently to work with php 7.4 to even 8. But it still needs some work.

Yes, a forum can have too many staff members. I find it’s intimidating to members when the staff-to-member ratio feels off. When a forum has an overwhelming number of staff compared to its regular user base, it can give off the vibe that the community is overly policed or that members’ every move is being scrutinized. This discourages engagement and makes the space feel less welcoming. A bloated staff team might also lead to confusion or unnecessary conflicts among staff themselves, as too many cooks in the kitchen can create overlapping responsibilities or power struggles. Where one does a lot, and the other is not motivated to do anything. It’s important for each staff member to have a clear role and purpose within the community. Otherwise, you risk having inactive or redundant staff positions that don’t contribute to the forum's growth or atmosphere. But the fault here often lies with the admins. Not being able to give out fair responsibilities to their team. Not taking control themselves. Or to a point where admins themselves don't do anything at all, and leave it up to the staff. It's bound to go wrong. On the flip side, an active, engaged staff team that matches the needs of the community can do wonders. It’s all about the balance. A smaller, well-aligned staff team with clear communication and direction will almost always be more effective than a large, disorganized one.

Howdy! How is everyone doing today? I'm so happy. Since yesterday, scored 4 big jobs for my shop. Finally after being very calm for a longer period than usual.

Howdy Mick! Glad you have found us. Welcome to Administrata! :) Curious to see more about your community.

For many of us who have grown up alongside online communities, Invision Community (formerly Invision Power Board) holds a special place in our hearts. From its humble beginnings as a spinoff of the ikonboard days to becoming one of the most polished community solutions on the web, the journey of Invision Communityis truly a remarkable one that holds innovation and perseverance. I welcome you to enjoy this trip down memory lane - at the end of this post, I've included a bunch of links from the web archive. ikonboard: The Roots of InvisionBefore Invision, there was ikonboard, a freeware Perl-based forum software created by Matt Mecham in 1999. It quickly gained traction due to its simplicity and accessibility, becoming a popular choice for early forum administrators. However, as demand for more robust and feature-rich solutions grew, ikonboard’s limitations became evident, particularly with scalability and speed. This set the stage for a new project - one that would redefine forum software. In 2002, Matt Mecham and Charles Warner left ikonboard to develop Invision Board (IBF), and with it, a new chapter began. Invision Board: The Birth of a LegendThe first version of Invision Board (IBF 1.0) was released in early 2002. Written in PHP and MySQL, it brought a refreshing modernity to forum software. Early adopters raved about its clean interface, lightning-fast performance, and groundbreaking features like user groups and a robust admin control panel. The forums on IBForums.com quickly became the hub for this growing community. Version 1.1 followed later that year, improving on stability and adding features that appealed to larger forums. By the time Invision Board 1.3 rolled around in 2003, the software had already cemented its place as a strong competitor to phpBB and vBulletin. Invision Power Board: Taking It to the Next LevelIn late 2003, Invision Board was rebranded as Invision Power Board (IPB) under the newly formed Invision Power Services (IPS). This shift marked a transition from free software to a commercial product with a free trial option. While some users lamented the end of a fully free solution, the move allowed IPS to scale operations and invest in development. The 2.x series became synonymous with stability and power. IPB 2.0, released in 2004, introduced features like custom profile fields and an enhanced moderation system. Over the next few years, versions 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 iterated on these foundations, refining user experience and adding features like AJAX-driven elements for seamless interactions. A nostalgic glance at archived IPB forums showcases the vibrant community that thrived during this era, with admins and developers exchanging tips, customizations, and feedback. InvisionFree: Forums for the MassesFor me, no trip down memory lane would be complete without mentioning InvisionFree, a service that brought the power of Invision Board to admins who couldn’t afford hosting or licensing fees. Launched in 2002, InvisionFree allowed users to create fully hosted forums for free, based on a modified version of Invision Board. For many budding admins, InvisionFree was a gateway to the world of forum management. It offered the perfect mix of simplicity and customization, with pre-installed features, a growing library of themes, and a supportive community. It thrived alongside its paid counterpart, becoming a hub for niche communities - everything from fan groups to role-playing forums. Over time, InvisionFree evolved into ZetaBoards in 2007, introducing a sleeker interface and more modern features. However, in 2018, it was retired and merged with Tapatalk, marking the end of an era. Despite this, InvisionFree holds a special place in the hearts like mine and of those who started their admin journey there, offering them their first taste of building something meaningful online. If you started your forum on InvisionFree, you were part of a movement that democratized online communities. It’s a legacy that still resonates, proving that great things often start small and free. This legacy now continues to live on with Jcink. The Rise of Invision CommunityIn 2010, IPS pivoted again, evolving the platform into a comprehensive community solution called Invision Power Suite (IPS Community Suite). By bundling forums with apps like blogs, galleries, and e-commerce solutions, IPS empowered communities to go beyond simple discussions. The 4.x series, launched in 2014, represented another major leap. Rebranded as Invision Community, this version brought a unified architecture, responsive design, and API integrations. From small niche forums to enterprise-level communities, Invision Community catered to all. Today, you’ll find its forums alive and well on invisioncommunity.com, a far cry from the minimalist layouts of its early days. But beneath the polished exterior lies the same ethos: empowering admins to create meaningful spaces. A Legacy That Lives OnThe journey of Invision Community is more than just an inspiring story of software. From ikonboard’s early adopters to IPB enthusiasts who customized their forums with endless mods and skins, to modern admins harnessing advanced tools for their communities, Invision has been a constant companion. For those of us who’ve spent late nights tweaking settings, troubleshooting errors, and delighting in every new feature, this journey down memory lane reminds us why we fell in love with building communities in the first place. Here’s to Invision’s legacy - and to the admins who’ve kept it alive for over two decades. More web archive links: https://web.archive.org/web/20020325085805/http://ibforums.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20020610075954/http://www.ibforums.com/forums/ https://web.archive.org/web/20021124212316/http://forums.invisionboard.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20040323063930/http://www.forums.invisionboard.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20050308184514/http://forums.invisionboard.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20060902212452/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20070102123734/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20070430052929/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20070630201946/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080507025807/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20090419155853/http://forums.invisionpower.com/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170603093322/https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171003221853/https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200630164954/https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/ https://web.archive.org/web/20211201091617/https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/ https://web.archive.org/web/20220630143936/https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/ What are your favorite memories of using Invision Board? Share them below!

And with recent events, I'm not sure that's a good thing.

That looks great. But 199 USD is a hefty price. But then again, so is Xenforo and InvisionCommunity. So this might be a good option to consider.

[ATTACH type=full" size="380x41]436[/ATTACH] Hey everyone, As you may have noticed, we've recently added some fresh new reactions for you to enjoy! A huge thank-you goes to [mention=84]SarahKik[/mention] for generously providing these fantastic images for our community. We hope you have fun using them, and rest assured, we’re planning to keep growing the collection. Stay tuned for more updates! Cheers