Two forum scripts have been installed:  Anyboard and Iconboard.  Please proceed to our new site and give each a test drive.  At the end of the week, the selection will be made and the current site will be closed.

Admin

Anyboard features (free version):

threaded/non-threaded, framed/non-framed board, configurable chat room with icons, fully configurable look & feel, fully configurable message page, emoticons, forum search engine, close/open thread, intergrated file-upload, spell-checker, block user by IP, bad word filter and auto-ban, user registration, rating, email notification to users, email alerts, request password by email, online user tracker

The following will be available after paying $110 for bronze license:

control file upload type/size, control number of posting by user, user type/status control, user management, email validation, email friend, private messages, block by domain, message editing by user and admin, notify admin on new post, read counter, group interface, link submission, member profile, recovery/backup, list/notify all users from master admin panel, multiple moderators, collapase/expand threads, archive messages

Ikonboard features (everything available for free):

Key Features

• Allow your members to choose a language for the board interface.
• Create, Export and Import unique templates and skins straight from the administration control panel.
• Create, Export and Import language packs, allowing your members to choose their native language for the board interface.
• Assign a different template to each forum, or allow your members to choose their favourite skin.
• Complete control over the mime types that can be uploaded when creating a new post or reply.
• Restrict reading, writing and replying attributes for each forum.
• SSI enabled board templates, enabling complete and full integration with other scripts on your website.
• Edit the templates and skins HTML from the administration control panel - no coding knowledge needed.
• Edit the cascading style sheet attributes from the administration control panel.
• Edit the graphics properties from the adminstration control panel, allowing full control over the border, width, height and alt attributes without knowing any HTML.
• Built in news manager, add news topics from your board into any page on your website.
• Exportable board statistics, show your online members, total post and member count into any page on your website.
• Built in file management to handle permission changes, file deletion, file renaming and file uploading.
• Extensive co-branding features such as multiple templates, and forum specific skins and templates.

Full Moderation Features

• Assign moderators to forums.
• Allow your members to moderate their own topics.
• Mass Prune topics.
• Move topics, with three different options.
• Delete topics and posts.
• Open and close topics.
• Create forum announcements.
• "Pin" topics for maximum attention

Member Features

• Encrypted Passwords for greater security
• Full unrestricted use of the board without cookies
• Comprehensive User Control Panel
• Choosable Skins to alter the look and the feel of the board
• Choosable interface language
• Preset, Flash and personal avatars
• Ability to block avatars, signatures and board images (good for slow connections)
• Personal Messenger complete with address books

Full Forum Control

• Create an unlimited amount of forums
• Re-order edit and delete forums at any time
• Set read, reply and write permissions for each forum
• Protect forums with passwords
• Turn forums off to create 'archive' (read only) forums

Full Category Control

• Create an unlimited amount of categories
• Re-order edit and delete categories at any time
• Nest and unnest categories
• Set read, reply and write permissions for each category

Full Member Group Control

• Assign members to any group at any time
• Restrict permissions for an entire group at a time
• Allow access to the moderation features (Super Moderator)
• Allow access to the Administration Control Panel (Administrator)

Full Administrative Control

• Restrict areas of the adminstration CP to certain groups
• Full administration logging
• Edit languages, skins and email templates from the CP
• Complex member management

General Board Features

• Printable versions of topics
• Member override of default sorting order and limits
• Track topics via email or in the userCP
• Post buttons to make posting iB Code easier
• Full, searchable help system
• Member lists
• Viewable profiles
• Email addresses hidden - to protect from 'spam bots'
• Polls
• Guest posting
• ... and much more!

The number of categories and forums can be changed.  I can get it done after the evaluation period unless a lot of people think the current setup is better.

Regarding your other comment about colors, Ikonboard allows customized skins to be used.  There shouldn't be problem adopting the look and feel of the old TMF.

To do that, click the Image button while composing a message and supply the complete URL.  I'll try to figure out how to upload files from local directory.

... I've seen several other similar, if not identical, boards, and even though we can of course include the name of the person and his/her messages that we are replying to in our reply, I think that the structure of how posts/replies are arranged here(meaning TMF at anyboard.net) kinda makes it easy for people to understand for whom replies are for.

I, too, agree that we do not need that many categories(although I don't know if I'm thinking along the same line as that of epc).  I don't know if it's just me or not, but I don't see the need of dividing military issues into General, Air, Naval, and Ground categories(not sure about Periphery though).

Also, can Ikonboard adopt a larger font size(at least as large as the size here)?  It isn't that I can't see or something- I can see smaller fonts perfectly, but...... uh, let's put it this way, a bigger font size wouldn't be as "labour intensive" for my eyes to see.

Oh btw, where did you find the picture below your username in Ikonboard?  Is there a database of pictures for us to choose from, or is it not too different from the signature picture here(i.e. we have to find and/or re-size the pic ourselves)?

... I've seen several other similar, if not identical, boards, and even though we can of course include the name of the person and his/her messages that we are replying to in our reply, I think that the structure of how posts/replies are arranged here(meaning TMF at anyboard.net) kinda makes it easy for people to understand for whom replies are for.

Agreed.  I'll try to see if Ikonboard can be configured similarly.

I, too, agree that we do not need that many categories(although I don't know if I'm thinking along the same line as that of epc).  I don't know if it's just me or not, but I don't see the need of dividing military issues into General, Air, Naval, and Ground categories(not sure about Periphery though).

Okay.  The number of categories and forums can be reduced after the eval period if most of us agree that it's better.

Also, can Ikonboard adopt a larger font size(at least as large as the size here)?  It isn't that I can't see or something- I can see smaller fonts perfectly, but...... uh, let's put it this way, a bigger font size wouldn't be as "labour intensive" for my eyes to see.

Done.  Newly registered members should see bigger fonts overall.  Those already registered may have to change their skin selection.  Please see the News and Announcements section.

Oh btw, where did you find the picture below your username in Ikonboard?  Is there a database of pictures for us to choose from, or is it not too different from the signature picture here(i.e. we have to find and/or re-size the pic ourselves)?

You mean the avatar?  You can choose from existing ones or supply your own.  Just go to Your Control Panel->Personal Info->Avatar Options.

From an user's perspective, Anyboard 8.0 free version lacks a few important features that we have gotten used to with the 9.x Silver version here:

• message editing by user and admin


• link submission

OTOH, uploading files in Ikonboard could be a bit clumsy.  So far, the only way I know is to specify the URL.  Not sure if it supports uploading from local disk.

From an admin's perspecive, I do think Ikonboard is superior.  Its admin interface is better organized and more powerful than Anyboard.