Just a quick heads up, that a number of changes will be occuring today.  The changes are for the most part around usergroups.

 

There is no reason the site should go offline for maintenance, but quite a lot of the work is in data, so it might feel sluggish at moments.

 

--Details--

 

I'll be adding a few new usergroups, one for freedom and one for new members.

 

The latter one will restrict the newest of members on the use of the PM system until such a point (time, number of posts) as we're confident they are not a spammer/annoyance. An example might be 5 posts, then they get promoted to a validated member and enjoy the rest of the site as you do. We're fairly certain after 4 or 5 posts we can spot along with your reporting any spammers.

 

It might not be 5 posts, thats just an example number

 

The additional freedom one is part of a life membership trial and will carry  the same benefits as current freedom members but be slightly difference in colour, other variations may exist, like max uploads, attachment space etc.

 

So after this work is done there will be 4 tiers of membership

 

[black] NewMember -> First registered, cannot use PM system, nor uploads etc. << New >>

[blue] Member -> After xPosts nDays, can use PM and use uploads. << currentDefault >>

[Green] Freedom -> Supports the site annually/bi-annually increases in upload, pm, search, no google ads etc.

[Green] FreedomLife -> Freedom with icing on top. << New >>

 

From freedom/freedomlife there is a special group, called honorary [brightBlue], these are for members who have served the site, be that through services professionally or time in moderating/supporting. 

 

Other colours while we're here, orange is for organisers, not rolled out but will be soon. Organisers are so if one runs regional areas/ local meets or national shows etc.

 

Red, Admin/Moderators and finally purple is for sponsors, commercial supporters of the site.

 

 

Any questions, feel free to ask.

Bump. most of this phase is done.