Changes coming...part 3

[Keith W]

The new forum is about ready for testing. I still have some work to do on the logos for the different styles but the forum structure is pretty much ready to go, pending your feedback. I'll post the URL for the new forum on Monday. I was going to have a few beta testers come in and look around but I decided to just go ahead and open it up to everybody who is already a member of the EEN (Linus' Law: "given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow"). There should be an understanding that all content posted during the testing phase will be removed before we go live, so don't get too attached to what you put out there. For now I just need your eyes to spot problems and let me know what you think could be done better. Please continue to post your relevant information here until the new forum is open for business!

You'll need to register on the new forum. I recommend using the same user names that you have here for the sake of keeping the community together (more on this in a minute). I've gone back to the original name for the forum: Everglades Deep Exploration. Those who came here "back in the day" remember this, and they remember why I changed the name, but I think that what we have now justifies returning to our roots.

What you will see on the new forum is an "idea", nothing more. You all will have a lot to say about how it looks when we go live, and I'm open to making any changes that you think will make this a better experience for everybody. There will be a feedback discussion forum where you can report any problems, and even more importantly, tell me what you think will help to grow our community.

About that.

There is probably nothing more important to me now than to see this transition succeed in keeping this community together. What I've seen here during the past couple of years has been nothing short of astounding. The level of participation and the quality of the information that has been offered in regard to exploring the south Florida wilderness has no equal anywhere else on the Internet. Through this forum we have built a community that makes me so proud, and at the same time it humbles me knowing that I still have so much to learn, and I'm so grateful that I have so many here to teach me.

Thank you!

P.S - In about 5 more hours I'm heading south to go bashing through the deep Everglades backcountry and soak my soul in swampwater for a couple of days, so I won't be able to respond to replies to this post. I'll check in when I get back on Sunday.

[Swamp Hunter]

When do we switch over to the new forum?

[Wayne Wells]

I was a member earlier on but got deleted (I think) due to inactivity. I was in a car wreck. Anyway. Is this still the active site or is the new site functional. Went there and it had zero posts in all forums.