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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,051 ✭✭✭Cloud


    Hi all. Simple answer - I set up the Quake forum (using Matt’s WWWBoard) on IGN (Irish Games Network) on 12 February 1998 - and two years later we imported all users and posts into the boards.ie site. I don’t know exactly what date the domain or business name stuff happened but likely mid to late 1999. In the interim the Quake forum became the Cloud Boards, running on UltimateBB. Hope that helps! John



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,080 ✭✭✭corkie


    Thanks @Cloud For clarifying timeline of events. My 55 year old memory of events is not as bad, as I assumed it was.

    Already said my account dates from Feb 2001 and wasn't on Quake Forums and may have had an another account prior to this one can't remember.

    @jmcc

    #Aras25 | Have your say on the two linked polls? AH & CA
    "There will be a protest vote and absolutely people’s right to do that. There is no intention to take away that right or to stop it in any way." ~ Chair of the Electoral Commission Ms Justice Marie Baker
    "Níl mé toilteanach toil a thabhairt"! 24-09-2025 09:31PM



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,201 ✭✭✭jmcc


    @Cloud They were strange days. Dealing with IEDR to get a .IE was quite an experience back then. It even had a one domain name per registrant rule. Things are a lot better with .IE now.

    @corkie Archive.org's coverage of some of the earlier sites is a bit patchy even though it started in 1996 from what I remember. The Irish Web was much smaller then and there was a stong sense of community.

    Regards…jmcc

    Regards…jmcc



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,308 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    How many subscribers are there now?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,080 ✭✭✭corkie


    457 Confirmed using the right email address! Maybe more who haven't?

    Edit: - Are have had their accounts sorted by mike to be counted as such!

    Post edited by corkie on

    #Aras25 | Have your say on the two linked polls? AH & CA
    "There will be a protest vote and absolutely people’s right to do that. There is no intention to take away that right or to stop it in any way." ~ Chair of the Electoral Commission Ms Justice Marie Baker
    "Níl mé toilteanach toil a thabhairt"! 24-09-2025 09:31PM



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,350 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    How do we know if they definitely have the right email address? I'm no longer seeing adverts - yay, no more AJ Products ad making me want to put my fist through the screen! - but I am still seeing the word "Advertisement" under the menu at the top of the page and under the list of categories in the right-hand sidebar, on desktop.

    ===
    boards.ie default cookie settings now include "legitimate interest" for >200 companies, unless you specifically opted out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,204 ✭✭✭Glaceon


    You're not in the Paid Member group, so it doesn't look like it applied. Might need to PM Mike to get it sorted.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,172 ✭✭✭Dan Steely


    I'm surprised with how few have signed up. If you scroll down a thread page and look at the users very few are paid members. Most pages it's none or one (apart from this thread). I would have expected most stalwarts of the site to sign up but very few have.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,593 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Any news on the grand scheme of things ?

    Will the site see Christmas ?



  • Subscribers Posts: 3,544 ✭✭✭TCP/IP


    Unfortunately, even with 2000 paid subs, it's not financially viable as a business in the long term.

    Have to agree with other posters, perhaps it's time to release it into the community for volunteers to try to keep alive.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,464 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    I'm still waiting, probably in vain to see if carrier billing becomes an option.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,137 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Excuse my ignorance, what is 'carrier billing'?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,464 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    In my case it's paying for things using credit left over on my monthly Three pay as you go mobile phone Plan.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,328 ✭✭✭The Rooster


    Why would you say that? Out of pure ignorance? Or can you share your financial knowledge please to educate us?

    I know nothing about how to run this type of business, but i do know it has been stated here that the publicly available accounts showed it made a profit of €64k in 2022 and €30k in 2023. That’s after paying wages, fees, etc etc. Owners are worried advertising income will decrease (not wiped out, just reduced) but subscriber revenues going from practically zero to €100,000 per annum would surely make it more than financially viable?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,001 ✭✭✭✭thesandeman


    Same as that. My big payout from when Three messed up last year expires on September 25th. If they get their ass in gear Boards will get the majority of that. Otherwise MADRA will be getting a bonus donation next month.

    Three definitely ain't getting it back 😁.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 291 ✭✭Baseball72


    I paid a quarterly membership on 12th July, but I am still seeing ads.

    Its no big deal and I hope the forum survives.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 18,148 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    You don't have Paid Member showing.

    Contact Mike and he'll sort it.



  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 26,515 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    Your paid member state is now showing. Are the ads gone now?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,350 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    Same happened me, PM'ed '@'Boards Mike and he sorted it. I think my account email address and my subscription email didn't match.

    ===
    boards.ie default cookie settings now include "legitimate interest" for >200 companies, unless you specifically opted out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,350 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    Very rough count on just this page, I'm seeing 8 paid accounts versus 10 not listed as paid, so 44%? Ok, this particular thread will probably have more subscribers than random threads, but even so, that's not bad at all?

    ===
    boards.ie default cookie settings now include "legitimate interest" for >200 companies, unless you specifically opted out!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 32,206 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I have to say, given the thread title, and the seemingly dire situation boards has found itself in, I'm a bit disheartened by the lack of updates by Mike or Odhran - all gone very very quiet again.

    Not a lot of feedback or information for the subscribers they're seemingly depending on to save the day.....



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,816 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    And this is the reason why I'm not minded to subscribe yet.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 32,206 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I'm of the opinion along with many others who have also subscribed, that I've got years of entertainment, advice and general craic from the site, so a one- off payment wouldn't be much in return, and hopefully it might do some good.

    On the other hand, I can't quite shake the feeling that I've just helped boost the pot that's being filled prior to the collapse of the site and the disappearance of Odhran into the sunset - but if that's the case, well I'll just have to live with it.

    Plenty others have expressed the same feeling - it's just a shame that there's no attempt to reassure those of us who have put our money where our mouths are.

    Even if the current subscriber list does manage to keep the lights on for another while, I don't think there will be many second instalments given that not much seems to have changed......



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 291 ✭✭Baseball72


    Thanks. Yes, ads are gone - but its a bit "bouncy"……



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,816 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    I get paying for the benefit you've gotten from boards over the years, but unless I am mistaken the boards of the past was not created by Odhran, he only took over a few years back.

    It does feel like a means to fill the pockets which is fine - it is a business and all.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,987 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    May sound weird but I'm not keen on having Paid Member under my name. Would prefer something like "Advert Free Member".

    Wake me up when it's all over.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 79,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    I wonder what's the difference between subscriber and paid member... hmmm.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 32,206 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    There's a kind of chicken and egg scenario to it though - without the subscriptions (apparently), there won't be any boards soon.

    So yeah, while the idea of helping build a pot for Odhran (I hope Mike gets a share if it comes to the worst!) doesn't sit well, I thought on balance one payment was worth the gamble/payback.

    But as I say, I won't be caught a second time if it just keeps rumbling on like this!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 32,206 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi




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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,080 ✭✭✭corkie


    Are they subscribers to specific forums?

    There is only 30 of them?

    Looks to me like the old way of labelling them accounts!

    #Aras25 | Have your say on the two linked polls? AH & CA
    "There will be a protest vote and absolutely people’s right to do that. There is no intention to take away that right or to stop it in any way." ~ Chair of the Electoral Commission Ms Justice Marie Baker
    "Níl mé toilteanach toil a thabhairt"! 24-09-2025 09:31PM



This discussion has been closed.
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