The Boards.ie Subscription

02-05-2026 07:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124416521#Comment_124416521

Thats interesting. I have always been curious about the activity on the private forum and what type of "community" activity / atmosphere was on there. I was half expecting some special treatment and recongition of the paid subscribers but sounds like thats not the case. Disapointing to see.

A cynic could say that the owners found a way via the subscriber story to fund another few months in order to get an exit plan over the line and they knew that most subscribers wont renew so hence the zero engagement with both the paying subscribers and general users.

ctrl-alt-delete · 03-05-2026 05:31AM

Seems to be a case of prolonging the death of boards.ie and not extending the life of it.

The very nature of it is a free online discussion forum.

Communication and engagement are free and yet we hear nothing from above.

No news is good news as the old proverb says, but not with something like boards.ie.

thesandeman · 03-05-2026 05:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438573#Comment_124438573

"Always" as in the five days since you've joined?

Mother Shaboobu · 04-05-2026 05:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439445#Comment_124439445

People re-registering has been the norm for years.

smacl · 05-05-2026 08:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124443484#Comment_124443484

True. Notably trolls.

XT1200 · 05-05-2026 12:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124444743#Comment_124444743

And then you wonder, who are more annoying. Is it the troll,or the righteous who keep responding to the trolls.

smacl · 05-05-2026 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124445224#Comment_124445224

Recommended advice is don't respond to trolls, report them and let the mods deal with them. Minimum post count to post in contentious forums works well enough to keep re-regs down.

eadrom · 07-05-2026 12:08PM

Site's still here! There are far worse things I've done with €4.17/month.

I'm in for another round 🍻

smacl · 07-05-2026 12:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124450171#Comment_124450171

Agreed and same, though I suspect that if the owner doesn't get a bit more proactive in terms of moving things forward the number of re-subscribers is likely to be small.

corkie · 10-05-2026 01:14AM

@CasNiRas Found the donation link, while searching for something else.

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=AB5EHAUYDRFF2 « Does NOT give you membership.

It was linked from Keep Boards Alive (/~~free~~) page.

_Kaiser_ · 10-06-2026 10:32AM

Morning all,

A reminder - it'll be one month from tomorrow before the annual subs are due for renewal (checked my revolut statement and I paid on 11/7/2025 which was the first day as per the OP of this thread).

As predicted though in my previous posts a few weeks back, the silence has been deafening and even this thread has died from a user perspective.

I won't be renewing. @Boards.ie: Mike - have sent you a PM just now to that effect. Appreciate if you can confirm it's been cancelled on your end.

Thanks!

Comhrá · 10-06-2026 10:57AM

I came to the same conclusion and have also cancelled my subscription. No updates from Mike or Odhrán now for many months, no roll-out of the promised new simplified platform and little if any improvement to the existing one.

I am very sceptical of any positive developments at this stage. The lack of posts to this thread suggests that folks have grown apathetic and have no great expectation of any improvements to come.

Boards.ie: Mike · 10-06-2026 11:22AM

On subscriptions and what's changed: I hear the frustration and I'm not going to talk around it. Progress on the platform has been slower than we said it would be, and the Vanilla migration in particular has dragged. That's a fair criticism. The switchover is coming in the coming weeks and I'll be posting more detail on that shortly.

On the "exit plan" theory: no. The site is still here, we're still working on it, and that's the reality.

On renewal decisions: entirely your call. If you feel the value isn't there yet, I understand. What I can say is the migration will make a tangible difference to the day-to-day experience and I'd rather show that than ask anyone to take it on faith at this point.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contribute and express your views. To those who've renewed or are planning to — thank you, genuinely. A huge thank you to all who have taken out a subscription here.

Best,
Mike

Arghus · 10-06-2026 11:23AM

How much notice is required to cancel without the sub automatically rolling over.

P.Walnuts · 10-06-2026 11:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124539258#Comment_124539258

I still have faith Mike, but a growing number of people seem to be losing it .

I think you are underestimating how even a short update post from yourself or Odràn maybe once a month would have on the community, it shouldnt take people posting they are unsubscribing to get some activity on this thread.

Boards.ie: Mike · 10-06-2026 12:01PM

I appreciate your continued faith. Your comments and those from many others are fair. I am listening.

Beagslife · 10-06-2026 12:31PM

Hi Mike,

Auto-renewal has been brought up since the original subscription push. Surely it is not a big job to provide an opt out of auto-renewal option for anyone with a subscription. It would give subscribers more peace of mind and I believe it would help with subscriptions in the longer term. We shouldn't have to rely on seeing a reminder email, or have to PM you!

I'd be happy to go for another year, but without that being implemented, I'm not so sure. What are the legalities relating to this?

elperello · 10-06-2026 03:39PM

I'll keep paying as long as I'm using the site.

No conditions.

I just prefer it that way.

TherapyBoy · 12-06-2026 09:52AM

”..The switchover is coming in the coming weeks and I'll be posting more detail on that shortly..”

Will the switchover come before the 12 month subscription renewal date is up Mike? Lots of users subscribed for 12 months last year around the same date, would be nice to see something positive before the next 12 month renewal date lands.

Hotblack Desiato · 12-06-2026 12:51PM

Why would you expect the changeover to be anything positive, it sounds like anything but.

JayRoc · 12-06-2026 01:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124539379#Comment_124539379

Hi Mike. I'm not sure if I should be entitled to an opinion on this seeing as I'm not a subscriber...

But the feedback indicates that the lack of communication/ updates is a big issue for almost everyone and it seems to be costing you a lot of subscriptions.

It seems pretty clear that most people would be satisfied with a word from yourself or Odhrán, once a month or so. Your continued reluctance to do this is a bit hard to understand.

corkie · 12-06-2026 01:16PM

@Hotblack Desiato "Why would you expect the changeover to be anything positive, it sounds like anything but."

Looks like the changeover to basic vanilla could strip out a lot of functions of the site. Unless they replace the customizations with new scripts.

@JayRoc Regular delay tactics posts, would not do anything to satisfy people. We have already heard it is coming soon multiple times.

Like @_Kaiser_ I already requested cancelation of my sub in July.

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