Hi - any opinions about the wisdom of upgrading my forum from vB 4.2.2 to 5.2.5?
ONE OF the main reasons that I want to upgrade is to improve the user experience for users and visitors on mobile devices. I do not want to put the energy into creating an iOS and/or Android app, however - I don't have time.
I don't think I am allowed to post a link to my forum for people comment on how it would migrate to 5.2.5, but the most important features I need are:
1) Anti-spam registration
I have been using the vbstopforumspam add-on in 4.2.2, and I believe I saw that this is now included in vB 5.X. Is that correct?
2) Ability to insert Ads
I believe that 5.X allows me to use either Google Adsense and/or HTML ads of my own size and design wherever I want them to appear - is that correct?
[I currently have ads to the left of my forum, in a 160x600 sidebar - and also up top 728x90. I do not necessarily need the 160x600 left sidebar any longer, but I would like to keep the 728x90 up top ... and I think I do that via a custom Header - is that correct? Can I also have ads appear in the posts themselves? Or what are the options for ad placement? I did read the online manual, and I cannot tell what is available for in-post ads.]
3) Ability to have a Custom Header at the very top of each page
I know that vB 5.X allows for custom headers, but I'm not sure if I can put ANYTHING I want up top. My existing 4.2.2 forum is currently a small subset of my overall topsite, and I am migrating the topsite over to a mobile-friendly bootstrap-based collapsable navbar, with dropdowns ... which you can see on my home page, and a growing number of pages on the topsite. Can something like that go into the vB 5.X Custom Header? I can post a link so you can see what I mean, if that is permissible.
4) Separate Sticky and Normal threads
I am using an add-on in vB 4.2.2 called Separate Sticky and Normal Threads. It *appears* this functionality is included with vB 5.X - is that correct, or do I still need an add-on?
5) PM Manager
I am using PM Management Suite 4 in vB 4.2.2 so that I can view/delete/etc. any of the PMs from anyone. Am I able to do that in vB 5.X, or do I need an add-on for that? This is a nice feature, but is not critical for me to have post-migration.
6) Test Forum
I have a password-protected test forum set up on a different domain. I presume I can (legally) use this to prove out a 5.2.5 migration, correct?
Any input is appreciated - especially if anyone has migrated from 4.X to 5.X ... am curious if the upgrade was easy, or difficult, or anything you can tell me. My forum is not large - Threads 3,276 Posts 57,294 Members 926. Thanks!
ONE OF the main reasons that I want to upgrade is to improve the user experience for users and visitors on mobile devices. I do not want to put the energy into creating an iOS and/or Android app, however - I don't have time.
I don't think I am allowed to post a link to my forum for people comment on how it would migrate to 5.2.5, but the most important features I need are:
1) Anti-spam registration
I have been using the vbstopforumspam add-on in 4.2.2, and I believe I saw that this is now included in vB 5.X. Is that correct?
2) Ability to insert Ads
I believe that 5.X allows me to use either Google Adsense and/or HTML ads of my own size and design wherever I want them to appear - is that correct?
[I currently have ads to the left of my forum, in a 160x600 sidebar - and also up top 728x90. I do not necessarily need the 160x600 left sidebar any longer, but I would like to keep the 728x90 up top ... and I think I do that via a custom Header - is that correct? Can I also have ads appear in the posts themselves? Or what are the options for ad placement? I did read the online manual, and I cannot tell what is available for in-post ads.]
3) Ability to have a Custom Header at the very top of each page
I know that vB 5.X allows for custom headers, but I'm not sure if I can put ANYTHING I want up top. My existing 4.2.2 forum is currently a small subset of my overall topsite, and I am migrating the topsite over to a mobile-friendly bootstrap-based collapsable navbar, with dropdowns ... which you can see on my home page, and a growing number of pages on the topsite. Can something like that go into the vB 5.X Custom Header? I can post a link so you can see what I mean, if that is permissible.
4) Separate Sticky and Normal threads
I am using an add-on in vB 4.2.2 called Separate Sticky and Normal Threads. It *appears* this functionality is included with vB 5.X - is that correct, or do I still need an add-on?
5) PM Manager
I am using PM Management Suite 4 in vB 4.2.2 so that I can view/delete/etc. any of the PMs from anyone. Am I able to do that in vB 5.X, or do I need an add-on for that? This is a nice feature, but is not critical for me to have post-migration.
6) Test Forum
I have a password-protected test forum set up on a different domain. I presume I can (legally) use this to prove out a 5.2.5 migration, correct?
Any input is appreciated - especially if anyone has migrated from 4.X to 5.X ... am curious if the upgrade was easy, or difficult, or anything you can tell me. My forum is not large - Threads 3,276 Posts 57,294 Members 926. Thanks!
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