I think the forum issue has been hashed over enough before and resolves itself anyway - this one is easy to use, lots of people use it every day, posts are easily found & read and get responses almost instantly. None of which applies to the other badly-designed configuration.

The real issue I think is the maintenance of and access to the donated research material. This is a great opportunity for the IOMFHS to raise its profile and be recognised as one of the essential genealogy websites, which it just isn't without the Research pages. It could be the custodian and source of valuable information for researchers all over the globe, a partner to this bulletin board website, offering a different service, not trying to compete unsuccessfully at the same thing.

So who signed the contract without sorting out who had control over changes and updates? Who were the other clients that the Society were impressed by - commercial organisations? Businesses with their own IT depts? Websites needing few interventions?

OK, rant over. What do I know ....