I hate all internet advertising. And no other advertisers that I have seen or message board that I have visited has a subforum for them.
Now, this doesn't mean that I don't understand, but I was just answering your question honestly. There is not perfection on this board, and if you ask me how I would improve it, I will have answers.
I have been on more than a few boards that have subforums for people to advertise their boards. Usually, it is a reciprocal agreement, but the subforums exist nonethless.
I understand you were giving an honest answer. My response was the same. Everyone has an opinion. I can't think of one feature this board has that someone at some point and time hasn't called out.
Change is not always improvement. How is it though, that you would, in your opinion, improve this board?
And I'm giving fair warning that is NOT directed only at this member, but ALL members ... I'm NOT giving open season to dog this board nor its rules. Keep this conversation straighforward, honest and no bullshit, or it ends.
I understood the warning in the question, as well as the direction my experience has given me.
I would change the icons for threads so that a thread is not "old" seemingly just because there is more than one page. There needs to be more precise nomenclature (and I am just using that big word because a smaller word is not accessible to me at the moment).
I would change the "Thanking" system so that users know what thanks they have gotten, from whom and for what posts, just like it is with the reputation system.
I would get rid of the Google Ads. You already know why, but Google Ads annoy me more than most other non-popup advertisements.
I would keep users logged on until they log off. No "bouncing."
I would have as an option to keep or get rid of thread place-holders in the "New Posts" and "User CP" for threads that a user has already read. I believe it clutters the page, but that if a user missed something, it makes it easier for them to go back to it.
I would fix the pageloading system so that there is not a redundant jump to posts that are linked to. Sometimes enough of the page has been loaded so that I could scroll through the thread from the post that I want to start from, but because jumping to that post is a midway step and a last step, the page jumps up to the linked post twice. which is jarring if you are reading arguments and following discussion.
I don't know if I just haven't noticed it, but it seems that I do not get the same notification for reputation that the old format delivered. I would like that motification back, unless there is a better idea.
I would also like to know how many new posts there have been since I last visited, or checked, or refreshed, or whathaveyou. I enjoy that bit of statistics.