Some questions that you may vote for: 1. Do you like mostly websites where you enter and you see a website and from there you go to the forum, or first time what you see on the main page is the forum it self? for example do you like this: http://www.9mb.com/ or http://www.9mb.com/forums/ to be the main page? 2. are u against any banner ads on the forum? 3. do you like topic specific forums or widely expanded forums where everything is included?
1. I like having a portal page if I am checking out a new forum. But once I become an active member, I will and the index page to my favorites, and never look at the portal page again. 2. Banner ads are fine as long as they are kept to a minimum and out of the way. Look at the way DP does it. One little banner up in the top right hand corner and one line of adsense between the posts. You could also add some at the bottom and it wouldn't be too much in the way. Just stay away from pop-ups! 3. I bet most people would like specific forums, but myself, I like a big variety of topics... But that's just me.