ezboard

ezboard was a provider of a free hosted message board for use by webmasters and message board administrators who have little to no experience running a web site. Along with having premade ezboard templates and a color picking tool, the ezboard community also supports volunteers who will help other users customize their ezboards.

ezboard offered free and paid accounts for both boards and users. The free accounts were supported through advertisements, and had fewer features in regards to customization and board management. Paid members were called "ezSupporters", while paid message boards were referred to as "Gold boards". Accounts were either local (deprecated) and tied to a specific board, or global, which could be used for posting across the entire ezboard network.

ezboard is a web application, created in 1996 by Vanchau Nguyen.http://www.linkedin.com/in/vanchau {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}} One of the earliest user-customisable online message board providers, it quickly grew. Around its peak in 2001, it was in the top 50 most popular websites in the world.{{cite web | title=Internet All Stars '01: Where are they now? | author=Max Freiert | date=October 1, 2007 | website=Compete.com | url=http://blog.compete.com/2007/10/01/top-ranked-web-sites-popularity-2001/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105083345/http://blog.compete.com/2007/10/01/top-ranked-web-sites-popularity-2001/ | archive-date=January 5, 2011 | url-status=dead }}

In 2001 ezboard launched their first CSC (Community-Supported Communities) product, i.e. a paid version of ezboard without advertisements. This later split into CSC Blue (officially called CSC Community) and CSC Gold (officially called CSC Gold Community). CSC Blue removed intrusive advertising popups but retained advertising banners for a fixed price, while CSC Gold was 100% ad-free with extra features, but at a variable cost. It was reported that some very large ezboards paid the fixed price for CSC Blue, which ultimately proved to be an unprofitable product. ezboard announced that as of August 31, 2001 they would no longer renew CSC Blue boards.[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=407.topic As of August 31st we will no longer renew Blue CSC boards] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2002 ezboard introduced image hosting, which was provided by a third party and not in-house by ezboard. Announcements followed, which showed the image hosting deal to be an unfortunate disaster.[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=911.topic Important Image Hosting Announcement] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=914.topic Yet another Image Hosting Announcement - Very Important!] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=930.topic 3-20-02 Image Hosting Update] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Eventually, the parent company filed for bankruptcy, leaving ezboard to continue operation of the image hosting in-house, while developing a new hosting product in parallel.[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=968.topic Important Announcement About Image Hosting] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} A later announcement highlighted a miscommunication between ezboard staff and moderators with an admission that the image hosting service had been a bad decision.[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1485.topic Important Image Hosting Announcement 5/17/02] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On October 22, 2002, ezboard version 7.0 was released. This included a number of changes to free boards, which were met with negative comments from free board administrators.[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=990.topic Information about ver 7.0 HERE!!!] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}[http://p094.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1133.topic ATTENTION: for everyone wanting to vent] {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 7.0 also included enhanced user profiles, a redesigned web site and a new-look control center.

On December 10, 2002, ezboard version 7.1 was released, which included the ezPost tool. This provided users with fast access to useful posting features, such as changing font sizes and inserting links. However, some admins were unhappy that users could now post in a variety of fonts and colors, thereby altering the look and feel of their boards. This divided feedback was very common on ezboard due to the large number of users.{{cite web | title=How Can We Improve the 7.1 Features? | date=December 10, 2002 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1264.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20061030154412/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1264.topic | archive-date=October 30, 2006 | url-status=dead }}

On March 11, 2003, ezboard version 7.2 was released.{{cite web | title=7.2 Release Notes | date=March 11, 2003 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1317.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111506/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1317.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} This was the last version of the core ezboard product to contain new features for nearly four years. After 7.2, various patches were applied to other areas of the ezboard service, such as spellcheck,{{cite web | title=Spell Checker BETA out to all servers | date=October 10, 2003 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1395.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111511/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1395.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} free gold,{{cite web | title=FREE GOLD Promotion F.A.Q. | website=ezboard.com | date=June 26, 2003 | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1398.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111516/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1398.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} meetup,{{cite web | title=Meetup & ezboard | website=ezboard.com | date=August 6, 2003 | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1405.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111521/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1405.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} and network performance and improvements.{{cite web | title=Network Performance and Improvements | date=May 15, 2003 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1439.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111531/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1439.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }}

In January 2004, a SQL Based back-end created by Jordan Bortz began to be rolled out to all servers. This upgrade significantly enhanced performance and reliability; issues which had been significantly impacting ezboard previously.

On March 4, 2004, Robert Labatt was appointed as ezboard's new CEO.{{cite web | title=ezboard Names New CEO - Robert Labatt | date=March 4, 2004 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1437.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111526/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1437.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} Vanchau Nguyen later chose to leave ezboard but remained on the Board of Directors.{{cite web | title=Corporate Team | website=ezboard.com | url=http://www.ezboard.com/corporate/corp_team.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729095956/http://www.ezboard.com/corporate/corp_team.html | archive-date=July 29, 2012 | url-status=dead }} Vanchau left in April 2004 according to his linkedin page.

On March 14, 2005, ezboard 7.32 was released.{{cite web | title=ezboard version 7.32 | website=ezboard.com | date=March 14, 2005 | url=http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1634.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071017111556/http://p080.ezboard.com/fezboardfrm29.showMessage?topicID=1634.topic | archive-date=October 17, 2007 | url-status=dead }} This is the most recent numbered version to be released to all servers, although patches have been released since then.

On May 31, 2005, ezboard claimed they were hacked, causing many boards to lose information, become inaccessible, or be completely wiped. Ezboard indicated that it was "impossible to restore all data to all boards". Assistance was requested from the FBI and $5,000 was offered for "information that leads to the direct arrest and conviction of the hacker".{{cite web | title=Bulletin board hoster loses postings in hacker attack | author=Cara Garretson | date=June 8, 2005 | work=Network World | url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/060805-ezboard-hack.html?nl | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130005857/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/060805-ezboard-hack.html?nl | archive-date=January 30, 2013 | url-status=dead }}

On February 28, 2007, ezboard staff posted about a new version of ezboard {{En dash}} 7.33.{{cite web | title=Testing version 7.33 on p066 | date=February 28, 2007 | url=http://p066.ezboard.com/fckerrtestfrm1.showMessage?topicID=7.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20070306063834/http://p066.ezboard.com/fckerrtestfrm1.showMessage?topicID=7.topic | archive-date=March 6, 2007 | url-status=dead }} Although this was primarily to compile the patches made since version 7.32, several small enhancements were also mentioned - the first to the message boards since version 7.2, released on March 11, 2003. Users did not expect this move as moderators had often stated that ezboard would no longer be updated. On May 1, 2007, these changes were officially announced, although there was no mention of 7.33.{{cite web | title=Free Gold Promotion, Quick Reply feature and more... | date=May 1, 2007 | website=ezboard.com | url=http://p079.ezboard.com/fezboardimportantannouncements.showMessage?topicID=562.topic | archive-url=https://archive.today/20070504044008/http://p079.ezboard.com/fezboardimportantannouncements.showMessage?topicID=562.topic | archive-date=May 4, 2007 | url-status=dead }} Therefore, the latest version of ezboard is still 7.32.

{{Main|Yuku}}

Yuku was the successor to ezboard. It has been alpha/beta software since it was first unveiled at DEMOfall 2005.{{cite web |url=http://www.demo.com/demonstrators/demo2005fall/55021.php |title=DEMO.com product page for Yuku | website=DEMO.com |accessdate=2006-07-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819171024/http://www.demo.com/demonstrators/demo2005fall/55021.php |archivedate=August 19, 2006 }} On January 9, 2008, it was confirmed that Yuku was "coming out of beta", although a date has not been set.{{cite web |url=http://support.yuku.com/topic/4831 | title=Is this For Real? (Yuku PM) | website=Yuku.com | accessdate=2008-01-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625122339/http://support.yuku.com/topic/4831 |archive-date=June 25, 2008 }}

As of January 8, 2008, it has been confirmed that all ezboard communities would be moving to Yuku. However, board owners can ask for a delay in the migration process.[http://support.yuku.com/topic/4735 Undesired migration to Yuku] {{dead link|date=September 2017}}

As of January 15, 2008, the ezboard home page redirects to a Yuku Welcome page. A link allows users to log into ezboard.{{cite web |url=http://www.yuku.com/home/ezboardhome |title=Yuku homepage | website=Yuku.com | accessdate=2008-01-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501062433/http://www.yuku.com/home/ezboardhome |archivedate=May 1, 2008 }}

ezboard switched all its boards to Yuku.{{when|date=September 2017}}

On September 8, 2011, Yuku was acquired by CrowdGather, Inc.{{cite web |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/crowdgather-grows-monthly-traffic-by-50-through-purchase-of-yukucom-2011-09-08 | title=CrowdGather Grows Monthly Traffic by 50% Through Purchase of Yuku.com | work=MarketWatch | date=September 8, 2011 | url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926112240/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/crowdgather-grows-monthly-traffic-by-50-through-purchase-of-yukucom-2011-09-08 |archive-date=September 26, 2011 }} The acquisition included all legacy ezboard domains.{{cite web | title=CrowdGather Press Release | website=Phx.corporate-ir.net | date=September 8, 2011 | url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=203349&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1604959&highlight= | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713154137/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=203349&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1604959&highlight= | archive-date=July 13, 2012 | url-status=dead }}

ezboard was written in Smalltalk VisualWorks 3.1 by Vanchau Nguyen with Jay O'Connor.{{cite web | title=The World at Your Fingertips: Starting an Online Community Is "ez!" | website=www.mojowire.com | url=http://www.mojowire.com/EzBoard-EnterpriseLinuxMag.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905100346/http://www.mojowire.com/EzBoard-EnterpriseLinuxMag.html | archive-date=September 5, 2012 | url-status=dead }} There was no database used on the back-end, but instead a built-in flat-file object-oriented datastore (BOSS) which together with the overall power of the Smalltalk language made the code fast and compact for the time.

ezboard used a flat file system consisting of binary objects. It had no relational database. Attempts were made to migrate the database to a traditional RDBMS but attempts failed because they were too slow. ezboard was an early form of a NoSQL style database as the objects were essentially JSON type data (key-value pairs). The flat files were stored in deep nested directory structures{{cite web | title=BOSS Checksum? | work=Google Groups | url=http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.lang.smalltalk/browse_thread/thread/1a4e1989c5cd6f0/0ddd572dac234449? | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710154554/http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.lang.smalltalk/browse_thread/thread/1a4e1989c5cd6f0/0ddd572dac234449? | archive-date=July 10, 2012 | url-status=dead }}

Ezboard's creator, Vanchau Nguyen, said he had "bet his company, and his future, on Cincom Smalltalk". He also mentions ezboard's userbase, listed as having nearly 20 million registered users.{{cite web | title=ezboard.com | website=Cincom.com | url=http://www.cincom.com/common/success-stories/profiles/ezboarddetail.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023063225/http://www.cincom.com/common/success-stories/profiles/ezboarddetail.html | archive-date=October 23, 2006 | url-status=dead }}

Kep C. Kepler was the 1st CIO and director of technology.

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Internet|San Francisco Bay Area}}

• [http://www.yuku.com/ Yuku home page]

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