When we at Boards HQ first talked about the idea of a blog for Boards.ie, several questions surfaced. “Why? We’re not a blogging site. We run forums. Why would we need a blog? Are those my shoes?” And so on.
Debate raged about the topics we could have, the authors we’d choose, the design scheme we’d implement, the tone of the thing. “Would it be a business blog only? Would it just be rehashing content from the forum? Would anyone actually read it? If they’re not my shoes, whose are they?”
It took me a while to get my head around some of the questions. Boards.ie is such a huge community website, would it be possible to encapsulate all of what’s going on in one place? Of course not. There’s such a vast amount of information, interaction and general inter-personal communication that Boards.ie has gone far past just a bigger forum for Quake players to talk on that it started out as and has become a community of communities.
So why not then a community “bulletin”?
I grew up in rural Kilkenny and every weekend the local scouts issued their clip art laden parish bulletin. Who’s doing well in the local GAA? Who won the raffle in Mick Doyle’s? Congratulations to Mary who did well in her exams. Paddy Murphy has a few hay bales to sell; Mrs Moloney would like to thank all those who came to visit her in hospital; the family of Josie O’ Brien thanks all who comforted them in their recent loss; there’s a field day – with bouncy castle – next Sunday. It didn’t get everything that was going on in the parish, but it got a lot. It told people things and made people talk.
Similarly, there’s no way that we can get all of Boards.ie into one blog – in May 2009 according to Ireland Metrix, we had over 1.49 million unique visitors to the site. However, the idea is to take parts of it. Forums you may not have known about. Events for Boards.ie members. Interviews, exhibitions, results, announcements, offers and sure maybe the odd competition or two. Oh, and yes, bouncy castles.
So, welcome to this, the first official blog for Boards.ie. We hope you’ll find it entertaining, if not informative. Your input is welcome, your suggestions appreciated and your feedback vital. Let’s talk 
First post!
Yay!