It might be interesting to setup a staging/development server for you to test on, it would prevent downtime and/or a buggy site in the future

Totally agreeeee  

 

Would make things way more efficient 

We've done one major forum version upgrade once in 3 years and it wouldn't really help bring the site back up any faster (considering I was only working on the theme). So a separate test server that would get used once every couple of years wouldn't be really worth it. All the normal botting services were still available. 

18 minutes ago, Alek said:

We've done one major forum version upgrade once in 3 years and it wouldn't really help bring the site back up any faster (considering I was only working on the theme). So a separate test server that would get used once every couple of years wouldn't be really worth it. All the normal botting services were still available. 

You don't need a second server. You need to use either a subdomain or another directory to test the changes on. But the point of ensuring no screw ups by using a test platform are valid. Another IPB RS forum upgraded as well, but they lost avatars and many passwords were changed (how, I have no idea).

Okay, I'll turn the forums offline until every little detail is perfected. 

They're doing their best OK

Who invented the cat door?

Just now, Montana of 300 said:

Who invented the cat door?

So glad you asked!

 

In an apparent early modern example of urban legend, the invention of the pet door was attributed to Isaac Newton (1642–1727) in a story (authored anonymously and published in a column of anecdotes in 1893) to the effect that Newton foolishly made a large hole for his adult cat and a small one for her kittens.