Update 11 January 2010: I heard back from one of the admins over at the support site from the forums and the scripter has had a family emergency he has had to go take care of.  But they are working on a fix for the problem still.  I told them I would much rather have a fix that works and is tested than one that hasn't, and I ohpe everyone agrees with  me there.  Again I am sorry this has taken so long but it is out of my hands at the moment.

Update 06 January 2010:  Please please please read the posts below.  I have people messaging me, dropping notecards on me, leaving me messages here.  All saying they cant see the forums.  Mean while this post has been here since I realized there is a problem. DO  NOT make a new account for the forums.  And please, for my sanity's sake, read the updates here. I will post an update when the forums are back up and running properly.  But if I have to keep logging in and checking IM's and notecards because people are not reading this it is just taking more time away from the other things I need to do on the site and also my own school work.  I've also been asked by several people if Linden Labs has answered my support ticket yet.  As for the answer, no they havent, because Linden Labs does not control our forums nor do they make the software we use for it.  I will say however that the creator is working on a fix and has it in the testing phase right now.  All I am asking is people be patient.  Not having forums for a few days is not the end of the world.

The forums were long over due for a software upgrade so I did that today.

A few things you will notice:

• The color scheme changed.  I might adjust this a bit since it is just one I downloaded from the forums website for now (the starter one was horrible) 
• Everyones birthday is no longer set for you turning 40 on December 31st. I had no clue it was doing that and people kept saying the website says everyone is 40 today and I thought it was some joke someone posted because no one would be specific.  Until Suz messaged anyways.
• There are some generic user icons right now but I will be uploading a few add on packs this weekend.  Though the generic ones have had a few new ones added in the upgrade so if you were using one or just have that plain forum square icon under your name you can change this in your profile under Personality.
• The Latest Posts section on the front of this page has  also been upgraded.  Now when you hover over the post with the mouse you can see a little snipet of the most recent post in the thread.

A few known bugs:

• For some reason in the upgrade  it only added some people to the citizens group. This is the group that allows people to see the forums and the posts. For example CCS-General Discussion. I have a support ticket in for this since there are over 4800 registered users on the website it would take me forever to add you all individually to the citizen group.  I will how ever be doing this in small batches for now until I can get this cleared up with support so please please please be patient with me on this.
•  Developers-I have added those of you whose ID's I know to the developers group on the forums.  If I missed anyone please send me an IM in SL(Stormy Wilde)  with your forum user name and I will get that taken care of ASAP.

Again I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. All I ask is that you be patient with me while I work to fix the problem.

Update Friday, January 01:  As of a few moments ago I just finished speaking witht he creator of the forums.  He is working on a fix for me this weekend and will have it  for me on Monday.  Needless to say for a free product this forums staff has given me better customer service than some paid products I have used.