Agreed on both, Rob.
Wordpress is getting strange, I read. Haven't talked to Robert for a long time.
Discord, or other platforms are an option. What made the HZ great was being outside the corporate platforms. That was a long time ago.
But this stuff is increasingly beyond my ken.
Towards the second point: invite people. I do, now and again, just have a read, I think you'd have fun. I know the doorman.
With your moderator powers, you can get them in.
Which is what ruined the Zone in my opinion. Registration, firstly; then that registration not working.
Perhaps to be discussed on Community?