The polling feature is excellent. They also have some other good features (at least I like them), you can rate the post and if it gets a high enough rating it will move up on the board. Replies to a post will also move it to the top so that a post that has scrolled off will go back to the top if the thread continues. Registration (membership) can be optional but full features are reserved for members. Of course there are pros and cons on all the features.

They also have html shortcuts and on the profile page you can set a personal logo, an html signature and a personal link. The total number of posts by a member is included on each message and on the member profile. The member profile also links the last ten posts by the member. Bells and whistles like emoticons are interesting but maybe a little frivilous for our august group.

Many boards have form fields for links and images and I think that is a very good idea. I have just about memorized the simpler html codes but many of our posters are still not using html.

I frequent a sports board that is on the EZboard format but none of this is required to keep me around here. It is interesting though and it reflects the rising popularity of forums to exchange ideas and conversation.