Alternatives to Microcosm

Im looking a solution for my webbased community, Ideally it would have some kind of forum linked to a events feature.

Eg: exactly what Microcosm would have offered.

I wondered if there any recommened alteratives now Microcosm is not taking new users?
Willing to pay for the service, ideally cloud based.

Would consider a two solution option if forum and events can't be simply combined.
Currently considering facebook just due to the ease of implimentation.

Any ideas or suggestions welcome espcially with regards to managing events.

@Velocio is the head honcho on ere who developed microcosm. he sure knows what alternatives there are

Microcosm is still taking new sites on.

But... this is on a voluntary basis by me as I'm running the instance that hosts the early customers of Microcosm and maintaining it for them and LFGSS alike.

Alternatives... still none.

But if you're talking other people's software:

• Facebook Groups
  
• Google+
  
  

If you're talking self-hosted or VPS rented:

• Discourse (with a couple of plugins for events)
  
• vBulletin
  
• Vanilla (with a load of plugins for everything)
  
  

Microcosm remains fairly unique unfortunately... a forum plus events is still only really answered by this product. Facebook and Google+ get you close but you don't control the space in which it operates or anything about it. The other forum products don't scratch the surface.

What is the audience? What are the requirements?

I'm fine with taking on new sites if I talk with the community leader/owner first to make sure you know the limitations, when costs kick in, etc.

I take on small sites for free. Large sites I haven't yet charged except for all custom work and extensions (which are commissioned by the large site and made available to all, i.e. Rapha paid for the addition of sub-forums). Sites without bespoke work I only take on for a regular(-ish) donation to the costs. So far that figure has been very affordable, but these have all been non-profit communities.

Its a smallish site; 200 members.
Non profit sports club.

What are the future plans for Microcosm, is there ongoing support development?
The parent company of our current solution is now insolvent and looks like the service will be closed down or sold off.

I want to reassure my club members any new solution isn't about to disappear also.
Currently looking at moving to FB as a stop gap solution.

Also looking at Teamer.
Does anyone have any experience of them?
http://teamer.net/

Does creating a meetup group match your needs? Has a few more functions than FB.
https://www.meetup.com/

What are the future plans for Microcosm, is there ongoing support development?

It will continue to exist, and is having ongoing development to keep it relevant, for the foreseeable future (up to 5 years at least).

It's open source, and the key thing is that the instance on which LFGSS and the other microcosm sites is running is able to sustain itself financially. It is doing this through donations. For as long as it is financially viable in a self-supporting non-profit way, it will exist.

Improvements are being made to make it cheaper to run, and if it ever did look like it would shut down you would have access to the software (you do already, but it's hard to install today) and could then install your own version.

If you're in any way uncomfortable with this, go for Facebook and nothing else. If you're cool with what Microcosm is today, and OK about the worst case being to install the software yourself, then feel free to run a site on here, for the size you mention it would be free but donations are welcome.

Thanks for the update on the situation.

Currently im excited by mightybell, its similar to slack but with inbuilt event and activity feeds.
Hope it will give users an alternative to moving interactions off into the dark of whatsapp.

Will push for Microcosm if they want somthing more familiar and forum based.

Found a free alternative in https://sportmember.co.uk. It's so functional and easy, fantastic for communication, day-to-day tasks and managing bigger tasks within the club. Makes the job easier for all the volunteers, treasurer(s) and especially the chairman.

Do you work for them?