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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1314 Posts |
 Posted - 23/07/2026 : 16:23:58
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Many of you have probably wondered how the Norway Heritage project has been progressing. Over the past few years, I have shared my concerns about the project's future and explored various options for ensuring its long-term survival. I now feel that the time has come to provide an update.
During the past two years, I have been working on both a short-term and a long-term solution. The short-term work has focused on a number of modest improvements to the search functionality and the overall presentation of the website.
Behind the scenes, however, I have been working on a much larger modernization project that will fundamentally transform the functionality of the site. Rather than simply updating an aging website, the goal has been to build a new platform designed to support future development for many years to come. As a result, Norway Heritage is no longer at risk of being discontinued. Instead, it is entering a new chapter with a modernized and revitalized platform.
Although the new platform is not quite ready yet, I wanted to let our loyal visitors know that a major update is approaching. It will affect many parts of the website and introduce significant improvements to both its features and usability. While the site may feel a little different at first, I am confident that the changes will provide a much better experience for both new and returning visitors.
While the website itself is evolving, the principles on which Norway Heritage was founded remain unchanged. The project will continue to provide free access to historical information whenever possible and to serve as a trusted, community-driven resource where knowledge about Norwegian emigration, genealogy, and maritime history can be preserved, shared, and continually enriched through research and collaboration. Preserving this history and making it accessible to future generations remains at the heart of everything I do.
The internet is changing rapidly. Social media has transformed the way people discover and share information, and artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how historical knowledge is searched, interpreted, and presented. These developments create both new opportunities and new challenges for independent websites like Norway Heritage.
More than ever, I believe there is value in maintaining a trusted, carefully curated resource where information is based on original research, documented sources, and the contributions of researchers, family historians, and visitors from around the world. My ambition is not only to preserve Norway Heritage, but to ensure that it continues to serve as a reliable gateway to the history of Norwegian emigration in this new digital landscape.
Many of you have shown remarkable patience and understanding while some of the website's technical features have not always performed as well as I would have liked over the past few years. Rather than investing extensive time and resources in maintaining an aging platform, I chose to focus on developing a long-term solution that will provide a much stronger foundation for the future. I sincerely appreciate your continued support throughout this process.
Thank you once again for your encouragement, your contributions, and your continued support over the years. Norway Heritage has always been more than just a website, it is a shared project built by a community of people with a common interest in preserving the history of Norwegian emigration. I look forward to welcoming you to the next chapter of Norway Heritage.
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Børge Solem |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9991 Posts |
Posted - 23/07/2026 : 16:57:21
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| Exciting times ahead! |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4968 Posts |
Posted - 25/07/2026 : 20:02:18
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Where is the like button when you need it?
Found it! 
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Edited by - jwiborg on 28/07/2026 12:33:13 |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1314 Posts |
Posted - 19/10/2026 : 16:03:38
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Norway Heritage: A New Chapter Is About to Begin:
A few months ago, I wrote that a major update of Norway Heritage was approaching. That day has now almost arrived. After a long period of development and preparation, the new website is nearly ready to launch. This marks an important step in securing the future of Norway Heritage. Although much of the new platform is already in place, some features are still under development. I have decided to move forward with the launch rather than delay the transition until every detail is complete. There will therefore be a period of adjustment, and I hope you will bear with me while the remaining improvements are made.
Twenty-Five Years of Research Preserved:
One of my main priorities has been to preserve the extensive collection of knowledge built up by members of the Norway Heritage community over the past 25 years.
The entire forum archive is being transferred to the new platform, including more than 7,000 topics, and over 70,000 replies. Nothing is being left behind. The discussions, research findings, and contributions made by thousands of visitors over the years will remain available, just as they always have been. Most existing links to forum discussions and other pages on Norway Heritage will automatically redirect to their corresponding locations on the new website.
A Short Pause During the Transition:
To ensure that no contributions are lost during the final transfer, the existing forum will temporarily be closed to new registrations and posts. It will also not be possible to leave comments elsewhere on the website during this period. This temporary closure is necessary to complete the migration of the most recent discussions and comments, ensuring that everything is transferred correctly to the new platform. The forum archive will remain available for reading throughout the transition. I will announce when posting becomes available again.
Member Accounts and Profiles:
The new forum will initially operate without member login. This means that existing usernames and passwords from the old forum cannot yet be used on the new website. Your old member profiles have not been lost. The membership system is planned for a later stage of development, and the intention is to restore existing member profiles, including registration dates and posting histories.
In the meantime, you will be able to contribute to discussions without logging in. When submitting a post, you will simply be asked to provide your (old) username, e-mail address, and message. If you were a registered member of the old forum, use the same name and e-mail address as before. This will make it easier to associate your new contributions with your existing member profile when the membership system is introduced.
Temporary Moderation of New Posts:
During the initial period following the launch, all new forum posts and comments will require approval before they become visible to other visitors. This means that your contributions will not appear immediately after submission. Depending on how many posts are awaiting review, there may be some delay before they are published. This is intended as a temporary arrangement while the new platform is being established and the remaining forum functions are completed. My intention is to return to a more immediate posting process as soon as it is practical to do so. I appreciate your patience and understanding during this period.
Privacy and Older Forum Content:
As part of the migration, I have also taken steps to improve the protection of personal information (GDPR) contained in older forum discussions. E-mail addresses and telephone numbers that were included in old posts will no longer be displayed publicly. If you come across personal information or other content in an older discussion that you believe should be removed, please contact me.
Some Things May Look Different:
Moving more than 70,000 replies and thousands of discussions from a forum system developed many years ago to a completely new platform is a substantial undertaking. Although considerable effort has gone into preserving the original content, you may encounter some formatting issues in older posts. For example, old smiley codes or quotation markers may appear as plain text, and some links or images may no longer work because the original external websites have disappeared. These issues will be addressed gradually where possible. If you come across something that appears to be broken or incorrectly displayed, I would appreciate hearing about it.
Looking Ahead:
The new forum is only one part of a much broader modernization of Norway Heritage. Additional features and improvements will be introduced as development continues, and I hope the new platform will make it easier to explore historical information, contribute research, and share knowledge with others. While the technology and appearance of the website are changing, the underlying principles remain the same. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the forum over the years, whether by asking questions, sharing research, helping others, or simply following the discussions. Thank you for your continued support, patience, and understanding. I look forward to welcoming you to the new Norway Heritage. |
Børge Solem |
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An Update on the Future of Norway Heritage
