Considering upgrade, need input

[GOTHAMMARKETING]

Howdy, guys. I've been a VB user for a number of years, but my last license was for 3.6.8, and I'm thinking about upgrading. There are some things I'd like to do to "go commercial' and would like your feedback to see what my options are.

Presently my site is driven by voluntary subscriptions at $10/year which offer increased PM storage, image upload, and some other things that are not available to non-subscribing members.

I'd like to open my forum to vendor-sponsors and give each of them their own sub-forum, along with installing iTrader, and some other plugins. The goal, obviously, is to take a 7000 member forum from 'free' to something that can, after seven years, finally generate some revenue for me.

For example, perhaps a game gallery, banner and/or opt-in email promotional campaigns, and other things of that sort would possibly be of interest to the community.

Please feel free to suggest any ideas or additions, but especially I'd like to hear comments on whether or not VB4.x is a sensible step, or if it's additional cost without incremental benefit.

Thanks in advance!