We have rolled out several updates to EmechNET Services to make channel registration clearer, easier to track, and more transparent for users.

The biggest change is the new application-style registration process for X channel registrations. Instead of every eligible request being completed immediately, new X registrations now go through an application flow.

When a user requests X / S / F for a channel, Services will create an application for that channel. The application records the requesting account, the channel involved, and the current review status. Staff can then review the request through the Services Portal and either approve or reject it.

If the application is approved, X is added to the channel and the registration is completed. If it is rejected, the request is closed, and the channel will not be registered at that time. Users can still see the result of their own applications, and channel notices will provide the relevant application link when needed.

This system lets Services handle channel registration in a more controlled and consistent way. It also gives staff better visibility over active registration requests, objections, and review history, without exposing the exact internal registration criteria publicly. The criteria remain private so the system cannot be easily gamed, but users should expect normal, established, legitimate channels to have the best chance of approval.

We have also added channel logs inside the Services Portal. These logs give channel owners and authorised users a clearer view of important service-side activity affecting their channels. This makes it easier to understand what changed, when it changed, and which service action was involved. The goal is to reduce confusion around channel administration and give users better historical visibility without needing to ask staff for every detail.

Also a NEW chanflag (+q) NOPURGE, which can only be set by admins for specific channels that they don't want to be purged, suspended or expire.

Finally, the home page now includes a Latest Channels section. This highlights recently registered or newly active channels on the network, helping users discover where activity is forming. It is intended to make the network feel more alive and make it easier for communities to be found once they start growing.

Together, these updates improve how channels are registered, reviewed, managed, and discovered across EmechNET. The Services Portal is becoming the central place for users to manage their accounts, follow their applications, review channel activity, and keep track of what is happening across the network.