well, I realised that was the case, so I changed the ID and the method names (in the plugin and the js) using Notepad++ to do a find replace so I did not miss any. It DOES work - it refreshed - it just refreshed it in an unusual way
Its probably my portal layout - I need to revisit it really, its a phantasmagoria of nested tables and unused css (made it a long time ago

).
BUT - exciting news(ish) - I have a client!! Well, not a real client - will be paid in beers, but its a website I am making for a friends wedding. I am using mybb and XThreads and page manager and some of the scriptaculous you showed me to help me along and its looking pretty nice (IMO). So I am really busy with that right now, sort of neglecting LeeFish.nl a little bit while I get this done.....
A notifications feature so that they can see that their name has been mentioned in a post etc would of course be uberslick (hint)
After I have finished this site I have a request for you to help me out with a really COOL downloads tracker graphical display thingy that will just blow your socks off. I just need some help to get my (working) code INTO mybb....
Re XThreads and MYNetwork - well, as you can guess I am TERRIFIED of "breaking" LeeFish by trying to force XThreads 1.4 onto it - especially as I am busy with my client (am really proud) and can't give it the full attention it deserves - but once I have this out of the way then I will have another go at upgrading to 1.4.