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So I went ahead and installed BuddyPress, which is a really comprehensive solution for managing user communities within the WordPress framework. It’s my hope that I’ll be able to bring the forum into the site proper, using BuddyPress’ implementation of the bbPress forum technology…although I’m still researching ways to import from phpBB to bbPress, admittedly. Still, it’s the ultimate goal, barring a new release of WP-United.

Here’s what’s changed in the immediate sense:

1) User registrations happen in a different form, and now include email and username checking. An invitation code is still required, though.

2) User avatars are handled directly by BuddyPress, rather than another plugin; if you uploaded a different avatar previously, you’ll have to do so again. (Sorry!)

And best of all, user profile management is now handled through a sexy little menu bar (with dropdown submenus!) that floats merrily at the top of the window.

Anyhow, I would encourage you all to experiment with it; it supposedly supports such things as status updates, intra-profile messaging using Twitter’s @username convention, friend-making, and suchlike. Hopefully, it all works as advertised. Bear in mind, also, that as yet templates for different functions and Buddypress pages aren’t finalized, and I’m open to recommendations regarding layouts.