To answer the question at the end, IMO, we don't need it. There are already a gazillion blogging and message board sites out there that anyone can join - and Usenet has been there for over 25 years as well. I see little use for "reusing the Brainking discussion board system to build a stand alone site". It will be a like a grain of sand in a desert. Now if Brainkings discussion board system has some unique features there might be a point - but it doesn't (and, being a discussion board system for a site that's mostly a game site - it doesn't need them).

Now, for those who might say, "but it will be closely tied to Brainking" - I say, read Fencers post again. The entire point is to have it *not* closely tied to Brainking, to avoid any possible negative feedback. If it would be closely tied to Brainking, there wouldn't be a point to separate if from Brainking.