BuddyPress.org

If one uses both a separate standalone, and the built-in Buddypress forum, then does not one adds is yet another complication/confusion as regards searchability … or rather the lack of searchability … typical of WPMU/BP installs!?!

And is left faces the uphill struggle of skinning it all to match?

Let’s face it … the universal consensus or feedback is that it would be better to allow the creation of forums independent of groups.

I have not read one voice in support of enforcing groups for forums and cannot see the purpose in doing so.