As for your suggestions: that all seems quite doable. Developing the message board has shown how to get other plugins working with i18n search and a definite hierarchical structure between categories->forums->topics->posts.
I've got a hefty to-do list that's piled up now with promises made to a bunch of people (including things from another different forum which I need to get back to just on principle xD), so this will go on the pile (likely with Oleg's StarRating plugin request - both are certainly within my scope to achieve and just require the time/patience).
Can you also specify exactly what features you would expect in the categories/products/options pages? (to get the planning stage bulletproof at least)
I've got a hefty to-do list that's piled up now with promises made to a bunch of people (including things from another different forum which I need to get back to just on principle xD), so this will go on the pile (likely with Oleg's StarRating plugin request - both are certainly within my scope to achieve and just require the time/patience).
Can you also specify exactly what features you would expect in the categories/products/options pages? (to get the planning stage bulletproof at least)