One small note, and this one irked me when I saw the new forum categories from aptosid...
Why is there a separation between software and hardware? I feel that there are not enough issues that need explicit organization. It also sets the precedent that your issues must clearly be one of the two to get real support, or your problem is unwanted.
Maybe we can consolidate to a General Support category and grow the categories as we notice patterns? For instance, if we're getting a lot of questions and ideas about the kernel, create a category named 'Kernel' so that this new spontaneous niche now has a place to call home.
The general support would be the catch all and all the other categories would exist accordingly to growth and interest. Remember, you can always add new categories, but it's a pain in the butt to consolidate correctly if you wait too long.
However, I could also be completely wrong here. Maybe someone can tell me why the forums are set up this way,