Should more forum scripts concentrate on 'network' solutions?

You know, like sharing a memberbase between forums, single sign on (including across domains), etc? Because while IP Connect seems good, it's still not quite what's needed in this day and age for a forum network.

What we really need is software that:

• Lets you log in with the same domain across multiple sites and forums running on different scripts
• Lets you display forum comments on a main site/blog and vice versa
• Shares the same memberbase for multiple sites
• Displays stats and things across a network as well as on an individual site basis
• etc

So why don't more forum developers/script developers focus on that?

 

I agree with that I've not see many (if any) major forum software that incorporates those features into their software. I would imagine they haven't because it would involve a complex setup.

I believe I've seen a WHMCS (billing software) and MyBB bridging plugin that would allow WHMCS customers to log into a MyBB forum using the same username and password. Other than that I've not really seen anything else that has the features you listed. Hopefully in the future that changes though.

 

The problem with this cross-site authentication is that it's complicated to implement - and even more complicated once you consider multiple scripts, with different code structures, as well as the ever-present issue of making your cross-auth system secure.

And the IP Suite does have good integration with other platforms and databases, you just have to know how to implement it.