Why not take the phpbb source code as a base and write a native version of phpbb that installs as a seamless joomla component. Get decent joomla forum on the go. Fireboard is a load of bug ridden crap and with virtually no support from the developers.

Mainly because I don't have the massive amount of time available to rewrite phpbb into a Joomla Component.

There used to be a Joomla Component that was based on phpbb2... WebSmurf coded it... but I think it got to be too much... as each time phpbb updated for a security fix then his component likely needed a similar upgrade.

phpbb3 and phpbb2 each have their own massive code base. Which has tons of potential for conflicts. I know of a few CSS, script, and php function conflicts, but I would guess that a full fledged integration into a component would reveal a few more...

I read somewhere that phpbb was going to become fully integrated into joomla 1.5. I guess this is wrong?

I had not heard that. Closest thing I had heard was the Joomla and phpbb had "teamed up" if you will... leading to the RokBridge from RoketWorx (spelling?).

I have taken a brief peek at a earlier release... at least in that version I did not see much that it could do over CB Connector... Although I can't claim to have studied it too thoroughly... quick 1 to 2 hours glance at source code max... have not even installed it anywhere yet to verify anything. I plan to do a more thorough review as they get closer to a final release...

ahh maybe thats it they teamed up with the aim to eventually integrate, I cant exactly remember where I read it. it was on some non joomla based web development forum. I was at college at the time so never booked marked it.