I'm going to chime in.
I'm a "noob" to this board - mostly because I came across it at the recommendation of one of the members here who is also a member of "my" board.
I'm a "super moderator" there, which basically means, I have no rights, but can do some things
Currently, in the Porsche world, there are two well-known boards that *I* know of - this one and Rennlist. In the BMW world, there are about 8. All have their little niche focus.
One board attracts that non-owner, asthetic interested, pseudo-knowledgable, while the other attracts the well-traveled, expert, etc.
Bimmer.org...who knows who they attract
All your points are on the mark about what really makes a board worth coming back to:
People, advice, interest.
I'd like to think that our board (having BARELY seen this one) is akin to the most technically minded board you'll ever run across for BMW's. We have the likes of Jim Conforti stopping by for visits, BMW mechanics, Forced Induction experts, guys who've taken the pain to machine new pistons, etc.
For those interested -
www.bimmerforums.com