Given that some like drop-downs, and some feel that the sidebar gets too long without then (always seems shorter than the main part to me, but still if some like it...), how about this? Leave the menus as they are now (if that's what is wanted) but add a feature to My Preferences that allows a Registered User to add a few Forums as normal hard links to the side menu. About 5 or 6 or so should cater for most. Then only those who really want hard links need be "bothered" by them, and they can all be in one place even if they come from several pull-downs - and just those that at important to that individual. If vertical space is an issue - shouldn't be, but if - then make the Weblinks part a pull-down too ratehr than links (that one would even make sense because you could display them all at once then).