Pretty cool guide. I'd have to disagree about the tabs thing though. Tabs are fine as long as you don't have say, more than 10. If you get some friends to help you post some HQ content in each of the sections so it's not bare before launch, it can work out.
Nice tips. I find that far too many forums copy the big successful forums, thinking that because somewhere else does it and it works, they can copy that layout. Doesn't work like thank goodness.