Ning-based social networks

My friends in the Vancouver (and abroad) tech/social media communities have been creating a number of social networks using Ning.com. I’ve tested the framework and I’m registered in several of them (for example, the Social Media Club Education network, which is relevant to what I do professionally both as an academic and as a social media enthusiast). I consider myself computer-savvy enough to know when I’m doing something wrong and when the framework is just not being friendly to me. I think this is a case of the latter.

Duane was suggesting that I should just install BuddyPress (and seeing as the creator of BuddyPress is a good friend of mine, Duane’s suggestion is actually quite a good idea – I feel confident that if I need any help, I can ask either Duane or Andy Peatling), but I’m just wondering why the proliferation of Ning-based social networks. Frankly, the framework sort of annoys me.

1) I can’t seem to be able to integrate it with all my other networks. Thus I have to manually add friends and ask them to add me to the network.

2) The previous problem also leads me to wonder how I can integrate my social networks across (for example, the League of Kickass Business People network with Social Media Club Education).

Argh. One day I might become a hermit and abandon all social networking sites