It appears PPBB will not close down. The folks on that board are discussing ways right now to modernize the software and provide a more dependable funding source. It has been a very active board (I would guess a couple of hundred posts a day - maybe more). Admittedly, because of its format, it requires more than the occasional visit to "get it". It is more socially oriented than technical - although there are certainly technical issues discussed "ad nauseum". It has also spawned a number of annual or more frequent events around the country - such as the Blue Ridge Boxster Summit. For those of us addicted to it, it would be a great loss.
Lawdevil Mike