Yeah, thats basically just a product of the private beta. We struggled with how much to lock down for the private beta. Perhaps you are right though, so we are going to open up the search sections. Ill reply back when its done.
Hah! I always liked the idea of gravatar's but the patterns are so damn ugly. Seemed like a perfect fit for an ugly sweater. Thanks for the compliment.
Looks like a promising idea though. Good luck!