As per this discussion over at IPSBeyond:

http://www.ipsbeyond.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26773

Please try and make sure the make_profile_link code is used wherever member names are displayed, so that there is one single location where changes to that HTML would be made to affect member names throughout the forum. As a matter of fact, since it is HTML that is being returned, would it make even more sense to use an All Global HTML skin template for this instead?

I agree, this would make it much easier to change the way the profile links are displayed. Maybe you could even add a similar function for forum and topic links, so we can edit the three most common ones all in one place.

Actually Michael that does make a lot of sense and would make life a lot easier.

Phew, so I'm not crazy after all :)

The ability to more easily integrate presence information (the original thread on IPS Beyond) would be a real bonus here!

ian