Then I remembered this post, so I checked it out. But the thing is, it seems like it isn't only links listed as a backlink on every page, as none of the link: searches for sites linked to from the home page has phpBB listed as a backlink. As phpBB has a PR of 9/10 now, that is pretty significant.
If Google has manually stop them passing on PageRank, I am a is a bit unfair, I am a little bit peeved. I know selling PageRank is a hot issue, but the notion that a free software site like phpBB could lose a % of their money making possibilites because of a decision like this from Google is bad news. phpBB got their PageRank by providing a product for free, and I am sure phpBB have no idea that selling PR exists, and they seem to have just been caught in the crossfire on this occasion.
As for the issue in general of certain links not counting, Ammon @ Cre8 made a good suggestion (on a semi-related topic). Rather than linking straight to your site from the footer, which may not be a totally "related content" link, why not have the link point to a page, on the original site, detailing your input. You could then link from this page to your own site, as many times as you like.
This should work well for the three of you at the bottom of the forums, Scottie, as you could have a page about your role here, and link that through to your own site, and as many subpages as you like.
That might solve this "I can't believe its not a problem" nicely
