LOL I hope most people aren't going to act surprised at Mii integration. I'd expect when you make your Nintendo Network account, it's going to tell you to make a Mii that's attached to it. Same as how avatars work on Xbox Live now, really.
Edit: I would not be surprised if underneath your NNID name, there's still a numeric "friend code". The real problem with that system was never the fact that there was a number. Inside the system, your XBL tag and PSN name are just strings of numbers too, you know.
The REAL problem was always that Nintendo did not allow people to send friend requests through the system itself, to other users. That those people could then accept and reciprocate. This was all because Nintendo seemed terrified of building an online system where "strangers can message your children on their Nintendo family entertainment unit". If you recall, even the official Nintendo forums (while they lasted) had warnings on them: do not post and exchange your Friend Code on the forum where the public can see it. They even parroted an official Nintendo PR line about "only exchanging friends codes to people you know in person". Nintendo distanced themselves as far as possible from pop culture myths and fears about the Internet.
Anyway, the entire setup led to the awkward, impossible to maintain, situation of everyone having to use friends code exchange threads, google spreadsheets, and entire websites devoted just to letting people synch up. It was indeed ridiculous.
It might actually be a benefit if the NNID system allows you to have both a name, and a visible account number - then allows you to pick whatever name you want even if it's a duplicate. Some online systems are using this more frequently - pick whatever name you wish, then have an ID number attached that clarifies who you are. The big thing though, is if the network allows for normal friend requests and friends list, direct friend messaging (we know it does that already at least), and so forth.
What I'm expecting, is when they reveal the system in full there's going to be a giant setup pane of parental controls that goes out of its way to emphasis what parents should help their children set up their Nintendo account. Which lets parents turn off manual acceptance of friend requests and receiving messages from people who are not on your friends list. Wouldn't be surprised to see a queue where a parent must input a PIN number to then authorize friend requests that have been sent to Lil' Timmy.
