I agree completely with this (in fact I was intending to post this very same suggestion
.
Although some contribs are for special purposes, many are general-purpose enhancements, to the point of being almost essential. Bringing these into the core will make the distro that much more useful and impressive from the start.
There's also potential for conflict with loads of optional contribs, especially if they add into templates-custom. If two contribs customise the same template, you're in trouble!
I appreciate there's loads to do with the project, but this one could add a lot of value with relatively minimal development effort.
BTW I'm on the volunteers list - have I just talked myself into something