In actuality, you don't need to activate it in paypal and here is the reason why i haven't done so.

i have multiple IPN locations and paypal IPN activation sets you up for one site address.

it also doesn't let you just activate it and leave the site blank, sooo you're kinda screwed there.

you'd be ok, if you're receiving all the goods from one URL however..

i leave it 'deactivated', but paypal plays nice with ubbthreads and responds to the proper URL, because Ricks interface tells it where to respond to.. this has been tested to work fine on 5 7.3.1 sites i am involved with..

just my 2c