Here is something cool you can use.

Lets say you are in the forum and see one of your buddies is logged in. (look at the bottom of the main page, it lists all currently logged in users)

If they are logged in and you want to send them a message immediately, without making a normal posting and waiting for them to find your post, you can send them an instant message.

You can do this either directly from a posting your buddy made, or from the main page listing who is logged in right now.

From the main page click on the user name, this will show you the users profile.  At the bottom of the profile you will see "Send this member a private message".  Click this link and you will be able to send an instant message.

If you are somewhere in the forum looking at a posting you will see three small icons on the far left of the posting.  They look like, a house, a file folder and a piece of paper in a folder (I think).  Put you mouse over the icon and it will tell you what it does. The piece of paper icon will let you send the person who posted the message a private instant message.

The member you send the message to will see the message: "Hey, RedMan, you have 1 Message." in the upper right hand corner of their screen.

So check there for messages people send to you.

It also works when people are not logged in and notifies them next time they come into the forum that you left them a message.

Now you can chat real time privately.

Ride on.....