Yep, you're missing something. The forum suports an internal mail feature that will manage a mailbox for each user. It is not addressable from outside (I don't think) but if you click the send-private mail button you will get a page that looks very much like the post message page that I am typing this into. Enter your message there and next time the intended user logs on they will be notified that they have mail by a flashing envelope in the menu-bar. If they click on the flashing envelope they will be taken to their mailbox and be able to read the personal message. It is not accessable to anyone else in the forum (Other than perhaps to the administrators) except you (only during your edit / creation of it) and the intended reciepient (or at least the user of that account on the forum.)