i'm guessing everyone is just chit-chatting in the forums anyway nowadays, so most probally don't see a point to going to a specific chatting forum,

like someone may see someone in a thread, they may not of spoken to for a while, and just say hello to them while the thread continues, everyone sees the conversation, but if it seems too private or not accessable to others then they just ignore it and carry on with the topic, while the two friends may have a chat, somewhere along the line someone may add to a comment made during that chat and then it expands, while others remain strictly on topic.

just seems a bit friendlier to me, i like thread drift, ( i'm one of the main causers of thread drift probally, Haha ) and i think right now it is working out well, no one is being too serious, good advice is still being passed on which either works out or not, and frustations end up becoming light hearted after a bit of banter, and the thread starters either end up finding a solution or end up laughing off the problem that they had in the first place.

i have noticed that members that are being a bit too serious nowadays don't tend to get any response to the thread they started, as they either can't take a joke, or snap back at the person advising them, with a "i already tried that!!!!!!!!!" type stuff.

so i think right now that a chat forum would seem, to me at least, a bit segregated from everyone else, and by being in there, you ain't where the party's at.

good advice, encouragement, banter, and chit-chat is all over all the forums everyday.

private converstaions can still be sent through site mail.