I was using Facebook just now and thought that if the Buddy List was expanded/more visible that it could be linked to a bar [yeah yeah, like Facebook] at the bottom of the window so you can chat to favored users on the forum in private conversations, divided aross the boxes aross the bar, like tabs.

It may, and should be possible, to link up the Shoutbox to Buddy System and work with it that way.

Just a thought.