what exactly does it do?

I have yet to figure out.

Hmm... appears to work similar to an IM program's buddy list - you put people on it, if they're on the web site, it shows them on the list, and you can PM them.
Probably nothing special about it beyond that... you can pm people just fine without them being on your buddy list... :confused:

It puts the little cross next to their name when they're online and it also makes it easier to send them PMs. :)

I like to use it on bigger boards to keep up with users that have odd names that I can't remember.

ohhhhhhh

that's what that little plus sign means

how does it make it easier to PM them?