Why not create a tek syndicate IRC?
For the kiddies, IRC or Internet Relay Chat is the still widely used grandpa of IM. The conversations are generally cached on a server but if they're not it's just an exchange of packets, if you want to know what's going on you have to be connected... This offers "privacy", live discussions and a bigger sense of community, you feel more connected to people you can send and receive message in a split second than in a forum, *IMO.
With IRC, real conversations can be done with really low "latency". If you still don't understand what IRC is, you can refer to Twitchtv's chat, because it is IRC. IRC can't really replace a forum though, but it can serve of a complement to the general discussions section and isolate possible flame wars :p.
In IRC you don't need to register, you choose a username and can change it on the fly but you can of course claim one. Others can't use it, they need a password that you define. You only need an IRC client, I let you the priviledge to google and find your favorite IRC client. They are lots of them, for Windows, Linux, OSX, phones, webapps,... Some are customisable: weechat, irssi,... others are not, it's all about choice!
What do you guy's think about IRC, would you want to set up one for Tek Syndicate ?