Ask YC: How do I message another user?
Why no private messaging? I always seem to have to play internet sleuth, just so send a simple private 'email me lets talk privately about ...'
Otherwise the reddit guys and other high profile guys who post on here would get constant emails from people with great ideas which they just know, will make them MILLIONS!
It can be frustrating trying to contact someone privately on here without an email account listed, but I understand that (the more recognized) people here might not want to have their emails open for the unwashed masses, but a PM system would work around that, but the people here are smart enough that they could create and post an unused secondary email address, but users can always comment asking for contact info or submitting theirs...
...it basically goes in these logic circles forever. I'm fine with leaving it the way it is (save a few modifications to the profile screen so that the users know email addresses aren't publicized), that way, if someone does contact me, I'll know that they know their way around Google and the rest of the internet, and that pre-qualifies them :)
That said, it would be nice to have a note on the profile page indicating that addresses in the email field are not displayed publicly.
I like the idea of pre-qualifying people who are willing to put in a bit of effort but some text in the registration form would probably be helpful to any new users.