what exactly happens if I choose the "deactivate my account" option?

We can't emphasize it enough though: it is permanent. There is no going back if you go forward with that.

thanks. how bout private messages in the forum? deleted or only available to admins?

That's a good question, I hadn't actually thought of that. We use phpBB's account de-activation function and wipes the username, but the PMs still remain in the database, so people you have exchanged PMs with who still have accounts will still be able to read them. Regular staff doesn't have access to PMs, regardless of recipient account status.

If you wish an account termination AND PMs hard-deleted, you may contact the webmaster and we can do it manually.

thank you.