Email through forum software

What option do you guys use? Just a simple email through the php function or do you use the smtp relays? I find the smtp relays work better because they don't get flagged as much as spam for hotmail or other email providers.

How do you guys do it?

 

I occasionally do text emails from the users -> send email to users function, and also have a copy of geek gazette that was donated to one of my forums,

-Raymond