Virtual Online Communities:
The Exploration of Community Existence Online
Some Online Resources for Virtual Communities
http://www.concentric.net/~Astorm/
http://www.behavior.net/mhn/bolforum/message/32
http://www.shassan.com/
http://www.grohol.com/
http://www.netaxs.com/~jamesiii/papers.htm
http://www.cybersites.com/info/communities.html (Cyber Sites Virtual Communities)
I enjoyed this site for it was a mother
site which connected to the described sites as such:
3DNation.com: A chat area for
computer graphic enthusiasts.
Fixer Upper.com: A site for
discussing home improvements.
SciFiSites.com:
A Community for science fiction fans.
ThePeopleSpeak.com: A chat area
to debate politics.
AncientSites.com:
An area to discuss ancient history.
CommunitySites.com: An area
to discuss which virtual communities should be launched next.
These sites offer a wide array of virtual communities as you have already experienced, I hope. On the mother site, "Cyber Sites Virtual Communities," their is also the possibility of finding a Media Room and A chance to discuss topics with the creators of this site. I was impressed with the 3DNation.com chat area, for the community members offered many resolutions to questions I had about image creation and location. I believe anyone who is interested in online communities will find these sites extremely useful and diverse.
What are Virtual Communities?
"A virtual community as they exist
today is a group of people who may or may not meet one another face to face, and who
exchange words and ideas through the mediation of computer bulletin boards and
networks," believes Howard Rheingold
author of A Slice of Life in My Virtual Community.
Virtual Communities, consist of but are not limited to, (real time) chat areas or (non-real time) bulletin boards where users have the ability to converse with one another through a sort of "keyboard conversation" on the net. This simply means that more than two people are communicating at one time by means of typing their thoughts out and sharing them on the same screen that the other participants are viewing (simultaneously in chat rooms or by delayed response through newsgroups or forums). "Interaction can range from a private talk among four friends in a chat room to an ongoing conversation among hundreds of people who share a common interest." as mentioned in Building Online Communities. Moderators are a big part of this operation in that they keep disruptive behavior out and make sure users find the rooms they are interested in. They also set the tone for conversation to make sure everything runs smoothly in chat rooms.
The purpose of Virtual Communities is to entertainment, sell business, establish news, promote health etc. Some chat areas like excite's Talk City offer chat areas in finance, current events, health and recovery and so on. This area is plastered with ad's that people can click on which leads me to believe that this is one way to promote business in chat related sites. Also, when one takes part in a chat room discussion it is usually common to see advertising by other chat members trying to sell their own product or web site by listing the site's address.
Chat rooms, MUD's (multi-user domains) and the such are used mostly for entertainment. Chat rooms are areas on the net where users are able to join a separate room (usually labeled by titles in different areas of sports, music, and hobbies etc.) that enables them to converse with others users simultaneously. These places are filled with people who are anxious to chat about anything from last night's Chicago Bulls game to love relationships, the possibilities are endless.
According to Elizabeth Reid MUD's are "text-based virtual reality systems run on the international computer network known as the internet." Although I am not too familiar with MUD's my impression, from research on the web and personal interviews, is that these places are constructed with the intention to create a game which may be played on the internet by more than one person at a time. These places are usually controlled by a game manager who serves as a sort of referee by making sure new players' questions are answered and no cheating is happening so that every player is equal. An example of such a game would be Dungeons and Dragons, I am told.
Who Creates Them and Why?
Virtual communities are usually created by
business people, with the intent to solicit their sites or products, and by online
enthusiasts who enjoy internet interaction through games, chats, MUD's etc.. Businesses
create chats at their sites so as to keep the clientele returning to their site
repeatedly, which in turn allows the business to solicit new advertisements and
products. The company is then able to capitalize on sales to those who purchase
products. Businesses form these sense of communities to "bait" users to
their sites and this also causes the user to relay the positive experience to
friends. Another reason for constructing virtual communities is purely for
pleasure. Online enthusiasts create Chat rooms to converse in the virtual world with
people from all throughout the nations. This is an experience that some are addicted
to, for it enables an individual to assume a persona of his or her choice. Online
games are also a frequented area on the net. For example, my friend plays a game
called "Sub-space," which involves players from all over the world to
participate on one screen and battle each other simultaneously. The creators of such
entertainment enjoy the virtual competition between individual's which is very similar, in
terms of emotional entrapment, to playing a basketball or football game.
How do Virtual Communities Work?
In chat rooms the user chooses a room to visit from a list of as many as 1,000 names. The user then clicks on the room of choice and a screen shows up with live conversation about the room's topic, an example would be NFL chat. On either side of the screen appears a list of nicks (names of those participating in the conversation). A user can highlight one of the names to activate a private conversation or the user may choose to just jump into the main discussion of as many as 40 people on the topic of the NFL draft. There is usually a little box located below the big screen with ongoing discussions which enables the user to type in questions, responses or ideas. This message can then be sent to the discussion screen by pressing return and the response will show with the user's nick to the left. The reason for having the nickname of the person posting the message is so that another user may respond to that person's statement and this also prevents miscommunication. This form of communication is the heart of the chat room operation.
Another form of a virtual community are forums. An example of this would be a web site with a posting of a topic or statement of interest like road rage. This page usually consists of a link which shows a list of names of browsers that either answered to or posted a message on the subject road rage, which is used in this example. The reader sees the date, time and name of the person who posted the message. Next, are a list of follow ups or responses to the author of the message (these are also links enabling anyone to read all responses to the message). On the bottom of the forum follows an area called "post a follow up" which allows you, the reader, to post your own response to the statement made. There is a box to type separately your name, your e-mail address, the subject, and your comments. After typing the comments and sending them; one simply has to wait from the time immediately following the posting to a week or longer for opinions on the comment posted( this depends on the frequency of the use of the particular forum). Thus, the title "non-real time" for forums; because the interaction between two parties is not often simultaneously.
It is important to remember that although these rooms are labeled with certain names the discussion taking place in these rooms maybe of a totally different nature. For example, I went into a chat room called Top 40 Music, thinking that the latest music on the charts would be the discussion. However; it was more like walking into a room of 38 people talking in groups of 3 or more about anything from global warming to politics to pet cats (pretty weird huh?). Likewise, some rooms are strictly related to the name such as one called Group Support which consisted of discussions about anxiety attacks and flashbacks. It seems this place was constructed to help those with personal problems.
How do They Spread?
Virtual communities spread through
interaction during web browsing. It seems both the creators of the community and
those who are members do their equal share in promoting the spread of a certain
community. For instance, Chats are now used widely by different web sites to
attract browsers to their merchandise or ads. This is a form of assuring that the
browser will return for their visit was interactive and enjoyable thus, they in turn tell
their friends about the fun they had and the site creators publicity causes other
businesses to do the same. Discussion forums are also spread through
interaction. Many people choosing to take part in discussions on certain topics of
interest would find a certain news group which attracts them whether it be the number of
users that use the site, the visual attractiveness or the up-to-date topics that are
offered. These users may later pass the word on to friends, co-workers, e-mail pals
and such. I believe there are many ways in which virtual communities are spread;
these are just a few.
Although there are varied names for different virtual communities such as newsgroups, bulletin boards, cafes, salons etc. The two I have found to be most prominent are discussion forums and Chat rooms.
"forums are intended to provide a place for people to share their feelings,
opinions, and ideas...Discussion forums are not real-time and do not
require that participants be online simultaneously. Discussions let
people contribute at their convenience and read through everyone's
postings all at once. The postings tend to be longer and more
thoughtful than those in live chats. Also, it's relatively easier to jump
into the middle of a discussion and "pick up the thread" than it is
with a live chat. If you aren't there at the beginning of a chat, joining
one can feel like walking into somebody's private party."
Forum One is a forum finder or forum search engine which allows the browser to find the topic of his or her choice. The choices are similar to chat rooms in that they offer a wide array of selections from politics to computers. This site also offers suggestions to building your own online community and offers tips for forum hosts on how to advance their discussions and popularity.
A common discussion forum which I
have experienced is the Usenet newsgroups. When doing my report for Dr. James'
Traffic Psychology course I came across a forum that discussed the topic of "road
rage". I was able to play a part in the discussion forum by leaving a response
to an article posted some days earlier by another forum participant. Unlike the chat
rooms, the forum allows your posting to stay up for many days thus allowing other internet
users to comment on your statement months after it's posting.
Another type of virtual community is
chat rooms. Chat allows users to talk directly to each other. Instead of the
simple one-to-many publishing offered by most web sites, chat creates a richer
many-to-many experience. I have used chat rooms on both the PIRCH and those operating on web
sites like Excite. I am sure there are many
other servers who offer chat rooms but these are the two I am familiar with.
Would You be a Member of A Virtual Community?
Anyone who participates in discussions on-line, with more than one person at a time, and receives responses to their comments are definitely a part of a virtual community. Some online communities consist of Chats, MUD's, Forums, internet based games and so on. Because the idea of internet communities is brand new there are many possibilities for web browsers and users to be considered a part of a virtual community.
In my personal experience I would
consider myself a part of a virtual community. I have played internet games such as
Quake and Subspace. I have participated in chat room discussions and also responded
to discussion forums on the topic of "road rage." I personally feel that
virtual communities are not limited to areas such as the above mentioned. I
believe that one is a part of the online community when he or she chooses to browse the
internet. I feel that as long as a person takes the opportunity to visit a site and
use the information presented he or she plays a part in the formation of internet
communities.
Case History of Online Chat rooms
In the Excite's
Talk City chat a chat enthusiast can find many different rooms to choose from.
There are rooms for political discussion to top 40 music discussions. In the top 40
music chat room , people were discussing many different music topics. Some were
chatting about Puff Daddy's new acclaimed fame and other people were jumping into the
conversation in little ways like "Puff Daddy rules," and "I hate rap
music." Although opinions varied about the conversation itself, it was just a
wonder to see 36 people in a virtual room sharing their views on different music and
apparently being very real about their beliefs. It seems this sort of community
eliminates the face-to-face contact that would otherwise suppress true feelings.
The Importance of Virtual Community Existence
I believe virtual communities are similar to face-to-face communities in every way except for the absence of the physical face-to-face contact. Virtual communities offer places where people can flirt, debate, tease, compliment etc. much like its counter part, real life communities. Business partners are able to converse and do business without being in the same office, children are able to obtain homework from teachers through e-mail if they are sick and miss class; this sort of communication saves time and money especially for business people. While online people can express their feelings through words and gestures just like normal conversations on the street; the biggest difference is the use of keyboards to convey feelings to a party on the other side of the internet connection. I saw a news story on the television a few months back that covered a married couple who met while chatting on the internet. It just goes to prove that anything really is possible.
Although the experience of virtual
communities is mostly positive there are also some negative aspects to online
communities. For instance, people use chat rooms to pose as false identities.
I read in the newspaper of an incident which involved a child molester who tricked a child
into meeting him somewhere so that he could molest the child. It seems people are
not always who they seem on the internet, which will force more control over the virtual
communities by mangers and law enforcement. While incidents such as these are few
the potential for them to increase is very high; I believe with the assistance of stricter
guidelines to operating and participating in online communities the world will
benefit greatly from this new found human interaction.
Summary of Past Generations Reports
Lori Rapoza's Report: Acquiring Cyberspace Citizenship
Lori's Report was split into 3 categories, Data Collection, Trials and Tribulations and Conclusions. In Data Collection Lori explains that she had had some internet experience in terms of research and surfing. However; she quickly learned that the knowledge she had was minimal when it came to the tasks she was assigned to complete. Like many others, Lori's weekly scoring in terms of satisfaction, clarity, hopefulness and others was at the lowest possible, a -3 in a scale from -3 to +3.
In her second section, Trials and Tribulations, Lori explains that surfing the net and knowing the net are two different things. At first she was doing email, visiting sites and downloading information. However, Lori found that she was not an active participant in the web. Lori has found that it is possible to create web pages, and the options of clicking on icons with a mouse are endless.
In her last section Lori describes the pride she feels in her accomplishments to overcome her techno fears. She, like others, has grown in confidence and is more comfortable and sure about her existence as a team player on the web. Lori also gives the advice to future net browsers and says not to give up and to perceiver in class work.
Lori's experience is a picture perfect
example of my life during the semester. It is true that one will experience very,
very, very...did I say very hard times during the internet experience. An extremely
hard aspect for myself was learning to use HTML. I am sure that many other students
can relate to my frustrations with titles, links, and tables. However; it is
important to keep in mind that everyone needs a break once in a while and that spending 2
straight hours trying to figure out why a link isn't working is worse than taking a 15
minute break to cool off and return to find the simple answer right in front of your face.
Dana Rho's Report: Acquiring Cyberspace Citizenship
Dana's report has three sections Data
Collection, Trials and Tribulations, and Conclusion. In Data Collection, Dana
records her weekly duties and rates her stress, satisfaction, clarification and other
levels with a scale of 1-3 with 3 being the most satisfying. Dana goes on to say how
frustrated she was with her weekly duties for she had no experience on the internet at
all.
However; as time grew on her levels of confidence changed and
were prevalent in her weekly scores which also raised along with her growing
confidence. She seemed to be settling in to the internet system and found salvation
from fellow students.
In Dana's Trial and Tribulation section she speaks of the importance of time. It seemed time was something she could never have enough of and was essential to her success on the web. Time allowed her to adjust, adapt and cope with the virtual world. It allowed her to take risks and explore everything the web had to offer.
In her conclusion, Dana writes of her
journey toward a more positive outlook about the web and her confidence to tackle
assignments with ease. Dana gives advice that it is perfectly fine to be frustrated
and that small steps are better than no steps. Dana also advises future generations
to form a sort of techno therapy group among classmates to deal with the tribulations
encountered throughout the semester.
I can totally relate to Dana's
experience. While reading her report it seems as if I am reading an autobiography of
my own experiences during the semester. I too was very inexperienced with the web
and computers; but as Dana said, every small achievement made my confidence grow and I
also owe a great deal to my fellow classmates who truly helped me when I was in dire
straits with internet knowledge. I can remember cussing at the computer and yelling
at the walls when I could not upload my homework correctly through the FTP. However,
I also came a long way in terms internet competency and I am very proud of the work I have
achieved.
A Comparison to Others Reports
I really admired Alona Tabios' use
of an outline formed table of contents. I am a sucker for neatness and organization,
the easier it is for me to follow a report the better assured you can be that I will
continue reading. Alona's use of different colored fonts for her sub-titles really
added to her presentation in terms of distinguishing the topic from the body. I
really hate to see articles all cluttered together so as to make to difficult to
view. If you like images and extreme colors and font styles, I would recommend
seeing Roy
Macaraeg's paper. I really enjoyed his presentation style. Again, his
paper was very orderly and unlike mine, his paper had many different colored and styled
fonts. A real plus to his paper; I enjoyed reading it.
My suggestion would be to visit as many
communities as possible and spend at least an hour in each that you find. This will
allow you to truly experience the virtual enhancement and diversity of cyber communication
and their communities. After trying out the online games I found myself stuck to the
computer for hours on end. I would have never thought that I would be caught up in
the excitement of online entertainment (so much for preconceived notions :).
However; remember that you are there to collect data for your report so don't forget to
set time limits.
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