
Social Networks: Your online friends aren't real - nickb
http://valleywag.com/tech/social-networks/your-online-friends-arent-real-299646.php
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zach
Well, this of course points out that there are not many online equivalents of
going to a friend's party, volunteering with others or a business mixer --
facilitated real-life scenarios where people are, effectively, socially
introduced. Somewhere you can meet someone, have some one-on-one chat and
maybe exchange a business card, phone number or email address. That's a
socially acceptable starting point for a friendly relationship.

People need those starting points. If you meet some guy at a TechCrunch party
and talk for a couple minutes, it is perfectly acceptable to email him with
some question a week later. But if you just comment on a blog post he makes,
even if he responds in another comment, you're still effectively a stranger.
You can email them, but it better sound a little apologetic. You sure as heck
aren't going to ask to add him to your social network.

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rms
There's still nothing stopping you from emailing him a question after that
kind of exchange on a blog, unless he doesn't post his email address publicly.

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zach
I totally agree (I'm reasonably comfortable with total strangers emailing me),
but if I, say, meet someone at a trade show then there seems like there's a
higher level of acceptability to it than "hey, remember me, I responded to
your blog post." Maybe it's just me, though?

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rms
Agreed, but I think the distinction is becoming increasingly arbitrary over
time.

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trekker7
And I have to disagree with this... or at least, I don't want the distinction
to become arbitrary. The Internet and Web were meant to make communications
easier. But it seems like all this online social network crap is replacing
real world meet-ups.

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rms
Well, "agree to disagree" and all that.

Might be a generation gap, I'm solidly Generation Y. Are you Gen X?

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trekker7
I forget what all the letters mean, but I'm 21. I guess I'm just old
fashioned!

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aswanson
You guys are cool with me. Ever in South Jersey, we'll meet up for a beer.

