ExtremeTech

"The real action and growth in online communities today is in social networking though, not forums. The recent explosion in social networking sites has made discussion forums seem like quaint relics of a bygone age. Sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn have attracted millions of people and become extremely hot commodities. Companies like Microsoft have even lined up to buy into a piece of the social networking action with hefty investments."

"I have to confess that the social networking thing left me cold initially. Call me "the reluctant social networker" or whatever. I just felt like it was much ado about nothing when I first saw it happen. And I can't help but wonder if this is a generational thing or not. I'm a GenXer so my perspective is certainly different than a baby boomer or a millenial."

"I grew up mostly without the Internet and my social skills weren't centered around typing information into computers or other devices. We actually went outside and...you know...did things to meet other people. These days many people meet via social networking sites and get to know each other before they ever meet in person. This has some advantages to be sure but can also result in some disappointment as online personalities can be quite different than offline ones."

"How somebody acts/reacts online is not necessarily going to be how they behave offline. And we GenXers were taught a certain amount of discretion when it came to private deta"

Online communities have existed for years through forums and chat, but growth has shifted toward social networking sites. Platforms such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn have attracted large user bases and drawn major corporate investment. Some long-time online users initially found social networking overrated and questioned whether it is for everyone. A generational perspective is raised, contrasting Gen X experiences with those of younger generations. Gen X grew up with less internet use and developed social skills through in-person interaction. Many people now meet online first, which can offer advantages but can also lead to disappointment when online behavior differs from offline behavior. Privacy and discretion are also mentioned as values shaped by earlier norms.

Read at ExtremeTech