Community has become the ‘in-term’ for almost any group of people who use Internet technologies to communicate with each other. Depending on whether one takes a social perspective or a technology perspective, online communities tend to be named by the activity and people they serve or the technology that supports them. For example the same community might be called a ‘breast cancer patient support community’ and a ‘bulletin board community.’ There is much angst about use of the term ‘community,’ especially when researchers from a range disciplines come together, each wanting to place a stake in the ground to support their own goals and research paradigm. more . . . .
This is an article I found last night which speaks more about the cultural perspective given to online communities by those who are involved. I think this is a very interesting start for me.
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