missfluffy
10-07-2006, 04:50 PM
I am no stranger to the internet, oh no like many people in this modern age, I have my own computer at work and occasionally find myself with too much time on my hands. The urge to click, click, click, in that internet explorer icon is almost as strong as the urge I get to go to the fridge when someone mentions the word chocolate.
But once you’re on the internet what do you do? Browse the news websites? Search for that perfect sweater knitting pattern? Type funny things into Google to see what you get? With all the cool stuff that’s out there on the internet its surprising how little fun stuff is left after the work internet filter has been taken into account. ACCESS DENIED still makes me grind my teeth when it flashes up on my flat screen.
Eventually, if you type enough of what you like into Google you will come across a wonderful thing. A forum full of people, who like the same things as you do! Sometimes you can even find a few people who you have more than one thing in common with, people who make you laugh. I am always shy on a new forum; text will only tell you so much. What appears funny on my screen may not have been intended that way, and although you can quite happily slip under the radar and lurk without getting peoples backs up, offending a forum regular on your first day will more than likely get you noticed. Sussing out the rules of etiquette on a forum I have joined is the same for me as walking into a room of people I have never met before, keep quiet and keep your eyes and ears open, and try not to look stupid.
Forums do seem to change rules from one to the next. For instance I go on one forum which is for the fans of a popular television show. Before you post you must check that no one has already posted saying the same thing as you, you may not start a new threads if one on the subject already exists, you cannot veer of the named topic of the thread, any of this sort of behavior will get you banned. All very good for making forum about a television show, but as for getting to know the people on that site, I know nothing past the usernames. Facts and figures about my favorite show are there with a flick of my fingertip, but friendship and human contact are sadly lacking. Bit its still an entertaing forum non the less!
There are of course forums at the opposite end of the spectrum, where staying on topic is virtually impossible, where threads such as “I’m bored what are you lot doing?” are perfectly acceptable. These are my favorite type of forum, the type where you can go on and moan about your boyfriend, your spots, or whether or not you should try that expensive new tanning treatment. In other words talk utter drivel. I build up friendships with people on sites like these the same as I would if I met them at work, or in the pub. Slowly and carefully (but I am a picecss and we are a bit like that) learning what sort of person is sitting on that computer reading about my life and telling me theirs.
A couple of weeks ago I got some sad news about a friend I had made on the internet, someone who I have never met, or seen a picture of, her mother had died. For the sake of this post let’s call her Sally. I had only known Sally through the internet but when she posted with her sad news my heart went out to her, and I felt her pain just like I would if sally came round my house for tea every week. I sent her a card and put money towards a collection to show her I was thinking of her, because I consider her a friend.
Am I right or wrong?
If I ever found out that Sally was a fake person, just an attention seeker who liked to build up friendships under false pretenses, and then tell a big mean lie to get people to feel sorry for her, I would not just feel angry, I would feel sickened. I would be furious with myself for letting myself be fooled by a sicko, and trusting them enough to tell them things about my life. Maybe that’s just me, I might just be a too trusting person, maybe it would be better if I just saw posts on a forum and did not try to imagine the person sitting at the computer the other end, and stuck to usernames rather than trying to find the person underneath.
So I guess my question is, where is that line drawn for you? Do you see people on the internet talking, or pieces of text on a screen? What do you want from internet forums? Friends? Or entertainment?
There, a bit of a long post, but at least that message at the top of the screen telling me I haven’t posted will go away.........................
But once you’re on the internet what do you do? Browse the news websites? Search for that perfect sweater knitting pattern? Type funny things into Google to see what you get? With all the cool stuff that’s out there on the internet its surprising how little fun stuff is left after the work internet filter has been taken into account. ACCESS DENIED still makes me grind my teeth when it flashes up on my flat screen.
Eventually, if you type enough of what you like into Google you will come across a wonderful thing. A forum full of people, who like the same things as you do! Sometimes you can even find a few people who you have more than one thing in common with, people who make you laugh. I am always shy on a new forum; text will only tell you so much. What appears funny on my screen may not have been intended that way, and although you can quite happily slip under the radar and lurk without getting peoples backs up, offending a forum regular on your first day will more than likely get you noticed. Sussing out the rules of etiquette on a forum I have joined is the same for me as walking into a room of people I have never met before, keep quiet and keep your eyes and ears open, and try not to look stupid.
Forums do seem to change rules from one to the next. For instance I go on one forum which is for the fans of a popular television show. Before you post you must check that no one has already posted saying the same thing as you, you may not start a new threads if one on the subject already exists, you cannot veer of the named topic of the thread, any of this sort of behavior will get you banned. All very good for making forum about a television show, but as for getting to know the people on that site, I know nothing past the usernames. Facts and figures about my favorite show are there with a flick of my fingertip, but friendship and human contact are sadly lacking. Bit its still an entertaing forum non the less!
There are of course forums at the opposite end of the spectrum, where staying on topic is virtually impossible, where threads such as “I’m bored what are you lot doing?” are perfectly acceptable. These are my favorite type of forum, the type where you can go on and moan about your boyfriend, your spots, or whether or not you should try that expensive new tanning treatment. In other words talk utter drivel. I build up friendships with people on sites like these the same as I would if I met them at work, or in the pub. Slowly and carefully (but I am a picecss and we are a bit like that) learning what sort of person is sitting on that computer reading about my life and telling me theirs.
A couple of weeks ago I got some sad news about a friend I had made on the internet, someone who I have never met, or seen a picture of, her mother had died. For the sake of this post let’s call her Sally. I had only known Sally through the internet but when she posted with her sad news my heart went out to her, and I felt her pain just like I would if sally came round my house for tea every week. I sent her a card and put money towards a collection to show her I was thinking of her, because I consider her a friend.
Am I right or wrong?
If I ever found out that Sally was a fake person, just an attention seeker who liked to build up friendships under false pretenses, and then tell a big mean lie to get people to feel sorry for her, I would not just feel angry, I would feel sickened. I would be furious with myself for letting myself be fooled by a sicko, and trusting them enough to tell them things about my life. Maybe that’s just me, I might just be a too trusting person, maybe it would be better if I just saw posts on a forum and did not try to imagine the person sitting at the computer the other end, and stuck to usernames rather than trying to find the person underneath.
So I guess my question is, where is that line drawn for you? Do you see people on the internet talking, or pieces of text on a screen? What do you want from internet forums? Friends? Or entertainment?
There, a bit of a long post, but at least that message at the top of the screen telling me I haven’t posted will go away.........................