Rheingold asked Mark Smith, another internet / network philosopher, What do people gain from virtual communities that keeps them sharing information with people they might never meet face to face?

his answer: Social network capital, knowledge capital, and communion -- people can put a little of what they know and how they feel into an online network and draw out larger amounts of knowledge and opportunities for sociability than they put in."

This is so in tune with our site and other online communities. However, it is not quite so with the globalized internet. When the internet made the shift from usenets and listservs to a "google front end." The need to contribute in order to take was reduced and in essence no longer exists.

I mean for some people it is still there. For example, as a collective we have contributed to the greater exposure and historical recording of life on the elmwoodstrip. However, others just visit google and take without ever contributing. It's kind of scary when people lose touch with the fact that everyone can contribute to the network. If we leave things up to the "experts" we have a situation in which things can be controlled and history re-written.

I wonder if most people even realize how information arrives on the internet or that the 'net is not a place in Washington DC where everything is kept - like the library of congress.

On another note, did anyone read the news today criticizing google for bowing down to chinese censorship. The chinese news source that is powered by google now censors articles and news sources that are hostile to the gov't!! This just proves that censhorsip routines have been written into the google code.

I decided that it was more dangerous for me to hang out in the sick ward, where evan is mega sick now than to leave the house. I went over to Wilson's Farms and picked up the Buffalo News. The article was great with a giant picture of me and the Banner. I can't believe the News is so cheap. I would have expected it to cost abot $1.35 but it's only $.50.

My favorite quote of myself is, "I wanted to give people who arn't computer savvy a chance to put their voices on the internet."

I also found some sign about the Atwater house by feelrite.

Still thinking about (e:sqb). (e:sqb) still hasn't contacted me about his disagreement with the tos. It is especially weird because we had a very open dialogue about the site and he often made suggestion or proposed changes which I nearly 100% followed through on.

Instead of programming today, as my computer resides in quarantine tank, I will finish reading Smart Mobs by Howard Rheingold. I love his books.

[inlink]lisa,124[/inlink]

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Is the Buffalo News or any newspaper liable for items sold in the classified section and if not, how are they exempt?

So the Buffalo news article about the site came out in the link section today. I was really exicted about it at first. I was going to rush out and get one but now I am starting to get the flu and I feel prety sick. We actually have an entire sick ward going on in our house. It sounds like a hospital with all the coughing and sickness.