Online Community

As I get sucked further and further into the vortex called "Facebook," I wonder about the nature of online communities. It's a large topic, sure, but I'm a bit fascinated by the difference between a site based on interests--like Ravelry or BoardGameGeek--and one that pretty much has no excuse for being except that a lot of people showed up there. And one very curious aspect of the Fb experience for me is the list of past friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have shown up as my circle of friendings expands. That is, I've made some friends on the Geek, or through the Geek, but that list is small. I recognize some personalities, but I go there for information. At Fb, I don't explore very much, but I recognize pretty much everyone in my little circle. I find out more about what they've done since I last saw them, and I've corresponded with some. But I find more--and more interesting--discussions taking place on other sites. Not really much to say, but some open-ended chewing over the difference between the experiences and wondering if either one qualifies as a community, the difference between seeing someone and seeing their avatar.