Virtual Communities - Moving West.... (Score 1)

I'm going to be lazy and cut and paste what I said on a listserv regarding this article (which I love, btw!) I think the thing I try to keep in mind, re: virtual communities, is that it's no different from offline communities. When more people move to the town/city/village - everyone contemplates about what used to be and eventually we resent the onslaught of *newbies* - commerce grows (hello? 18th century America - goodbye American Indians), the free market expands, the streets get crowded, you have graffiti everywhere...it's the same on the net. The net is the Western Frontier of Y2K; the only difference being we won't run out of virtual land. Everytime one area becomes overcrowded - a progressive or adventurous (or just plain fed up) group will explore new territory and post their flag. Most everyone will eventually follow, commerce will arrive, the market will flood, it's an endless cycle, really. But there remain areas that will always be landmarks or treasures (ie. The Well, etc.). I'll be interested to see if we ever develop virtual government. BunkieTheElf one of those 60's refugees who crossed the virtual frontier in a virtual covered wagon (1985 was my first *community* experience online)- but I LIKE NEW ROADS a lot! - thank God for the 60's!