As an academic and as someone who worked for a dot-com specializing in online community, media and ecommerce, who was deep into the "community" of those of who tried to bring online communities based on geographic communities and affinities into actuality, I too have been quite interested in the company vs. community thread. But I honestly don't recognize much of what I found out about the commercializing of community in the discussion. The people who worked for dot-coms weren't necessarily clueless and greedy, and damned as well for not helping all get rich quick. Many of us believed in what we were doing; we were far less cynical than the media that continues to beat up on the dead horse. Surely a more nuanced account of what happened could be offered by Net researchers. I strongly suggest that for those who are genuinely interested in how those in the real-world tried to find ways to "capitalize" on and, not so simply, to foster, to make happen, to bring into being, to help extend RL communities into cyberspace that you look into the Online Community Report, subscription info below. It still is not all about stock valuations and exploitation.
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And BTW, Rheingold too tried more than once to offer a commercial online community. He's been rather bitter over the last few years, I heard before the crash happened, when he was doing the Kinkos commercials, that others were profiting from his work. But Jaron Lanier isn't happy about VR research that doesn't involve him. The mouse got commercialized by others than Douglas Engelbart. But that's IT and how things get adopted and who finds ways to form companies, get financing and get out products and ideas, such as "virtual community," to a wider audience. This stuff we love and research, it isn't free. A more rounded consideration of the money trail is muchly appreciated. Happy Communal Holidays! Wendy Robinson wgrobin@duke.edu