If i can be excused replying to myself ....

And it would be the ability to make the comparisons between forums, and sites and what they enable, which make them seem like different kinds of 'locale' (to use the term I prefer :), to an extent which is not the case with 'phone space' or 'TV space' where only a limited set of relatively uniform actitons are possible.

Picked up Rheingold's smart mobs in a sale over the weekend, and after reading the intro, thought - this kind of contact is probably never going to be thought of as a 'space', in people's lives, so why is that? Provisional answer... Because it *is* integrated into their lives immediately. People use this stuff Rheingold is writing about as an extension of immediate life. Perhaps we only think of cyber'space' because it is not yet integrated into our lives. It seems 'somewhere different'. It enables contacts, behaviour etc. which is not integrated into daily life completely. Its 'elswhere'. When it becomes integrated, it will no longer seem to be another 'space'. Just a thought. jon UTS CRICOS Provider Code: 00099F DISCLAIMER ======================================================================== This email message and any accompanying attachments may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender expressly, and with authority, states them to be the views the University of Technology Sydney. Before opening any attachments, please check them for viruses and defects. ========================================================================