Jason Ohler

A Case Study of Online Community Jason Ohler

One of the earliest studies of online community, pre-Internet, that considered the ethos, activities and goals of one of the earliest computer conferencing communities in existence. In it, we see the beginnings of Facebook and other online communities that are commonplace today. This study considers what is truly important in an online community, why people turn to them, and what they ultimately get from them. Above all, it points to the future we now take for granted, in which we all live two lives, one online and one in geographic community, and considers how we blend those in one integrated approach to living. This study is well suited for anyone trying to understand the phenomenon of online community today, the roots of Facebook and other other cyber gatherings, and where our current push into cyberspace as a new territory for human colonization might take us.