Dorsetmike
Member
How do you rate people you "meet" on line compared to those you meet face to face, acquaintances, friends, good friends, best friends? I'm talking general terms, not specific persons
I think that the level of "interaction" (for want of a better word) on line can make a difference; here on a forum I would suggest that at this level you would not get beyond acquaintances.
Going to the next level using text on instant messengers we go above acquaintance to something approaching friend, but, because we are still only using text, we can not form opinions as easily as we can by hearing a voice or seeing a facial expression thus we can not usually get much further. (Think of people on line taking offence at something written with tongue in cheek humour which would otherwise be obvious from tone of voice or facial expression)
Adding voice and possibly video to IMs we get closer interaction either bringing us into friend status, or putting us off, in much the same way as meeting face to face.
However I can only think of two that I got on with on a forum or IM text that did not progress beyond acquaintance after voice IMs or face to face meeting.
I think that the level of "interaction" (for want of a better word) on line can make a difference; here on a forum I would suggest that at this level you would not get beyond acquaintances.
Going to the next level using text on instant messengers we go above acquaintance to something approaching friend, but, because we are still only using text, we can not form opinions as easily as we can by hearing a voice or seeing a facial expression thus we can not usually get much further. (Think of people on line taking offence at something written with tongue in cheek humour which would otherwise be obvious from tone of voice or facial expression)
Adding voice and possibly video to IMs we get closer interaction either bringing us into friend status, or putting us off, in much the same way as meeting face to face.
However I can only think of two that I got on with on a forum or IM text that did not progress beyond acquaintance after voice IMs or face to face meeting.