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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!jwl
From: jwl@ucbvax.ARPA (James Wilbur Lewis)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Meeting people on the nets
Message-ID: <4275@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 21-Jan-85 03:33:14 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.4275
Posted: Mon Jan 21 03:33:14 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Jan-85 03:46:07 EST
References: <1589@gondor.UUCP>
Reply-To: jwl@ucbvax.UUCP (James Wilbur Lewis)
Distribution: net
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 39
Summary: 

Hi Scott...
 
Since I suspect I might be one of the people you had in mind when you
posted your article, I guess I'll take a shot at replying....

I think 'electronic' friendships are every bit as real as the face-to-
face variety.  Bitnet is an especially good medium for meeting people
since it's possible to carry on conversations and get almost instant
feedback (well, at least when CUNYVM isn't down....but I digress! :-)
Think of it...at any instant, there are literally THOUSANDS of people
logged on to Bitnet machines, and you are practically guaranteed that
someone out there has something in common with you, and is willing to
talk about it!

I think such friendships can be quite satisfying, even if the participants
never meet face to face. Sometimes all I want is someone to chat with
when the system is loaded---and an electronic relationship lets you have
that without all the hard work involved in keeping a 'real' (definitely
the wrong word here, but I can't think of a better one offhand) relationship
alive.

But then, there are times when you want something more. It can be quite
a shock to leave the comfort and safety of your terminal, and actually
meet the Other Party 'for real'.  I know it was for me....it took a while
for me to convince myself that the person I was meeting was indeed the
same sentient being I'd been talking to on the net for the last several
months. It was kind of awkward at first, but I think we got over it soon
enough....and I'm glad I got the chance to meet her.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that electronic relationships are definitely
*different*, but certainly for real.  To anyone who's contemplating starting
one, my advice is: GO FOR IT! Just be careful...you might end up with an
SO who's >3000 miles away (sob!)  :-)


--Jim Lewis     ...ucbvax!jwl (UUCP)
                jwl@ucbernie.ARPA
                HOSER@UCBCMSA  
                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ bitnet people take notice, I love to talk! :-)