"I was part of the WELL almost from the very beginning. The Whole Earth 'Lectronic
Link was founded in the spring of 1985 - before Mark Zuckerberg's first
birthday. I joined in August of that first year.
I can't remember how many WELL parties, chili cook-offs, trips to the circus, and other events - somewhat repellingy called "fleshmeets" at the time - I attended. My baby daughter and my 80-year-old mother joined me on many of those occasions. I danced at three weddings of WELLbeings, as we called ourselves, attended four funerals, brought food and companionship to the bedside of a dying WELLbeing on one occasion. WELL people babysat for my daughter, and I watched their children.
Don't tell me that "real communities" can't happen online."
What the WELL's Rise and Fall Tell Us About Online Community