personal benefits from online communities

[joelICS]

Hi

I'm new to this forum and relatively new to participating in online communities such in general. I was hoping that people could give me some feedback on any personal benefits they see in forum use.

I know there are some caffeine fuelled forum junkies out there J, what do you think the attractions are? These forums seem pretty active and vibrant; do you think the forums are a socially stimulating communication environment, or is it just normal for people with similar interests and skills to interact as they do on internet forums?

I'm writing a report on forum communities at the moment for an Internet Communication Strategies unit and would find any feedback really useful.

Cheers!

[Jick]

Well I have found that forums (when active) answer questions much faster then say through e-mail. I think forums are a great thing for companies when it comes to customer support and stuff like that. Not only can the staff who maintain the forums answer questions but other members as well that might have already asked your question.

I know there are some people who just like talking but I believe a forums real power is in help and support. But forums are good for just about anything you can imagine communication wise over the Internet.

I think the attractions for most people is the same for any other median of communication. They like to be anonymous. People like to be able to express themselves and over the Internet they can do that without hurting their real-life reputation.

I hope that answers your request. I tried to cover all the bases you mentioned. :)

[MstrBob]

In terms of buisnesses, especially in the area of help, forums are a very good idea. Wether provided information or not, there are those who will go ahead and demand to be heard and answered personally. Other members can participate in helping out, which means you don't need to have as large a help staff. People generally like communities because there are many people there to answer there question, and if they don't get the answer they like, it can still get answered by someone else. I think they make it more user friendly, though it by no means eliminates personal support.

And no matter the forum, if people are active enough, they begin to socialize as well. Which may even keep them there longer. And if you have a largish community, or even just an active one, you can get a lot in terms of advertising. And with mods and admins, many of whom volunteer, the communities really run themselves.

[pawky]

I agree with what jick said especially about the being anonymous part.

There are two types of forums I really like.

1) forums like this one which are great for help. They are one of the best resources for help. Not only am I able to get help about questions I have but am able to read other ppl's questions and the response to them. This helps me learn a lot more.

2) Discussion/Debate forums. I really enjoy a good, mature debate with many many ppl. The thing that brings the interest to me w/ these forums is that I am able to display my opinion and evidence and I have time to think about my response. The debates/discussions seem to go better this way and are generally more interlectual. The whole think before you speak plays heavy here.
One other thing I like is that I am not judged by my age. I am currently 16 but started in the discussions on a great forum at the age of 13 or 14. I was debating w/ ppl that were 50+ about politics and other big issues (gun control, abortion, etc) and my age was not considered for the information I was presenting. I was told many many times that they thought I was 20 or 30 and I really like this. What I say is judged for what it is and not how old the presenter is.

[joelICS]

Thank guys, they are some interesting points. I agree that technical or subject specific forums are a good help and troubleshooting resource.

The concept of communicating anonymously is interesting too. In general disscussion (when giving opinions and so on) I can see how it could be appealing. But for help and question and answer type forums it could be a negative thing, as nobody is accountable for the advice being hurled around. But I suppose thats the nature of internet forums :)

[buntine]

We learn the most when we teach others, atleast thats what I think. The more you apply (and debate) your knowledge, the more it expands.

Online forums are a fantastic way to generate a constant stream of traffic to a Web Site.

Regards.