VITUAL COMMUNITY
BY HUGHO DEOGRATIUS

What is a Virtual Community?
Everyone is different; we all have different things that interest and scare us, and our opinions about some topics vary significantly. Many of us search the Internet looking for other individuals having similar interests, fears, and opinions and who are willing to share. The best forum for such sharing is a virtual community (VC).

Let's define a virtual community as a gathering of individuals using online technology to share interests, fears, and personal opinions involving issues impacting people's lives. For example, we may join a VC to support a presidential candidate, to provide support to a family with a child recently diagnosed with cancer, or to cheer for our favorite sports team. People join a VC to gain the freedom of expression and to interact with others without being concerned with country boundaries, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political views.

Basis for Virtual Communities
People create and establish VCs online to provide a forum by which individuals can share information regardless of the subject matter. One community may focus on specific member characteristics such as age or gender, while another focuses on types of merchandise like specialized carpenter tools. Engaging in fantasy sports is another popular VC theme, while at the other extreme is a VC providing emotional support for seriously ill or injured patients and their relatives.

Professional communities, often referred to as Communities of Practice (CoP), are another type of VCs composed of individuals engaged in work related activities. In this type of community, members typically share trade-secrets; for example, a world renowned chef may exchange a secret recipe with other community members. Additionally, a customer-based VC formed by commercial companies establishes an environment where customers can openly share and disseminate information to other customers and company representatives. A customer community encourages product-related feedback and is also a good source for tips and advice about using more efficiently the device you just purchased.

Virtual Communities - Key words

Who Can Join a Virtual Community?
Anyone can join a VC of their choice as long as the required technology (like hardware, software, and connectivity) is obtained. For options, there are chat rooms and VCs offering specific and detailed information about products and services, as well as personal associations through E-mail. Social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, are gaining popularity, as well as international gaming VCs like the World of Warcraft game. The media sharing world is also represented by VCs like Pinterest and YouTube.

Health and Society
Virtual communities offer a wide range of information and support opportunities for our society. As an example, in the area of health, we have the CaringBridge VC. Caringbridge began as a website for patients, medical professionals, and acquaintances to provide a space to discuss medical procedures and options relating to a loved one's condition and care. The website became a VC over time when individuals began creating their own websites documenting personal family medical situations and stories. Visitors frequented the self-generated websites looking for information and, in return, usually provided their own emotional support for those in need.