Virtual+Communities


 * Virtual communities**

The Cyberspace is a special kind of social place built technologically, where the human interaction, the communication and the commerce can take place, through computers interconnected through telephone lines and basic data nets. These computers allow the communication one-to-one, many-to-one and many-to-many. Many scientists are suggesting that the CMC could welcome the formation of virtual communities - the new form of communities of the real life. The concept of virtual community, such as the physical communities, it is somewhat amorphous. Several researchers advanced with concepts on the virtual communities. For example, Rheingold (1993) is of the opinion that the virtual communities are social aggregations that emerges of the Net, thus the individuals in sufficient number carry out discussions, with feeling, and form nets of personal relations in the cyberspace. The virtual communities are communities "incorporeal" mighty built on the basis of interest, not f geography, nor boundaries (Bugliarello, 1997). The Virtual Communities are social relations formed in the cyberspace through repeated contacts inside a limit or specific place (i.e: a room of chat), which is symbolically delimited by the topic of interest. There is no predictable relation between CMC and VC - the first one does not lead necessarily to the second.


 * Virtual Communities versus Real Communities**