Hi ya'll. I am writing a speech on the nature of online communication and friendships (yes, inspired by my experience on HW) for school. For that I need two (2) things:

1. If any of you would be willing to post brief testimonials regarding how much you have enjoyed or not enjoyed online communication, etc. that'd be great. Do you find online fun? Safe? Productive? etc.?

2. Permission to use your avvies as a visual aid (can't think of anything else for this subject and I need a visual aid).

Sure, Reiyen!

I've found online communication to be a fun and interesting way to get in touch with people, it's especially nice when contacting people I know who've moved, and its neat to meet new people on HW.
Communicating online with people I haven't met yet is like writing a pen pal, but instant! I love Holy Worlders a lot, they are very special to me.

Gotta finish NaNoing! Bye!

I enjoy online communication very much because it is quick and simple, and sometimes phones are not available. I think that it is very fun because sometimes communication is not the only thing available in the website, for example, some other websites have games, etc. And for some reason, I find online communication more... interesting than usual communication, like face-to-face, letters, phones, texts, etc. Although, safety can be an issue. Some websites don't take much precaution to safety, and many problems then start to occur. But there ARE some websites I trust, like Holy Worlds! And to finalize, online communication is VERY productive in my opinion. It makes work, communication, and many other things, simple but effective.

My reply might be a little rushed and jumbled and full of typos. I'm in a hurry.

Question one:

I love online communication. Especially considering the fact that I'll be on the road soon, and I won't have regular contact with those I know in real life. In that case, e-mail will be a wonderful thing to have. I also will not have a consistent address, so that out rules most anything along the lines of Snail Mail communications. I also have some very dear friends online, from HW (of course ) and other places. Without online communications, I never would have met any of you, and that would be a tragic thing indeed. I also feel more comfortable talking to people online in many cases. In real life, I'm a bit of an awkward person - at least I think so - to most people. (I have a couple of close friends, and of course there's my family, whom I communicate fine with.) Online I talk much more smoothly, I don't have my usual fears of being annoying or awkward, and I'm able to think over what I should say more effectively. I'm funnier and wittier when I'm using a keyboard then when I'm using my mouth. (I think so, at least.)

On a side note, online communication is essential to promoting our family's bluegrass band. There's nothing to it. It's simply something we must have - which is why we're looking for options for consistent internet access while we tour the country.

The drawback to online communication is that's it can take over your life if you're not careful. You might open FaceBook for a brief second, and then suddenly, two hours have passed. It's addictive. It has also been shown that it can decreases a person's attention span. So it's helpful to monitor how much of it you will allow yourself to have a day. (Even places like HW, which is all around encourages productivity and has over all a very positive impact on one's life - it has for me and many others - can be a time zapper.)

Do I find online fun? Yes.

Do I think it's safe? Depends. I feel safe on Holy Worlds. I feel safe on another website that I'm a member of. However, I don't feel safe in all areas of cyberspace, like FaceBook. I do have a FaceBook account, but my safety settings are as high as they can be. My name will not come up under a search.

Question two:

I'd give you permission to use my avatar if I actually HAD an avatar...but I don't. Oh, well.

Hope that helps!

I'll post a little something, Reiyen.

I enjoy online communication, but I have to say that it is mainly due to the nature of the place I frequent. When I am a part of a community of like minded people, I love online communication very much. I get to meet and fellowship with people who are on the same path as I am, and I can encourage people and be encouraged by others. It is a great way to get opinions on things, and an awesome way to have discussions. Depending on the place, I think online communication can be quite safe. It can't be any more dangerous than talking in person or over the phone, in my opinion.

I enjoy online communication. (But nothing beats the actual fun of face-to-face communication. Unfortunately I haven't been able to see other HWers face-to-face, so I have to settle for online communication right now.) Online communication can be safe, yet it's a good idea to have things that you can say (favorite color, nickname, etc.) and things you can't say (your address for example).

I love online communications. I don't like to talk on the phone, so it's a great way to get in touch with people when I am not with them. It also allows me to multi-task; I can message, write, and do homework at the same time. On the phone, you can't do that as much. If I need to get up to do something, I can do so without an issue. Also one of my best friends in real-life I met through a facebook friend. And online I have more of a support system for when something happens than in real life. it's easier to talk to people about something personal when you're writing it down. and some of my greatness witnesses and amazing Christian brethren I speak to solely over the internet.

I think communication online is as safe as you make it. If you put yourself in dangerous situations by putting up excessive personal info (address, number, etc.) on sites where the whole world can see it, that's dangerous. If you make friends and talk to people who you have no way of verifying who they are (mutual friends, google, video-chat, etc.) or do not bother, you're putting yourself in danger. If you use caution, it's really not all that dangerous at all.

Alright, my project needs no more input. Thanks for all your help!
*locks*