What I find really fascinating is that when you change to another medium, you almost need to build the relationship from scratch again. So for example, I may be quite friendly with "person 1" on this board, and if I then bump into them in an online chat (say Antenna), then I have to build upon the knowledge gained from here... but begin in a new way.

The communication rules change, as does the level of familiarity allowed. And humour also changes form. And the same can be said, if the medium changes again to email, for example.

About four years ago, my sister began "dating" someone who she met online, but lived in another country. I found the transitions and methods of communication really interesting. They eventually phoned one another and even met up. What makes this fascinating was that when it came to an end, she did it all over again with another guy... this time same country, another city. That didn't last either...

I wonder though, what legacy these new forms of faceless communication will leave. Where people can open themselves up in such relatively safety. Are we actually building barriers or breaking them down?
*Amanda