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Online and real life; shall the two ever meet?

F

FelixTheMacCat

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 31, 2010
5
0

Have you ever thought about how it would be if the conversations here
at macrumours where to take place over a cup of coffee or a beer?

Im a design student currently researching social medias affect on people.
Specifically looking at the possibility to take online discussions offline.

So i'm asking you guys right here, would you be interested in meeting up
fellow mac enthusiasts somewhere for a chat,
by that i mean a proper face to face chat?
(or maybe some of you already are?)

I understand that distance between users would be a big thing to overcome,
but then again, a large forum like this is bound to have people from the same areas connecting.

A couple of years ago I was a regular at a very techie computer forum.
There get-togethers were arranged, people attended and where very happy with that experience.
Has the same thing been done here? why not? / how was it?

I'm really keen on hearing your thoughts regarding the social media
explosion and how it affects real life relations.

Felix
 
Yes and I'm on my way to your place to have a bite! ARRGH!

But seriously, no. However, check out the thread about EU iPad delays. Yesterday, we identified a guy. We were mocking him for using his iPad and MacBook in a cafe in Manchester. He replied. So I think it happens.

But there are several layers of this forum, like others. People send messages to each other. Sometimes, you can even see people acting like they know what the other is going to say/write.
 
kernkraft said:
Yes and I'm on my way to your place to have a bite! ARRGH!

But seriously, no. However, check out the thread about EU iPad delays. Yesterday, we identified a guy. We were mocking him for using his iPad and MacBook in a cafe in Manchester. He replied. So I think it happens.

But there are several layers of this forum, like others. People send messages to each other. Sometimes, you can even see people acting like they know what the other is going to say/write.
Click to expand...

haha thats a cool story, big brother sees you sort of thing.

From my experience being a forum junkie you after some time develop a relation to the other junkies on the site. You see there avatar and instantly you connect that to the characteristics you've built up for that person.

I dare to believe that this is a general behaviour on a forum. So if you got this connection with others, wouldn't it be worth taking it even further?
 
Have you found the thread? It has around 3500 posts, look for an image of a guy with a MacBook and an iPad in a cafe. It was posted in the last 48 hours.

Great stuff! You might ask them, how they went. Some of the guys might meet, purely due to the post.
 
FelixTheMacCat said:
From my experience being a forum junkie you after some time develop a relation to the other junkies on the site. You see there avatar and instantly you connect that to the characteristics you've built up for that person.

I dare to believe that this is a general behaviour on a forum. So if you got this connection with others, wouldn't it be worth taking it even further?
Click to expand...

I think it's much more common on a smaller forum, simply because with a limited number of posters you get to "know" people better. I've been on a small band forum for donkeys. Some people have met up. There's a poster who goes to uni in a town about an hour away from mine and is always going to the same sort of shows that I do. We'll run into one another soon enough, by chance or we'll plan to go together.

There're some of them I really wish lived closer, but I have a limit on how far I'll travel/spend to meet them all despite how fun they are to talk to online.
 
In Adelaide a number of my current friends I first got in contact with oncar and bike racing forums. Since the forums were effectively local, events were organized and people met up. We even started a small car club. www.toyotacarclub.net which is now 6 years only and continues to have a strong Offline presence and regular get-togthers. A community that started online has formed a registered business and FIA recognized car club (through CAMS Australia.)

The two worlds can definitely (ever been to a forum organized LAN party where you had to display your forum tag) meet.

But a meet and greet rarely works, best to organize an event and put on a beer or 2.

Jordan
 


Seems like people here has a pretty open approach towards engaging offline contact with online contacts.

What if there was a community based organization with the mission to help online communities to meet up in the flesh?
The organisation would provide rooms for companies of all sizes and you would be able to buy drinks and lighter dishes of food.
You think people would go for it? Would you?

Do you guys think that having say, a fortnightly get-together would be something people would find fun?

 
Abstract said:
^^^Ouch! Why are you so mean?
Click to expand...

Ha.... that was classic.


I've met up with another member already...... he was pretty cool, except he kept licking his finger and trying to touch my nose.:confused: I'm not really into that.


I don't know if I'd want to meet up with the OP though..... if he thinks he needs to change his font in his posts, god knows how he communicates in real life......
 
This past weekend was the first time I've ever met someone from online IRL. It was great! Why? Because he was exactly who he presented himself to be online. People like to think that since the internet is "anonymous" (which it isn't, btw) that they can be whomever they would like. But, just like in meatspace, those who are genuine are the coolest to be around.
 
^^^ We should totally meet up at Becker's in Manhattan Beach for a sandwich!:p

jk..... but they do have great sandwiches.....


For real.... I have met up with another member and he was also exactly as he was online. I don't see the point in pretending to be someone you're not.
 
I have found that there is a delicate duality between many peoples online and offline personae, some when uncovered tend to crawl into a shell from the shock of that duality shattering before them.

This leads to some minor damage to the ego in some cases--of course if the person has a preexisting multiple personality issue in such a case the exposure to ones self can be potentially devastating as it would be amplified.

FelixTheMacCat said:


Seems like people here has a pretty open approach towards engaging offline contact with online contacts.

What if there was a community based organization with the mission to help online communities to meet up in the flesh?
The organisation would provide rooms for companies of all sizes and you would be able to buy drinks and lighter dishes of food.
You think people would go for it? Would you?

Do you guys think that having say, a fortnightly get-together would be something people would find fun?
Click to expand...
Many of those exist specifically dedicated to the physical world meetings of all online social groups. the top one I can think of was one i remember called Meet Up
 
Ttownbeast said:
I have found that there is a delicate duality between many peoples online and offline personae, some when uncovered tend to crawl into a shell from the shock of that duality shattering before them.

This leads to some minor damage to the ego in some cases--of course if the person has a preexisting multiple personality issue in such a case the exposure to ones self can be potentially devastating as it would be amplified.
Click to expand...

Currently enrolled in Psych 101?
 
I haven't met any other MR users in real life. However, I play World of Warcraft a lot and last year about ten of my online friends all met up in California. It was great fun, if not a little expensive for me!
 
If someone organized a meetup in New York I'd probably go. I met a guy from an online game I used to play and it turned out he was a nice person. We still keep in touch.
 
yeah i'd really be interested, some of the people here are very intelligent, we all share quite common interests and the humor here is also quite good :D though i am convinced i am the only MR member in the town i live in
 
TheSVD said:
yeah i'd really be interested, some of the people here are very intelligent, we all share quite common interests and the humor here is also quite good :D though i am convinced i am the only MR member in the town i live in
Click to expand...

You could always meet up with people from different towns occasionally :)
 
Im actually part of a N.E. Ohio based VW forum, and we try to meet up once every few weeks. Granted, an overwhelming percentage of the people live in North East Ohio, so its easy to just take a cruse to wherever we plan to meet that week. We have it set up so that the get-togethers are in different areas, and we vote on the venue.

I have had nothing but a great time when we meet up. Ive meet a few good friends through it, and plan on keeping communication with them.

Sites this large, however is a different story. Being from N.E. ohio, and the meets are usually in Chicago, LA, NY or some other big city hours from me, I am unable to go.

Maybe I helped a bit?
 
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