This week the lifestream is mainly showing up the different applications and tools that I have been looking at in connection with the virtual ethnography. I have been thinking about this project a lot as well as trying to find ways of presenting it. The danger is to focus on the technology rather than on the contents, particularly if you are a bit intimidated by the technology. I’ve been reading Bell’s article on community and cyberculture which presents a very interesting discussion about the term community, both real-life and virtual, and also presents some positive and negative views on online communities. I think this will impact on my virtual ethnography by increasing my reflexive point of view. I will be asking myself whether I think negatively or positively about online communities and I am sure that my ethnography will be quite subjective because of this.

It was interesting to read through Rheingold’s very positive account of an online community. The fact that he is an active member of this community will certainly influence his point of view.

The comments on the discussion board don’t appear in the lifestream so there is less evidence of particpation. It was nice to use the discussion board for a change, but I’m also looking forward to the virtual artefacts appearing from next week and the discussion that will take place on the blogs.

Rheingold, H (2000) Introduction to The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. London: MIT Press. [web site]