Virtual communities...

General Discussion
1

Hey gang -

Just spoke to my son who is attending school in Melbourne, Australia. He has received an assignment to write about “Virtual Communities” and decided to profile Swaylocks.

The teacher stated something about the anonymous nature of discussion boards in general and the loss of contact with the real world. I mentioned that after S.A. 2003, many of us became acquainted in person and have become pretty good friends.

I guess what I’m asking for here are comments regarding this site in general,

connections people have made to the virtual community and the transformation of the virtual community to the real world… i.e. do any of you have a story about personal friendships or business connections made as a result of Swaylocks?

Thanks in advance!

2

Crossroads…

…I have met several people in and out of this industry.

…but never so many at one time.

…I would like to thank the folks here for being my friends.

…My knowledge has grown beyond my wildest expectations.

…A list of names would be nice,but you know who you are.

…Keep surfing,Keep building.Herb

3

I have met two people from internet BBs, both from California. One from here and another BB. I think it’s pretty cool how a virtual community can bring together people with similar interests and sometimes form life long friendships. What was quite unreal about meeting the person from the other BB was that his girlfriends sister is a classmate of my daughter…small world ain’t it?

4

I have met and surfed with several people (including Foamdust) as a result of Swaylocks, and hope to do much more of the same in the future as Swaylocks continues to thrive and grow… Its a virtual community that solidifies into a real community at various times & places. Pretty darn cool…

5

I have participated in forums regarding surfing and guitar/music in the past, yet Swaylock’s is the only one where I thought about and actually made personal contacts. Very early on, I started e-mail conversations with several people (still a relatively anonymous, impersonal method of communication). My relationships quickly moved beyond surfing with some of the folks where there seemed to be a common bond. It was SA 2003, I think, that changed my notion of a virtual community and also, I think, separates Swaylock’s from all the rest.

The thing about BB’s that has fascinated me is the ability of the written word to actually communicate someone’s personality. It is a testiment to the number of wonderful writers out there. But it is something else. An almost new artform seems to have been invented (I’m not sure if it is unique to Swaylock’s); a combination of visual and written using only the characters on a keyboard. No, not the : ) I’m thinking of Ambrose’s and Herb Spitzer’s posts that are as much visual art as literature. When I finally met these two, it was as if I had known them for a lot longer than I had. Anyone who thinks Ambrose’s stuff should change 'cause we have “spell check” now, is completely missing the point.

Yet, the written art form can be misleading also. There is one person I 've gotten to know quite well that is completely different in person than his posts would indicate. The guy is a fountain of information and one of the funnier people I’ve ever met, yet his posts are never much more than a few sentences…go figure.

The “neighborhood” quality of this place and tansition from virtual to real was really clear during the past few months when our little community suddenly disappeared…twice! I’m not sure about everyone else but, it was a punch in the stomach to me, like a divorce in the family. Very weird. There is an attachment for me that is a bit unnerving…

I’ve yet to be disappointed by any of the folks I’ve gotten to know on any level here. Its got a lot to do with a serious common interest I’m sure, maybe some age and experience too. But I really hope that it’s because we are life-long surfers that makes this place a little different. I really treasure these relationships and I suspect they will grow over the years.

6

I’m pretty new to Swaylocks, but it’s already been worth the price of a board to me. I’m an active member on many forums and this one is definitely a step above. I think one thing that set’s Swaylocks apart from the rest is that all of us are here to REALLY learn and share knowledge. There is no room for juvenille posts/Trolls/flame wars, because no one would ever want to come in here (or even KNOW about it) unless they had a real desire to create surfboards…A welcome break from the rest for sure…

7

When I stumbled onto Swaylocks, it was still in it’s infancy…And creatively so was I…

I watched it grow, at times with amazement…First, to see the names of “famous” shapers come on to post, and second, the sheer volume of posts this place gets…

My first connection, from virtual to real, was sending a fin to Matt Miller…I was seeking input on what I was making…Living here in the PNW is geographically isolated from most of the Swaylocians…I also sent a fin to Mr. Paler…Their input validated what path I was on, and led me to explore other areas…Reciprocally, Matt sent me some hard to get surf videos, and Mike helped me when I was setting up my website…Tom Sterne virtually hand held me through the web site building process…

I can say for certain that I would not have attempted a hollow board if not for Swaylocks…The inspiration is there, if you know what to pay attention to…There is genius in the archives, and quality information is posted on a daily basis…

After I had www.hollowsurfboard.com on the net, my virtual and real world expanded further…I’ve communicated and sent physical things to every continent except Antarctica…!!!…

I say humbly, that I’ve inspired other to create projects that they likely wouldn’t have attempted if not for my web site…And I’ve been told that my process will be used as a basis for school projects…Without the web, this just wouldn’t be…It’s hard to imagine how far reaching some of this stuff will go…

A real turning point in the virtual to real connection, was SA 2003 in Big Sur…I had apprehensions about the trip, a long way to go, a lot of strangers to meet…or not…???…The quality of the entire experience was so refreshing…From the faceless screen names to animated in your face people, the imaginary to real connections were forever changed…The vibe in the water was like nothing I’ve experienced before…Sharing boards and waves…What year is this…???…

Then there have been the ongoing personal relationships that have been formed as result of Swaylocks…The list of new found friends is long and the connections real…It has gone from surfboards to intimate issues of life and death…And these relationships will continue to grow…It seems like we are old high school friends…Oh, what a wonderful group of people…

Paul

8

Thanks you guys. Those were exactly the type of responses I was looking for. Also thanks to the people who responded personally via e-mail!

I think Mike Paler’s new section “Hookup” is a great idea and a natural extension of the concept. Share rides to the beach, combine material orders, swap tools, etc…

9

I know a few guys here from sways and it’s always interesting to end up meeting people in person after spending time on this forum. It’s a little like seeing a picture of a D.J from a radio show you listen to all the time, they never look like what you think they look like. The common denominator here is special. As a surf addict, I’m fascinated by what is new, old and recycled. Mostly I love to know the way of the older, wiser craftspeople, but have REALLY enjoyed, and have been surprised, by the young planer jockeys who are building their foundations and experimenting w/ what’s around them. This place here has changed that progress for them. Change is good. My “stuck in my way” approach has been influenced by Swaylocks. I know I’m reactive by nature, so thanks for teaching me to look with wider eyes.