Improv. Getting Together In Cyberspace (NAPSA)—An online commu- nity is a lot like a real one. People get together with other people with common interests, make friends, provide support and even fall in love. Online and in real life, people get to share information and build relationships with other people. However, unlike in the real world, where in practical terms people meet and then determine if they share interests, in an online com- munity, site visitors, unlimited by location, can be extremely selective and navigate their way towards connecting with others who have similar interests. Social networking services bring together family, friends and associates on the Web andoveremail. Built around hobbies and interests, groups within such services offer you a convenient way to connect with others who share the same interests and ideas, regardless of where they are in the country or the world. Such systems allow users to discover interesting information, advice and support groups, communicate easily through e-mail or the Web and share information by making connections with people. With Yahoo! Groups, you can connect with over 95 million people—nearly one in every 10 people using the Internet. There is a @ group category for almost everyone who wants to share similar interests and learn new ideas including: Family—over 125,000 groups Parenting—over36,000 groups Crafts—over 23,000 groups Travel—over 12,000 groups Fitness and Nutrition—over 10,000 groups There’s also a whole lot more, including some unique virtual gatherings. Some of the more interesting groups include: The Compact: A group of folks in San Francisco decided to see if they could do something new for 2006—namely, not buy anything new. They formed a compact and agreed to go secondhand for a whole year, except for things such as food, health and safety items and, understandably, underwear. Digg-it: A group for lovers of buried treasure. FlyLadyMentors: A group formed to share tips for organizing your house and yourlife. * Duct_Tape: A group for all whoare serious about making art out of duct tape and those who really want to learn theart. Other groups include devotees of sports teams, enthusiast groups, school groups or local communities. To learn more, visit groups.yahoo.com.
