There is nothing unique about this community. Just about any special
interest group acts the same way. If I join an owners club for my car,
install some customisation and take it to rallys, I would find exactly
the same sort of community.

But if I break down one day and expect someone to help me just because
they have the same model of car, it just isn't going to happen. The
person I stop isn't a member of my community just because they have the
same sort of car. Community membership involves a willingness to learn
and put the work in.

I suppose it feels good to help someone improve themselves, so people
will do it. It feels crap to slave away for someone who doesn't know
what you are doing and cares less, so people will not do it.

Also, in a community like this, you can assume that the person asking
for the help today is willing to be giving it tomorrow. There is a
totally different feel in an interchange of information that grows the
community, from a tech-support situation that leaches off it.

Other similar communities I have known:
Amateur Radio
Model-making
Computer clubs in the early 80's


<OT>There are many models of how this works. Universal egosim is one of
them, probably not a very useful one. But this is not the place to
discuss it. Feel free to mail me directly.</OT>
--
Richard Urwin, Private
Confirmed as a crazy system administrator (NAG p348)


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