FHDC community survey

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* Please read the following carefully. After reading, if you
* accept the terms and conditions and are willing to
* participate in the study, continue on to the survey.
*
* Project Fruhead: An Exploratory Research Study Into a
* Successful Online Community
*
* Researchers:
* Jaci Dahlvang, Deanna Gauthier, Jenna Irwin, Jerome Woody, and Joani Maybank
* UW Information School, Library and Information Science
*
* Purpose and Benefits
* We would like to better understand what factors contribute to a successful online community and would like to survey
* members of Fruhead.com such as you about their experience in online communities. The results could be
* utilized to improve the set up and maintenance of other online communities and benefit the people involved.
*
* Procedures
* If you choose to be in the study, we would like to ask you to participate in the following online questionnaire.
*
* You may post your answers directly in the forum, or email them to the specified email address. You do not have to
* answer every question on the questionnaire, and can choose to stop at any time.
*
* If you have any questions about this research study, please contact Deanna Gauthier at [email protected]. If
* you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, please contact the University of Washington Human
* Subjects Division: 206-543-0098.
*
* If you have chosen to participate, please begin filling out the questionnaire. You may posts your answers to the
* forum or email them to [email protected]
*
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Now, for the questionnaire!


1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

I became a member of FHDC 8/10/99 when it came online. There had been prior announcements on the newsgroup and possibly other places so we were eagerly awaiting the launch.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

I check in as often as I can. At work, I'm pretty much on FHDC all day from an observer standpoint and for quite a while as a user. Once at home, I check once or twice but then leave it until morning. I spend roughly 8-9 hours a day within easy reach of FHDC.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

I used to do the diary thing but it doesn't really fit into my schedule these days. FHDC is the only online community I am very active in. I have had others in the past, but they have all faded. The experience with this community has been fairly unique but I attribute some of that to the nature of our fandom�a lot of us used to travel and see each other at shows. This led to online bonds forming more closely.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

I regularly interact with probably a couple dozen members. I'm aware of hundreds or thousands by count, probably hundreds by seeing names. I'm not sure where to peg the number of people I know of and have a pretty good grasp of but do not interact with frequently.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

I feel generally comfortable expressing my opinions, but like anywhere in my personal experience I fear saying things that would make me "uncool" to my friends. It's a lot less pronounced here, though. I do not like conflict in general, so I try not to create much and may get overzealous in trying to prevent it between others.

I don't think subjects should be avoided, but I definitely think some attitudes should be toned down when discussing them. We've proven that even in an uncharacteristically close and tolerant community people still can be inconsiderate or even hostile.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

Local Fruheads are encountered often in the local music scene. Some Fruheads are very close emotionally and geographically and we hang out often. I enjoy also seeing long-distance friends at events like FruCon, FRFF, or just friendly gatherings like those that have been known to happen in the NW.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

The friendships and relationships formed on FHDC currently are my closest and most meaningful friendships. I often feel like FHDC is an instant support network. I can always find someone who cares for me (and vice versa) with whom to chat, whether it be a sad time or a happy time.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

I like the casualness of the wall, as well as its public nature. It lends itself to much amusement as well as debate. But what means most to me is the frumessages. And pictures on profiles!

What keeps me coming back is people I care for and ever-changing content.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

Hrm. A party in a very large apartment. Bunch of people gathered in a big room, but lots of little rooms for small chats. The kind of party where you just hang out with people.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
First Visit: Wed Aug 11 1999
I imagine I heard about it in the newsgroup, or on IRC.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
I am on FHDC daily. I work in front of a computer, so I generally keep FHDC open in one window, and occassionally pop it to the front and type. I would say overall, on work days I spend 8 hours or so on FHDC. On non-work days, probably more like 2 or 3.
I would estimate that I average about 8 hours online per day, taking into account work and non-work days.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
I am a member of other discussion forums, but my level of participation on FHDC is considerably higher. The only one that comes close is LiveJournal

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
Regularly, probably 20 or so. As for "aware of", if you mean see occasionally, etc... probably more like 60 or 70.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
Extremely comfortable. I am generally comfortable expressing my opinions anyway, but FHDC is one of the most accepting forums I have ever encountered. I do not tend to avoid any subjects unless they don't interest me. Sports being a good example. :)

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
Yes. Most I don't see all that frequently. FRFF is the biggest gathering of FHDC members IRL. The only one I see fairly frequently (though not frequently enough) is becca.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
Extremely strong.
I am currently involved in a serious relationship with someone who I met through this community. There are many people who, if I did not get to talk to them, I would certainly miss their presense. I would go out of my way to accomodate or help out the majority of the people on FHDC that I'm close with if I saw them IRL.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
The intelligent discussion, definitely. Unlike so many other online communities, it doesn't turn to l33t speak, flaming, swearing and insults in every discussion. I would say overall it's the fact that the use of "community" actual APPLIES in it's traditional sense to FHDC. We're like a group of neighbors, friends and family that have each other's best interests in mind. (usually.)

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
Interesting question.. and one I've never really considered. I consider my LJ to be a big empty and echo-y room... with a single spotlight, and a little dust drifting through the beam. When I make an entry, I'm walking out there, talking to myself, then walking back off again. With FHDC, I've never really applied a visualization. When I think about it, though, I think it would be kind of like a big neighborhood. Lots of different houses, etc.... but every day, there's a BBQ that happens and everyone comes out of their houses to chit chat for a while.
:)

Just my $.02

You may post your answers directly in the forum, or email them to the specified email address. You do not have to answer every question on the questionnaire, and can choose to stop at any time.

is it just me, or does that remind anyone else of "please read the directions silently to yourself while I read them aloud?" :)

anyway, on with the survey...

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

that would be August 10, 1999, when the site came into existence. I became a member by clicking the "sign up" link or whatever it said back then.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

it's my mozilla start page. I check it all the time, and frequently procrastinate real work by chatting on the powerwall.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

well, I suppose livejournal could be considered an online community. my interaction in both places is pretty similar. I interact with a smaller subset of the overall population on the site. the site is just a way to communicate with the people I know.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

I regularly interact with probably about 20. I'm aware of only a few more. there really aren't that many people here I interact with who aren't often on the wall or forums.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

there are subjects I probably should avoid. i'm pretty comfortable expressing my opinion in general. what makes me comfortable isn't the community so much as the fact that I know that some people will agree with me and some will disagree anyway, so it's not like I post expected one or the other.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

yeah, but not as often as I'd like. Falcon Ridge is the obvious example that comes to mind.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

I don't think I have any. most of the people I talk to on here I knew in real life first, or met in real life before I really got to know them.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

probably the powerwall and the forums. or maybe just that I know a lot of people here and they keep coming back.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

smallish college campus.

You may post your answers directly in the forum, or email them to the specified email address. You do not have to answer every question on the questionnaire, and can choose to stop at any time.

is it just me, or does that remind anyone else of "please read the directions silently to yourself while I read them aloud?" :)

heh - you should have seen some of the example consent forms we were given. deanna did a great job of paring it down :)

this is a test . .this is only a test

(and much thanks to all who have responded!)

now I'm intrigued..

can we see some of the more extreme samples?

 

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC? 
I was wandering around different Fruvous sites and ran into this one on June1, 2002

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
I come on here almost every day. I couldn't say how long I'm on here in a given day, because I go off and on throughout the day.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
My brother has an online community, that is usually just him and I writing stories, thoughts, ideas, etc. It's nothing like this, because all the people on there, I've known for years, so if I piss someone off, it's entirely different. On here I'll feel bad, because I wouldn't intentionally piss someone off, and apologize, but on there, I feel like I have to apologize and than call them, and than buy them dinner, etc.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
I usually interact with anyone on the powerwall, I don't know how many that would be, quite a few. There are a few people that I've never spoken to on the powerwall, but have frumed back and forth with a few times.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
Usually I'm pretty comfortable saying whatever I feel like saying, until someone has a serious problem with it, than I'll try to avoid that subject.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
I don't really participate in any off-line activities with FHDC members, but I'd like to. My off-line relationship with fhdc people, is mostly on the phone.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
What I love is that all the stuff I wouldn't normally say to one of my friends outside of fhdc, you guys know about, because I'm not too timid to put my p.o.v. on here, or tell about my past, things that other friends don't have a clue about, which has resulted in close friendships. I've gained some wonderful friends through here.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
The people on here. I love getting up in the morning to say hello, before I start my day. Or coming on after work, when I'm usually stressed the hell out, and letting my nerves settle.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
A flop house.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

Uhm... Aug 1999 I guess ;-)

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

I use FHDC all the time. It's the way I communicate with most of my friends, I keep a lot of my links and notes on here. I also use it to read diaries. Probably a couple hours a day.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

Not really. Not as an active participant.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

I talk to probably a dozen people or so on a weekly basis, and I know hundreds of members to some extent.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

I'll usually post whatever I damn well please on here. Mainly because my views are fairly inline with the FHDC mainstream. If Fruheads were politically more mainstream, I probably wouldn't be as open.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

Yeah, I live with one member and I see some of the other locals on a regular basis.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

Dandy. :) Fruheads are great people, and very friendly.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

Definitely it's to see who gets "first post" on the polls. Is there anything else that matters?

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

Very, very frightening. And fun. :)

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
The first day I could. I was never on the newsgroup (couldn't get alt.- groups with my free access) but I checked FDC often, and had some other fr�head friends, so I knew it was on its way.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
When I worked in the computer lab, I was on here constantly. Now that I'm not there, I'm still on at least a few hours each day. Depending on who's on, how active things are, and how much time I have to spend, I can be on for six or more hours some days.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
Only in lurker mode. FHDC feels more open and less exclusive than a lot of the other groups. It also comes across as more socially mature than most places. I haven't noticed anyone just show up and start to post all over the place in full troll mode.  There have been some trollish posts, but not the way other places seem to get them.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
Just about everyone who is active on the wall (which would be about 20-30 I guess). I also talk to a number of people who don't. I'd say I'm aware of at least a few hundred names around here.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
Pretty much completly comfortable. For the most part, people are good about letting people they disagree with speak, and debating them fairly. There have been some exceptions to that, but for the size of the community, FHDC has an amazing track record for those things. I can't think of anything I try not to bring up around here.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
Usually at least once a week. North-West Ohio is one of the oddly-placed fr�head concentrations. Beyond that, there's always fr�con, which has gotten smaller, but closer at the same time. I'd like to add FRFF to the list, but I'm still yet to get out there...

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
Some of the closest I've ever had. My friends from here range from just aquantiencies, to quite close friends, to a full-blown romantic relationship. In general, I'm closer to people on here than I am with other people. I don't tend to be comfortable in groups, but FHDC seems to be the exception to that.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
The people, and the ways to talk to them. My favorite things about the revision of the site are the forums and polls. I spend most of my time with chatting and the wall, but I also spend a lot in the forums.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
The neighborhood bar/coffee shop. There's the big front area to talk in, and all the regulars know your name. But there are also a lot of little tables and back rooms where people can run off to and talk (or play kitten poker ;-) 

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
August 10, 1999, as soon as it was finally up. I knew about it from ammf and had been waiting impatiently for it and Thornhill all summer.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general? For better or for worse, it's my start page, and all my bookmarks are here, so I'm on here a lot. I certainly don't talk or participate as much as I used to, because I don't feel as welcome as I used to. *shrug* Whatever.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
Chicklit and Livejournal. I've formed closer relationships here than on Chicklit, but I've also been a member here longer, and a lot of the emphasis here, especially back when Fruvous was still touring, has always been on meeting people and making friends. It's hard to distinguish Livejournal from the other communities because so many of my friends there are people I knew originally from FHDC or Chicklit.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of? Maybe 30 or so regularly, tho I'm aware of probably a few hundred more. The level of interaction differs in each person's case, tho, depending on my relationship with them.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid? *snork* I don't think I should answer this one.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples? I'm in a long-term relationship with someone I met on FHDC, and I moved halfway across the country to live with him. When I lived on the East Coast, I spent a lot of time visiting other Fruheads, most often Gordondon, Lawrence, and Shelly. Lots of concerts, festivals, weekend-long cons, and silly adventures; sometimes just hanging out watching movies and eating too much chocolate. In Chicago, sometimes we get together with Michael or Andrew or Angel, or some combination of the three. Never as often as I'd like. I miss people.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC? Hrm. Well, the two people I'm closest to in all the world are people I met here. I've also met a lot of other wonderful people on FHDC, people I probably would never have met otherwise. And that's probably why I keep coming back, in spite of the things and people I maybe don't like as much.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back? See above.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it? I like Lawrence's description of a small college campus. And the wall is a big table in the college dining hall.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

My first visit to FHDC was on July 24, 2000, a short time after the band, Moxy Fruvous, entered my radar.   I believe I was directed to FHDC from Fruvous.com.  At the time, I was more of a lurker/inactive user, visiting the site primarily only after getting these strange birthday greetings from this guy named Josh Woodward.  I became more active in about Jan. 2003, after meeting two separate sets of FHDCers in a span of a couple of months. 

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

I check-in pretty much every day, I keep on typing in the URL at work whenever I open my browser and am finished with whatever I'm doing that is work related web browsing.  And then at least once a night before I head to bed to see who else is on.  I'm probably on-line at FHDC anywhere from 1-4 hours a day.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

I am part of a few other lists/communities, but aside from one of them, I'm pretty much a lurker in those lists.  I would say that I'm more involved in the other community than FHDC, as I have been with them longer.  But my level of activity at FHDC is probably more than the other community because there's constantly lots of things going on here and it is more of a 24 hour interactive community.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

Probably about 15 or so on a regular basis mainly through the powerwall.  I'm aware of at least another 20.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

I'm typically a shy person, so I'm usually not comfortable about discussing much of anything aside from work, school, and the weather (something I'm trying to work on).  I tend to be more comfortable on FHDC because it's online, people aren't able to see you when you make puzzled expressions with your face, and I tend to express myself better in words than in speaking with people I don't know very well.  I lean toward avoiding subjects that lead to conflict on FHDC, as I have too much of it already in my offline life.  Overall, I find FHDC to be an enjoyable place to be to unwind and relax during the day.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

Yes I do.  The off-line interaction happens about once every few weeks/months depending on what's happening in town.  There are a sizeable number of FHDCers in New York City.  Typically it invovles going out to concerts (EFO, EFO/Nields, EFO, DVN, Mammals) and the occasional movie or contra dance.   While I have been to FRFF, I really was not part of the FHDC community since I last gone, but would say that I'm looking forward to meeting a bunch of FHDCers this year up in Hillsdale.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

I would say that I have become good friends and awesome acquaintences with some of people that I have interacted with here in FHDC and in person.  Everyone that I have met here has been very friendly, accepting, and refreshingly freakish in their own way (and I mean that as a compliment).

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

I love people's ability and willingness to talk about whatever is on their minds, be it in a forum topic or a poll (The diversity of opinions just amazes me).  And the powerwall.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

A Killer Tent. :)  Just Kidding. FHDC reminds me of a coffeehouse (not one of those franchised caffiene experiences).  A coffeehouse where you're a regular and can sit and relax, talk with people that you like, jump from table to table meeting other people that you know, and welcome new people as they walk in.  (yes I have had such a coffeehouse when I was in college, it was such a nice place to be).  I also thought of FHDC as a folk festival as well.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC? I joined on December 3rd, 1999. I had been a fan of the band for several years, and it occurred to me at or around a couple of shows I attended at the Westbeth Theater in NYC that possibly I could find other Fruheads online. I did.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general? I check FHDC periodically throughout the day. It used to be the page my browser automatically opened to, and I only recently changed that to Beasi.net instead. Still, I am on quite a bit during the day, often checking in with the latest poll or wall activity, and sometimes chatting on the wall. Probably it adds up to a couple of hours a day on average.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of? I am a member of a few other communities. One of them (Beasi.net) is probably about on par with FHDC as far as time used goes, maybe a bit higher. Another (LiveJournal) is definitely higher.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of? I regularly interact with probably about 7-12 people on FHDC. I am aware of the huge membership, but probably only aware of about 100 by name.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid? I feel very comfortable with it. There are times when I will refrain, simply because I don't feel like getting into what I know will be a big debate, but the debates almost never end up being flame wars, which I appreciate. I find FHDC to be a pretty open place for discussion. One topic I will never discuss there, however, is abortion. Fruheads are passionate on both sides of the debate, and in a way that I've seen turn very ugly. I will probably never discuss that topic on FHDC.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples? Well, I married a member of FHDC (though I'll refrain from going into details about our off-line activities), and I see several other members on a semi-regular basis currently, and previously on a very regular basis. I didn't actually meet my husband on FHDC, but I think it contributed greatly to creating the community that made it possible for me to meet him.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC? I consider the friendships I have built on FHDC to be some of the best I have had in my life. I've had my ups and downs with the community as a whole, but I will forever be grateful for some of the people I have found here. There are even those who I rarely see in real life who I would consider to be some of my best friends in the world. The internet has given us an amazing opportunity to find kindred spirits regardless of distance, and FHDC has been a shining example of that for me.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back? The people keep me coming back. You know, it's interesting... being a Fruhead was always about the band for me. The people were a nice bonus, but I was 100% in it for the band, especially the live shows. As the band has fallen out of my daily life, however, I still find myself coming back to FHDC. I'm thinking the people had a greater affect on me than I thought. :) Of all the features on the website, it is probably the Wall that keeps me coming back... the hopes that I'll have the chance to chat with the folks I love best.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it? I guess a student union. People wandering in and out all day, occasionally stopping in small groups to chat or geek out. It reminds me of the old student union (which wasn't officially a student union) at the college I attended, where you'd find people talking, eating, sleeping... occasionally playing D&D... pretty much anything, all in the midst of these strange carpeted steps and shapes. You could interact with people or just tuck yourself away in a corner somewhere and watch.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

Hee. Well, I've never envisioned FHDC as being anything but a website, for the most part, and I don't see it all that much in a social light, except for the wall.

see, when people are on the Wall, they talk about it as if it were an actual, physical wall, saying things like "ellen bangs her head against the wall."

so, I always pictured it as either the wall of a padded room (for crazies!), or as a brick wall, and in my minds eye, people are actually hanging out ON the wall... there is no floor...

maybe we just all float. or perhaps gravity is going sideways. or we are all wearing velcro suits...

or, like some cool slacker kids in high school we just stand leaning against the wall, watching the world and discussing it sardonically...

Ah! I didn't think about describing how I see the wall alone.
I've always pictured the wall as the red brick wall from Sesame Street. The one where they do the bits with the blue sky behind them.

Which makes sense, since we're all really muppets at heart.

1.  Being an abbod Fr�head, I was excited when I had a chance to join a community to talk with people who are connected in an intelectal way of liking the Fr�v Four!

2.  I check about once a day.  I mostly check frumessages and post on boards that seem interesting.  Oh yes and Polls, there is something fun about a poll!

3.  I am a member to other online communities, however I barly go to the message boards.

4.  I connect often with FHDC people, there are about 8 or 9 I talk to regularlly, freinds with about 30 or 40.  And I know probally around 100 people from here.

5.  I don't feel comfortable expressing my oppinion.  There are some people here who have put them selves in a possition of power and will attack you if you say something they disagree with.  (Insert George W. Bush joke here.)  Because of that (and because I am busy with my projects), I have taken down several notches.

6.  I see allot of concerts with my freinds from FHDC.  In July me and John will be seeing They Might Be Giants.  I am working on a CD project and about 6 people I met threw here are involved.  The best one is Ellen.  However I wont discribe what our activities are, mainly because there are so many.

7.  Everything from "I like George W Bush more then I like her" (For my oppinion on Bush, read my live jounral, it's quite low.) to "She was out whitted by a bag of hammers" to "I find you intelecually stimulating" to "You are so wheeeeeee!"  As you can see it veries!  :)

8.  Frumessages.

9.  Falcon Ridge.  It just about sums it up.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC? 
Though my profile says differently, around August 1999

2. How often do you check in on FHDC?  When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC?  How long during one day on-line in general? 
I check in randomly during the day, rarely for more than 10 minutes.  I'm online at school for about 12 hours or more per day but I'm in front of the computer for about half of that.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities?  If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?  
I'm now on John Mayer message boards.  I'm more interactive there than I have been on fhdc in about a year.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of? 
I don't really spend that much time interacting with fruheads on FHDC, my conversations with them are in other places through venues like AIM.  I'm certainly not aware of every single person but the names become quickly familiar.  

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid? 
There are certain subjects I avoid to the point of not feeling comfortable enough to list them in this survey.  I've learned to become less blatantly/caustically confrontational with other fhdc members if they say something about me which I find offensive.  I used to watch what I say on the wall when I do jump on it but now, I could care less about what others may think of me.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members?  If yes, how frequently?  Could you provide some general or specific examples? 
Ummm...Frucon, Falconridge, EFO concerts, supportive phone calls or calls just to catch up

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC? 
Tested and resulting in loyal friendships.  I've been shocked at how different people are in person as compared to their online personas and  it's opened the doors to new friendships...albeit distant ones :)
 
8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back? 
Honestly, I don't know.  Half the time I just sign on, check the frumessages I don't get, search the archives to see if anyone's been looking for me on the wall and just basically to spy.  *I* see you!

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
It's all too similar to the lobby on my floor of my dorm.  Everynight, it's one of two different groups of the same people sitting on the couches in front of the elevators and in the center of the different wings.  They don't seem affected by whoever steps off the elevator and drops in on an aspect of their conversations.  Each group is either talking about nothing but pop culture or what's going on in their lives.  They save the gossip for their private rooms (IMs/frums) but generically put on a welcoming and unaffected front.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
august 2, 2002. i didn't even know fruvous' music...i was solely here to keep in touch with the people i'd met at frff. i have been converted to the wonderful ways of fruheaddom, however. :)

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
if i'm in front of my computer (which is basically whenever i'm in my apartment), there is a window open to the wall. why the wall? not necessarily to talk, but because it offers automatically refreshing frum and IM alerts. easily 6-8 hours/day on fhdc, maybe a teeny more online in general.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
i've recently gotten into the LJ thing, but fhdc certainly incorporates a much larger community. my friends list on LJ is only 30+ people long, but here, i know many more people than that. the communication here tends to be more dynamic, freeform, and fast-paced. LJ is kind of on heroin, i guess. (weird analogy, sorry...)

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
i regularly interact with probably about 40 people here, but i'm aware of probably close to 150.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
[well worded question, guys! props!] i think the very fact that it's online allows a certain amount of protection and confidence in expressing divergent views, since we don't have to face other members on a regular basis. "it's just online," you know?

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples? yes, i go to shows with the east-coasters on a pseudo-regular basis. of course, there is a huge contingent that gathers annually at frff. even if fruvous is gone (for now, at least), we still gather around contemporary folk music.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
heh. i've formed some amazing friendships with people on this site. people here understand that just because a friendship only exists online, that doesn't mean it has to be any less meaningful than a "real life" friendship. and who knows...i may have even found love here...[how's THAT for a tease?!]

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
there is a certain common bond--beyond fruvous--that we all share. we know what it's like to be "that kid" in school...the one who wasn't picked first--or maybe even fifth--in gym class...the one the other kids snickered about...the one who was always just a little different from everyone else. to find people who can relate to those experiences, and who don't look at you as different, but just as *YOU*, is an invaluable experience. everyone tends to be incredibly supportive of my endeavors, which is often more than i can say for the people i interact with face-to-face on a daily basis. you can always come here for a sympathetic, understanding, supportive ear.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
there have already been some incredibly apt and creative suggestions... i think i'd go for something to the effect of an apartment or even dorm building. we each have our own little room (profile), we can go visit each other (IM/frum), hang out in the lounge (wall), or head off to work/class (log off)...but your room is still there, and people can still leave messages on your white board (frum). :-D in fact, it's much the same feeling that i get logging on to FHDC hoping i have a frum as i had going back to my dorm at the end of the day hoping i had a note on my white board.

good luck, jaci&co!

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
Aug. 10, 1999. I had to check my profile to confirm that and I was surprised as I remember being a little resentful of this place as I thought it would fragment and dilute the community we had. That was ammf and IRC and of course then irc went in the dumper for technical reasons...  Oh yeah, and fdc for profiles.
2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
I check in almost everyday at least once. I have recently spent some or all of my work lunch break on fhdc, I haven't until recently been in a job where net access was possible at all. I probably spend 1hr. a day on fhdc out of 3 or 4 hours that I spend online each day. I do not leave it open while I do other things for any length of time, I don't tend to have a lot of windows open.
3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
I am/have been a member of other communities, mostly Yahoo groups. They never really hooked me the way the fruvous community has.
4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
Hmmm...only using the resources of fhdc, *regularly* I don't interact with that many people. I am aware of probably close to 100 people
5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
I'm pretty comfortable expressing my opinions to any one person. Fruheads are intelligent people and I value their thoughts and opinions. I see the wall as a party or family gathering, not the best place for heavy social, religious or political discussions. That said, the only thing I avoid is having any kind of conversation with someone who is trolling for a fight. It happens, we all have bad days, I just try not get involved.
6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
Yes, but not frequently enough. The past couple of years the local fruheads have been able to count on gathering together at least once a year as a group. Frucon West we like to call it. Other than that Robin and I try to get to as many smaller gatherings as we can, concerts, parties, whatever. I would say we have not been as social as others have been.
7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
I have yet to meet a fruhead I didn't like or who was not as they appeared to be online. I have made a number of good acquaintances and several good friends. And I married  Robin, a fruhead whom I met online although I'm thinking we actually met on irc first.
8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
The people. I like the fruhead community. I would argue that FHDC is a large part of what defines that community but it is not the whole thing.
9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
I really have enjoyed reading other people's answers to this question. I guess I see it as a house party, spread out through the various rooms, big groups, little groups, some people who stay in the same room for the whole night, some people who move from group to group and room to room.

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?
Mon Oct 16 2000. can't remember much else about it, other than i linked to it from FDC and that i couldn't get onto it for a few months because for some reason the college computers didn't like the site and wouldn't let me on it. *sulk* :D

2. How often do you check in on FHDC?
FHDC is my homepage, so it's the first thing i see when i connect to the internet. i usually keep it in a separate window when i'm surfing so i can keep refreshing it and see who else comes or goes.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
i have online diaries at Livejournal and Diaryland, and i often post on the stairwell's message boards. however, this is my main community, and the people i hang out with at other sites are people i met here.

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
unfortunately, living in a random weirdo time zone on the other side of the planet, i'm usually in bed fast asleep during peak time here. and when i go online first thing in the morning to check my mail, there's often no-one here! :P however, when i'm online in the evening there are quite a few people about that i can chat to on the wall if i'm not too busy. a lot of my communicating with other FHDC users is done by frums or email, or lj posts, as opposed to chatting on the wall.
   there are about 3 or 4 people i regularly chat to (at least once a week), who tend to be people that have FHDC on their computers at work. at the moment, i have 26 users on my frequent contacts list. i use it more like a buddy list really. there are, however, lots more people i like and will talk to here that i haven't put on there.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
i'm not a very opinionated person really, and i tend to feel neutral about a lot of topics. the thing about fruheads, though, is that as a general rule they're open-minded and i can say pretty much anything i need to. i usually won't touch current issues and world affairs and all that with a 6-foot barge pole, though, simply because i'm a bimbo and don't keep up to date with a lot of the stuff that goes on in the news, and i don't want to make careless uninformed stabs at people or issues i know nothing about. also, i try not to bitch about the people here, or tell people how to sort out their problems, because i don't know them personally and often don't know the full story.

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
um. well. i've never actually met any other british fruheads, apart from my own friends who i've converted (hee), and although two of them have logins here they don't use them ever (they only registered 'cause i told them to). apart from that, there's only one FHDC person i've actually met (hey dave! *waves*), and when he comes over we hang out in london, have coffee and a bit of a gossip, go to the theatre, y'know, stuff like that. :) my ultimate ambition is to get a plane ticket to the US or Canada and meet everyone. it will happen someday, just i'm not sure right now when that'll be.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
this is a toughie, because as i just said, i've only ever met one FHDC person and i don't want to freak you all out. :D my online fruhead friends are some of the best and closest friends i've ever made. i can chat to them about anything and they'll give me advice or opinions. i can squee with them over fandoms. *g* i have several addresses and we all send each other letters/goodie bags/fan mail. ;) i think about everyone here when i'm not online, and i worry about them like i worry about my 'real' friends. i miss being here if i can't get online for some reason.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
the people, *duh*. i don't know where i'd be without the friends i've got here. also i like all the features the site has, especially the profiles, frumessaging, powerwall, diaries, and forums, which make it so much easier to integrate and to get to know other people better. i love all of it! how could i possibly choose?? :D

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?
like Cheers! o/' where everybody knows your naaaaaame... and they're always glad you caaaaaame... o/' *ducks* :D um. i've never thought of it like this before. i guess for me, the internet is kinda like school. there are loads and loads of different people of all ages with all different interests, and you don't know most of them. FHDC is like your year group, because your friends from class are all there, and there are a load of other people you don't know quite so well but are similar and you get on with them anyway. it's not very accurate, but, well, you did ask. :D

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

Mon, Aug 16 1999, after 2 years of lurking on FDC and ammf.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?
I rarely go online from home, what with dial-up and a very jealous cat.  I�m online at work about 8 hours a day, and I check in on FHDC probably 10 times a day.  Some days I leave the powerwall open for hours and chat.  If I�m not chatting, I don�t really keep it open.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?
FHDC is my primary online community.  Other forum sites and groups I�ve been involved with haven�t really held my attention.  I think it�s because most of them are generally dedicated to one topic, and FHDC has pretty much transcended Fruvous since they stopped touring.

 

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?
I interact regularly with 40 or so people.  Peripherally, probably 100+.  I�m aware of a few hundred; for the past month, I�ve read the profile of every birthday person, and signed most of the cards.  And I�ve always read the profiles of newbies.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?
I�m pretty comfortable expressing opinions on subjects that aren�t the �biggies� � politics, religion, who�s gonna win American Idol�that sort of thing.  But on those big issues, I�m usually not confident that I could articulate my position well enough for it to come out correctly in print.  Or, more so, that I could express my own uncertainties and doubts � they don�t always translate well for me.  So, I choose to sit those conversations out, rather than risk appearing like a zealot in one way or another.

 

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?
As on of the NYC area people, I get to see FHDCers fairly frequently (2ce a month, maybe?).  Mostly at other concerts, but also for movies or dinner.  And then there�s FRFF and Frucon.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?
Various.  Some close, some very close, some not so close.  Much like real life.     Unique, for me, because I avoid using the internet to communicate with my �real life� friends.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?
There�s almost always someone here who will be silly with me when I want to be silly.  And I often want to be silly. 

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

I totally agree with the �Cheers� analogy, except that we�re all Norm.  And I like thinking of the wall as an actual wall separating sort of a purgatory white cloud floaty weightless space from the real world.  The real world is not the fun side.

1. I joined fhdc on October 26, 1999. It was a very good day.

2. I check in every workday (Sunday-Thursday) when I'm at the newspaper, but I don't have web access at home. When I'm on fhdc, I'm usually on for an hour or two.

3. I'm not a member of any other online community per se, but there are other places I visit obsessively: In These Times, cursor.org, and the bust website's forums. I probably spend a little more time on cursor than on fhdc (partly because it's easier to explain as work-related).

4. I probably interact regularly with between five and 10 people on fhdc in forums, but there are about 40 more people I recognize by name and try to remember to sign birthday cards for.

5. I'm more comfortable expressing my opinions on fhdc than most places online, because most disagreements stay respectful.

6. I don't meet up with Fruheads nearly as much since I've retreated to Iowa (where the concentration of Fruheads is much lesser-- 3 parts per thousand?), but I have been to various concerts, a Frucon, and FRFF with fhdc folks.

7. Well, most of the people I know well on fhdc I've met both in person and online. Mostly, I've met them in person first, but I met Stacey by first posting a note on the fru-tripping ride board, then carpooling to Toronto and hanging out. The folks I have met here have been supportive, interesting, delightful, and I am glad for their company.

8. I like to see how people are doing. Love the forums!

9. I envision fhdc as a sort of doughnut-shaped apartment complex. Everyone's apartment has a different window on the outside world, but we have this communal space where someone's always awake and ready to grill out.

9. I envision fhdc as a sort of doughnut-shaped apartment complex. Everyone's apartment has a different window on the outside world, but we have this communal space where someone's always awake and ready to grill out.

I love that description! Reading that makes me wish I'd thought of it!

Yeah, that sums up what I was trying to explain WAY better than my analogy. :)

Way to go Rachel! :D

1. How and when did you become a member of FHDC?

I joined the day it started. I guess I knew about from AMMF.

2. How often do you check in on FHDC? When you do, how long, on average during one day, do you spend on FHDC? How long during one day on-line in general?

I check FHDC whenever I'm online. It is my homepage. Most days that means two or three times. If I'm online for a while I'll periodically check back to see if I got any new frumsgs.

3. Are you are member of other on-line communities? If yes, how does your level of activity or interaction on FHDC compare with other on-line communities you are a member of?

No this is the only one

4. How many people do you regularly interact with on FHDC? How many other members are you aware of?

I guess I interact reguarly without about a dozen people, maybe more. I am aware far more. Maybe 100.

5. How comfortable do you feel expressing your opinions on FHDC? What makes you comfortable or uncomfortable with this? Are there subjects you avoid?

I'm always comfortable. The know the people who might give me a hard time and usually I just tune them out. Most people are still going to like me even if they disagree

6. Do you participate in off-line activities with FHDC members? If yes, how frequently? Could you provide some general or specific examples?

Yes all the time. I think the majority of the time I spend with other people are with FHDC members. I see people live almost every week and I talk on the phone every day. I go to concerts with them of course. I have travelled to see Carey, Shelly, Lawrence, Lori, and Joy. My apolgies to the people i know I'm forgetting.

7. How would you describe the relationships you have formed in FHDC?

I've made some of my closests friends including my best friend here.

8. What is your favorite aspect of FHDC? In other words, what keeps you coming back?

The people. I use frumsgs all the time. I also love the forums and the Wall.

9. If FHDC were a physical place, how would you describe it?

A large public building with large halls that everone can fit in but still break into small groups to talk. There are also private rooms for when you need to get away from the crowd.