With virtual communities such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo... and even Tangler... is it really possible to create and foster real relationships? Can these relationships be truly meaningful to the people involved? People will argue that online friendships are more superficial because of the lack of actual contact. But maybe we can argue that they can be even more meaninful when strong common interest is the source of the relationship?

I agree with the tail-end of your statement. My comments in the other post reflect this. I think an online relationship has limits and to go to the next level would ideally involve physical presence. But, having said that it is possible to have meaningful relationships online. We all have different types of friendships and the ones online are no different. I think you get to know people much faster online, or certainly aspects of them, than you would in the real world...

I think there's less awkwardness online - you put something up, someone responds, a conversation starts. Contrast with having to go up to someone, break the ice, figure out what you have in common, get through the awkward silences without the whole thing breaking down...

Although when you find someone you're not awkward with in the real world the contrast serves to tell you that that person is different, and maybe you should hang on to that relationship

There are of course certain types of relationship that require a little physical contact, dating/marriage I think needs for you to meet the other person at some point   but a friendship.. no reason why it can't be conducted via text

I think that common interest helps find people, but then there have to be other things for the relationship to grow. Just meeting another F1 fan is not enough. our personalities, other likes and dislikes, life experiences have to 'match' for things to move to the next stage. Not to mention time zones and sleeping/waking times

And the degree to which they are obsessed with food if Tangler Talk is anything to go by!

hehehe and beer

Online relationships are really just sped up versions of your traditional penpal relationships and if you look at the types of letters that appear in Ken Burns type documentaries during the civil war etc, I would say that those relationships are as rich as any face to face friendships.  I know quite a few people that have built very strong relationships online and would think that they are just as enjoyable as face to face versions. 

Not to mention time zones and sleeping/waking times

You're on almost the exact opposite side of the world from me, but it doesn't seem to be an issue 

It has only really stopped being an issue once I started using Tangler....

before that it was a bit harder... email is a tad too dry to stimulate long term indepth communication. Especially the way most people use em - almost like post it notes

Online relationships are really just sped up versions of your traditional penpal relationships and if you look at the types of letters that appear in Ken Burns type documentaries during the civil war etc,

I see it that way too. Hence the levels of frankness, the occasional confessional, the humour and jesting (all in a good-natured way)... 

I would have to say that Ye-Olde-Style penmanship is somewhat of a lost art for me... (I have a bad habit of reading my spelling mistakes after I have hit enter )

I still write pretty well.... I think I type the way I write (as I go)

Actually, I've been thinking lately that picking up a pen feels strange.... I've written so little since I left uni. Looks like I need to get back to it

If you look at my old school books, my handwriting is crappy at the beginning of each year (after the Summer)

and each year my handwriting ends up different, when I get back into the swing of writing 

Yeah, same!!

OK. It only took me around 10 days to respond to this post - not bad

Real relationships? I think it depends on what type of relationships you are talking about. I have found and fostered business relationships online, developing working relationships with those involved that have definitely stood the test of time.

Two of the best developers I ever employed, or indeed ever ever worked with were found online. Over time what was an employee/employer relationship slowly became more of a mentoring relationship and eventually evolved into a solid friendship.

I think if you dig deep enough you can see the stages of a relationship...

Further, on a separate note, one of my best friends recently imported his fiancee from the states, after a long and involved online relationship.

I didn't tie in Facebook directly, because til about 3 or 4 days ago I had very little experience with Facebook, but I think the analogy is the same.