Flutterby™! : The Other Place

I've been browsing the Scary Devil Monastery again, that virtual space which many of the coolest participants of old have left for "the other place". Yesterday, in a conversation, I found an easy way to get to "the other place". I don't need more online time, so I doubt I'll be opening up that channel, but it has been a reminder that to make social interactions meaningful cultures erect barriers to tourists.One of the things that intrigued me about networks back in the '80s and early '90s was breaking down barriers to participation in various groups. Now I'm looking at ways that those barriers can be erected in a way that's germane to the community that they protect, and not just a series of hoops that have little relationship to the final situation (ie: college).