Angry from Footscray writes...

This morning, a fellow I follow of twitter sent me this link while it may be a bit of a joke, I admit to feeling sick to the back teeth of hearing people say that online friends aren't real friends. so as you can see, I replied.

Incase they pull it, here's what I wrote:

The bit about people somehow not being real friends on twitter, or anywhere else online, is a thoughtless thing to say. I met a guy many years ago from the US who I became firm friends with, He came over to visit me and we toured Victoria which is my state here in Australia, Twice. He returned with his wife after they were married. I have another internet friend from interstate who comes to visit me at least twice a year, he'd come more often if plane fares weren't so expensive, so we keep in touch online. Another asked me if I'd like to tour Tasmania with him, He even paid for the ticket, we had a great time. Last week I was sent a gift from a lovely US friend in Oklahoma... She'd sent me a huge box of my favourite chocolates. A woman on twitter sent me a lot of new plants for my garden and some of her home grown fruit and veggies.

Because of the internet, I have formed solid friendships with people all over the world via forums, secondlife and twitter.

And twitter is giving me the opportunity of meeting brand new people who are already showing signs of becoming serious, actual, definately real friends with me.

The internet is just a phone extention, when you talk to people on your mobile, are those people somehow not real?

I don't listen to people who say we can't make friends online, they should put their brain in gear before opening their trap.

If you're not making real friends online, you're not doing it right.

Wolfie!