You have riches and freedom here, but I feel no sense of faith or direction. You have so many computers, why don't you use them in the search for love?
Lech Walesa, Polish Trade Unionist

The Internet is a great source of information and reference. As the above quote highlights, it's also a social highway, a place where people meet, make new friends and, sometimes, even fall in love.

So what is an Internet community? How does it work? How do people strike up firm friendships through chat rooms and online conversations?

We'd like to understand more about the way Internet communities grow and develop. So whether you're a regular member of h2g2, or you're just visiting, tell us about what you enjoy most about participating in the social whirl of the web.

• What makes a good community?

• Which communities have you visited or participated in?

• Are communities different from chat rooms?

• What's it like to meet Internet friends in real-life?

• Do Internet friendships differ from real-life relationships?