Jim Drake was nice enough to link to me today when he listed his friends he’s made through Twitter in the last year. The point of the post was to show that you can use technologies like Twitter and blogging to make real friends…even if you never meet them.
Now, Jim and I have met so I guess that makes us “real” friends, but I would argue to my last breath that friends made online are no less real than someone you know in person. Throughout 2008 I’ve met both in person and virtually a lot of great people from Twitter. I’m made friends, helped people and even won some new business. Take David for example. We’ve never met. But over the course of the year he’s become one of my best friends and is my accountability partner. And trust me, if I am close enough to someone to open up about my problems in life, they are a friend.
Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter here.
Note: This doesn’t include video game characters. If your best friend is your character in World of Warcraft, well that’s just disturbing.
ChadWright.me 
Websters –
friend –noun 1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter:
3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile:
4. a member of the same nation, party, etc.
5. (initial capital letter) a member of the Religious Society of Friends; a Quaker.
–verb (used with object)
6. Rare. to befriend.
—Idiom7. make friends with, to enter into friendly relations with; become a friend to.
Nothing about face to face contact there! Otherwise, do we stop being friends if we don’t see somebody? Maybe, but it’s because 1, 2, or 3 are not in place. I think we can have important and vital relationships with people we can’t see – i.e. God, for one.
So, if you’re mentioned in the blog post, I think you’re morally obligated to comment.
I am so honored to have a great friend like Chad. He and his family are very similar to me and mine. We’re catching up to number of children and will have 3 in May. Because of my temperament/personality/disposition, etc. I’ve always been somewhat of a loner. Not really possessing the skills and (admittedly) the desire to connect with other people. Maybe because of the lack of things in common or just being too busy, or too focused, I don’t have that many friends in “real” life or otherwise.
I’m honored to count Chad as a great friend and hopefully we’ll actually meet in person. I can’t think of a better reason to go to Austin or anywhere for that matter. From Apple and Star Wars to Design and God, we have lots in common. It’s so good to know there are other people out there in similar situations, with similar interests and hearts for God and creativity. Twitter has definitely been a benefactor to my connectedness and digitally joyous life this past year.
I definitely consider @ChadWright a ‘real’ friend. Thanks @twitter.
Some of the greatest people I’ve ever met have been online friends. I met some of them once or twice in real life, but they will always be “internet” friends.
To me, “internet” friend means nothing more than “a friend I met on the internet”… like “church” friends or “school” friends.
Yeah. ‘Net friends are awesome.