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mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Cultural impact subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Cultural_impact-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-The_Berkeley_Singthing" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Berkeley_Singthing"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>The Berkeley Singthing</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Berkeley_Singthing-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-"AOL_for_Deadheads"" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#"AOL_for_Deadheads""> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>"AOL for Deadheads"</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-"AOL_for_Deadheads"-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_Electronic_Frontier_Foundation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Electronic_Frontier_Foundation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>The Electronic Frontier Foundation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Electronic_Frontier_Foundation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Craigslist" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Craigslist"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>Craigslist</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Craigslist-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Salon" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Salon"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5</span> <span>Salon</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Salon-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Kevin_Mitnick_hacking_case" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Kevin_Mitnick_hacking_case"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.6</span> <span>Kevin Mitnick hacking case</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Kevin_Mitnick_hacking_case-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Media_coverage_of_the_internet_and_online_community" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Media_coverage_of_the_internet_and_online_community"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.7</span> <span>Media coverage of the internet and online community</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Media_coverage_of_the_internet_and_online_community-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_the_news" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_the_news"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>In the news</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_the_news-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Publications_about_The_WELL" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Publications_about_The_WELL"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Publications about The WELL</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Publications_about_The_WELL-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Virtual_community_and_social_network_difference" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Virtual_community_and_social_network_difference"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Virtual community and social network difference</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Virtual_community_and_social_network_difference-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header 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</div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">The WELL</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. 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class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Virtual community</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">This article is about the Whole Earth Electronic Link online community. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/The_Well_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="The Well (disambiguation)">The Well (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vcard"><caption class="infobox-title fn org">Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link</caption><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Well-logo-real-blue.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Well-logo-real-blue.png/250px-Well-logo-real-blue.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="195" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Well-logo-real-blue.png/330px-Well-logo-real-blue.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Well-logo-real-blue.png/500px-Well-logo-real-blue.png 2x" data-file-width="1197" data-file-height="1060" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">Type of site</div></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Virtual_community" title="Virtual community">Virtual community</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Available in</th><td class="infobox-data">English</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Owner</th><td class="infobox-data">The WELL Group Inc.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">URL</th><td class="infobox-data url"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://well.com">well<wbr />.com</a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Launched</th><td class="infobox-data">February 1985<span class="noprint">; 40 years ago</span><span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated">1985-02</span>)</span><sup id="cite_ref-timeline_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-timeline-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link</b>,<sup id="cite_ref-:8_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:8-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> normally shortened to <b>The WELL</b> or <b>The Well</b>,<sup id="cite_ref-:9_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:9-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is a <a href="/wiki/Virtual_community" title="Virtual community">virtual community</a> founded in 1985. It is one of the oldest continuously operating virtual communities. By 1993 it had 7,000 members, a staff of 12, and gross annual income of $2 million.<sup id="cite_ref-:5_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A 1997 feature in <i>Wired</i> magazine called it "The world's most influential online community."<sup id="cite_ref-KH-Wired_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-KH-Wired-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2012, when it was last publicly offered for sale, it had 2,693 members.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is best known for its <a href="/wiki/Internet_forums" class="mw-redirect" title="Internet forums">Internet forums</a>, but also provides email, <a href="/wiki/Shell_account" title="Shell account">shell accounts</a>, and web pages. Discussion topics are organized into conferences that cover broad areas of interest.<sup id="cite_ref-:8_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:8-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> User anonymity is prohibited.<sup id="cite_ref-:8_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:8-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The WELL was started by <a href="/wiki/Stewart_Brand" title="Stewart Brand">Stewart Brand</a> and <a href="/wiki/Larry_Brilliant" title="Larry Brilliant">Larry Brilliant</a> in 1985. The name<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> follows the naming of some of Brand's earlier projects, including the <i><a href="/wiki/Whole_Earth_Catalog" title="Whole Earth Catalog">Whole Earth Catalog</a></i>. Initially The WELL was owned 50% by The Point Foundation, publishers of the Whole Earth Catalog and Whole Earth Review, and 50% by NETI Technologies Inc. a Vancouver-based company of which Larry Brilliant was at that time chairman. Its original management team—Matthew McClure, soon joined by <a href="/wiki/Cliff_Figallo" title="Cliff Figallo">Cliff Figallo</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Coate" title="John Coate">John Coate</a>—collaborated with its early users to foster a sense of <a href="/wiki/Virtual_community" title="Virtual community">virtual community</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-:4_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> McClure, Coate and Figallo were all veterans of the 1970s commune called <a href="/wiki/The_Farm_(Tennessee)" title="The Farm (Tennessee)">The Farm</a>. </p><p>John Coate left the WELL to help create SFGate, the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Chronicle" title="San Francisco Chronicle">San Francisco Chronicle</a>'s first web site.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1991 Figallo hired <a href="/wiki/Gail_Williams" title="Gail Williams">Gail Ann Williams</a> as a community manager. Williams, one of the principals of the satirical group the Plutonium Players, had been working in nonprofit theater management and was already an active member of the WELL.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1992 Cliff Figallo also left his job at The WELL and long time WELL member Maurice Weitman was hired as general manager. Figallo's resignation letter to the Board cited changes in company approach: "I am too much identified with the permissive and accommodating attitude that has been part of The Well's growth to preside over a more restrictive régime."<sup id="cite_ref-:4_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:4-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road,_Sausalito_California.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png/220px-WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png/330px-WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png/440px-WELL_staff_in_March_1993_at_27_Gate_Five_Road%2C_Sausalito_California.png 2x" data-file-width="3089" data-file-height="2048" /></a><figcaption>Staff of The WELL on March 7, 1993, at 27 Gate Five Road, Sausalito, California</figcaption></figure> <p>From 1994 to 1999 The WELL was owned by <a href="/wiki/Bruce_R._Katz" title="Bruce R. Katz">Bruce R. Katz</a>, founder of <a href="/wiki/Rockport_(company)" title="Rockport (company)">Rockport</a>, a manufacturer of walking shoes.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Katz upgraded the infrastructure and hired staff, but alarmed members with plans to franchise the WELL. "Let's just say there was a communications mismatch," <a href="/wiki/Howard_Rheingold" title="Howard Rheingold">Howard Rheingold</a> wrote.<sup id="cite_ref-:7_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:7-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The WELL was a California-run enterprise in 1998 and before.<sup id="cite_ref-:9_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:9-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In April 1999 it was acquired by <i><a href="/wiki/Salon_(website)" class="mw-redirect" title="Salon (website)">Salon</a></i>, several of whose founders, such as <a href="/wiki/Scott_Rosenberg_(journalist)" title="Scott Rosenberg (journalist)">Scott Rosenberg</a>, had previously been regular participants there. Wired reported, "The surprise move... gives Salon a dose of new credibility by tying it directly into a members-only community of scores of artists, writers, thinkers, scientists, programmers, and visionaries."<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In August 2005 Salon announced that it was looking for a buyer for The WELL, to concentrate on other business lines. In November 2006, a press release from The WELL said "As Salon has not found a suitable purchaser, it has determined that it is currently in the best interest of the company to retain this business and has therefore suspended all efforts to sell The WELL."<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In June 2012 Salon once again announced that it was looking for a buyer for The WELL as its subscriber base "did not bear financial promise". Salon also announced that it had entered into discussions with various parties interested in buying the well.com domain name and that the remaining WELL staff had been laid off at the end of May.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The community pledged money to take over The WELL itself and rehire important staff.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In September 2012, Salon sold The WELL to a new corporation, The WELL Group Inc., owned by eleven investors who were all long-time members. The sale price was reported to be $400,000. Members have no official role in the management, but "can ... go back to what they do best: conversation. And complaining about the management."<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-well-grossman-27-7-14_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-well-grossman-27-7-14-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The CEO was Earl Crabb, a programmer and supporter of the Bay Area folk music community, who died on February 20, 2015.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> No announcement was made as to his successor. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Technology_and_Structure">Technology and Structure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Technology and Structure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The original hardware for the WELL was a <a href="/wiki/VAX" title="VAX">VAX</a> 11/750, which cost "a quarter of a million dollars and required a closet full of telephone lines and modems."<sup id="cite_ref-:7_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:7-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The WELL's core conferencing software, <a href="/wiki/PicoSpan" title="PicoSpan">PicoSpan</a>, is written in the <a href="/wiki/C_(programming_language)" title="C (programming language)">C programming language</a> and runs on <a href="/wiki/Unix" title="Unix">Unix</a>. PicoSpan was written by Marcus D. Watts for Network Technologies International (NETI). A license for PicoSpan, in exchange for a half interest in the company, was part of NETI's initial investment in The WELL (along with the VAX computer running the <a href="/wiki/Mt_Xinu" title="Mt Xinu">mt Xinu</a> variant of Unix).<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1996, the WELL began also using and licensing the "Engaged" conferencing software, which was built on top of PicoSpan and provides a Web-based user interface which requires less technological expertise from users. The Wall Street Journal was among the websites reported to use Engaged for online community.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The WELL's conferencing system is organized into forums reflecting member interests, and include arts, health, business, regions, hobbies, spirituality, music, politics, games, software and many more. These community forums, known as conferences, are supervised by conference hosts who guide conversations and may enforce conference rules on <a href="/wiki/Civility" title="Civility">civility</a> and/or appropriateness. Initially all hosts were selected by staff members. In 1995, Gail Ann Williams changed the policies to enable user-created forums. Participants can create their own independent personal conferences—either viewable by any WELL member or privately viewable by those members on a restricted membership list—on any subject they please with any rules they like. Public conferences are open to all members, while private conferences are restricted to a list of users controlled by the conference hosts. Some "featured private" or "private independent" conferences (such as "Women on the WELL" and "Recovery") are listed in the WELL's directory and members may request admission to such conferences. Within the conferences, logged-in members can see the real name of the author of each post. The intent is to foster a more intimate community through "people taking responsibility for opinions, obsessions, insights, silliness, and an occasional faux pas."<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Women form a large percentage of the WELL's user community, and play strong leadership roles.<sup id="cite_ref-University_of_Chicago_Press_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-University_of_Chicago_Press-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "[A]lthough women made up only 10 percent of people going online, they constituted 40 percent of the population on the WELL."<sup id="cite_ref-GB_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-GB-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Initially, in 1985, the WELL was a <a href="/wiki/Dial-up_Internet_access" title="Dial-up Internet access">dial-up</a> <a href="/wiki/Bulletin_board_system" title="Bulletin board system">bulletin board system</a> (BBS) influenced by <a href="/wiki/EIES" class="mw-redirect" title="EIES">EIES</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Access to the WELL was via computer modem and phone line, then, when the internet opened to commercial traffic in the 1990s, the WELL became one of the original dial-up gateway <a href="/wiki/Internet_service_provider" title="Internet service provider">ISPs</a> to provide access to it. Over time, web technology evolved and support for dial-up access was dropped. Today users access the WELL via SSH or the web. </p><p>In addition to its conferencing services, the WELL also provided access to the Unix operating system for people who didn't have access to an institutional or corporate computer network, and management encouraged members to make and share Unix tools. This was described by early community manager John Coate as an early expression of what would later be called "maker culture."<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Reflecting back on that era in 1993, Howard Rheingold said that these factors made it an attractive environment for "young computer wizards."<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Policy_and_governance">Policy and governance</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Policy and governance"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Many early writings about the WELL stress members’ attempts to test utopian forms of self-government in the online community. <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Kelly_(editor)" title="Kevin Kelly (editor)">Kevin Kelly</a> recalled the original goal was for the WELL to be cheap, open-ended, self-governing and self-designing.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Cliff Figallo said the "exercise of free speech and assembly in online interaction is among the most significant and important uses of electronic networking," and hoped that the WELL would be a grass-roots alternative to "electronic consumer shopping malls."<sup id="cite_ref-:5_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:5-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> But members were shaken in 1990 when one popular and active member "scribbled" (deleted) all his posts, then died by suicide, despite other members’ attempts to reach out to him. A few years later, two members involved in a messy real-life relationship posted about it across several conferences, dividing the community and ultimately becoming a central narrative device for <a href="/wiki/Katie_Hafner" title="Katie Hafner">Katie Hafner's</a> book about the WELL.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:6_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:6-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "People who had to live with each other, because they were all veteran addicts of the same social space, found themselves disliking one another," Howard Rheingold wrote.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In retrospect, Gail Ann Williams said the "cyber utopianism" of the founders may have always been overly optimistic.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Although the ideal was egalitarian and democratic, the early pricing structure charged users based on their time spent connected to the service, which might have allowed wealthier users to dominate the conversations in what Williams called a "postocracy." Thomas Valovic, then a research manager with International Data Corporation and adjunct faculty at Northeastern University, theorized that a "single articulate and entertaining person" might be able to steer a discussion through "sheer number of postings," and that this tactic could be used effectively to spread propaganda: "The same, of course, is true of other online systems."<sup id="cite_ref-:1_30-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Valovic also noted that this early pricing structure gave an edge to people whose work subsidized their time on the WELL. For journalists whose work encouraged them to be online, the distinction between public and private discourse became blurred in WELL conversations, and it was not always easy to tell when people were speaking in their official roles: "[...]the online environment has a way of homogenizing work and play to the point that separating the two becomes increasingly difficult."<sup id="cite_ref-:1_30-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The WELL's utopianism was also challenged by its sale to Bruce Katz, whose vision for the company was more corporate. In her 1994 essay, “Pandora's Vox,” WELL member <a href="/wiki/Carmen_Hermosillo" title="Carmen Hermosillo">Carmen Hermosillo</a> observed that by posting her thoughts and feelings where an online platform could profit from them, "I had commodified myself."<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On the other hand, during a panel at the 1994 <a href="/wiki/Conference_on_Human_Factors_in_Computing_Systems" title="Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems">Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems</a>, Figallo reported that "encouraging the formation of core groups of users who shared their desire for minimal social disruption" had been generally successful in promoting free discussion without the need for heavy-handed intervention by management.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Looking back in a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone, Stewart Brand said, "Communes failed, drugs went nowhere, free love led pretty directly to AIDS. ... But the counterculture approach to computers – which was of great ingenuity and great enthusiasm, and great disinterest in either corporate or government approaches to their problems – absolutely flourished, and to a large extent created the Internet and the online revolution."<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Stewart Brand's original member agreement was, "You Own Your Own Words" or “<a href="/wiki/YOYOW" title="YOYOW">YOYOW</a>”). Gail Ann Williams recalled the phrase had a number of different interpretations: In an era when it was uncertain how laws applied to online content, Brand intended it to place legal responsibility for posts on the people who wrote them, she said. But “a lot of people saw it as being about property, that it was about copyright, and other people saw it as meaning you have to own up to your words, if you say something heinous, it won't go away, you're going to have to live it down."<sup id="cite_ref-:2_10-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Currently, the agreement notes members have both the rights to their posted words and the responsibility for those words.<sup id="cite_ref-:8_2-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:8-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Members can also delete their posts at any time, but a placeholder indicates the former location and author of a deleted or "scribbled" post, as well as who deleted it.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Cultural_impact">Cultural impact</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Cultural impact"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg/220px-Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg/330px-Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg/440px-Members_of_The_WELL_after_doing_a_day_of_roadside_cleanup_work.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5400" data-file-height="3581" /></a><figcaption>WELL users after a day spent working to re-plant a part of the roadside near the WELL office.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20,_1991.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg/220px-Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg/330px-Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg/440px-Members_of_The_WELL_at_a_%22office_party%22_on_September_20%2C_1991.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5400" data-file-height="3581" /></a><figcaption>Howard Rheingold, front, and other members of The WELL at a "office party" on September 20, 1991</figcaption></figure> <p>The WELL's influence online has been significant (see Katie Hafner's 1997 article, "The Epic Saga of the WELL".<sup id="cite_ref-KH-Wired_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-KH-Wired-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) Howard Rheingold noted that both <a href="/wiki/Steve_Case" title="Steve Case">Steve Case</a>, one of the founders of <a href="/wiki/AOL" title="AOL">AOL</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Craig_Newmark" title="Craig Newmark">Craig Newmark</a>, who founded <a href="/wiki/Craigslist" title="Craigslist">Craigslist</a>, were WELL members before founding their companies.<sup id="cite_ref-:7_12-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:7-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Frequent in-person meetings of WELL members have also been an important facet of The WELL. Monthly WELL Office Parties began in September 1986<sup id="cite_ref-WELL_timeline,_first_10_years_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WELL_timeline,_first_10_years-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and continued for many years thereafter, in the Bay Area and elsewhere. Looking back at the early years, journalist Jon Carroll wrote, "Suddenly there were chili cook-offs and outings to ballgames and brunches and evenings of song... .""<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Berkeley_Singthing">The Berkeley Singthing</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: The Berkeley Singthing"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The "Berkeley Singthing," a casual gathering to play and sing popular music, is perhaps the longest running of the in-person gatherings of WELL members. Started in 1991, and taking its name from the Berkeley conference in the WELL where it was originally organized it is one of the many ways that WELL members connect in the physical world.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id=""AOL_for_Deadheads""><span id=".22AOL_for_Deadheads.22"></span>"AOL for Deadheads"</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: "AOL for Deadheads""><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Sociologist Rebecca Adams noted that “Deadheads were electronic pioneers long before it became fashionable to use the Internet or populate the World Wide Web,” with <a href="/wiki/Grateful_Dead" title="Grateful Dead">Grateful Dead</a>-related Usenet forums predating the creation of the first WELL conference for Deadheads on March 1, 1986.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Musician <a href="/wiki/David_Gans_(musician)" title="David Gans (musician)">David Gans</a>, who was hosting an hour of Grateful Dead music on a San Francisco radio station, launched the conference with Bennett Falk and Mary Eisenhart as co-hosts.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The creation of the Grateful Dead conference led to a "growth spurt" in the number of WELL members, and in the early years, Deadheads who used its conferences to make plans, trade audiotapes or discuss lyrics were the largest source of revenue for the WELL. Matthew McClure, part of the WELL's original management team, recalled: “The Deadheads came online and seemed to know instinctively how to use the system to create a community around themselves... Suddenly our future looked assured.”<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By 1997, Eric F. Wybenga's almanac of Grateful Dead resources said the WELL "is to Deadheads what <a href="/wiki/AOL" title="AOL">AOL</a> is to the average American online."<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Electronic_Frontier_Foundation">The Electronic Frontier Foundation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: The Electronic Frontier Foundation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The WELL was the forum through which Grateful Dead lyricist <a href="/wiki/John_Perry_Barlow" title="John Perry Barlow">John Perry Barlow</a>, <a href="/wiki/John_Gilmore_(activist)" title="John Gilmore (activist)">John Gilmore</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Mitch_Kapor" title="Mitch Kapor">Mitch Kapor</a>, the founders of the <a href="/wiki/Electronic_Frontier_Foundation" title="Electronic Frontier Foundation">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a>, first met. Barlow wrote that a visit from an FBI agent investigating the theft of some Apple code made him aware how little law enforcement understood the Internet, and even though he was able to persuade the agent he was not involved in the case, he became concerned about the potential for overreach. EFF was formed in 1990 and <a href="/wiki/Mike_Godwin" title="Mike Godwin">Mike Godwin</a>, also a WELL member, was hired as the first on-staff attorney. Barlow and Kapor hosted the EFF conference on the WELL, which discussed topics related to free speech and internet regulation.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Godwin helped publicize flaws in a notorious early study of pornography on the Internet, which had led to calls for legislative censorship.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Craigslist">Craigslist</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Craigslist"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Craigslist founder <a href="/wiki/Craig_Newmark" title="Craig Newmark">Craig Newmark</a> joined the WELL shortly after moving to San Francisco in 1993, and was inspired by members’ discussions about internet community, as well as by examples of members offering other members time and professional help without compensation. In 1995, he started sending out an email list of events and job opportunities to friends. Even after this list expanded to a public <a href="/wiki/LISTSERV" title="LISTSERV">LISTSERV</a> and incorporated as a for-profit, Newmark said he viewed it as a community trust and emphasized, "The purpose of the Internet is to connect people to make our lives better."<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Salon">Salon</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Salon"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Salon.com" title="Salon.com">Salon.com</a> was founded in the wake of the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_newspaper_strike_of_1994" title="San Francisco newspaper strike of 1994">San Francisco newspaper strike of 1994</a> by a group of journalists that included WELL members. "The Well [sic] is where a lot of us got our first experience online," Salon co-founder <a href="/wiki/Scott_Rosenberg" title="Scott Rosenberg">Scott Rosenberg</a> wrote. "In Salon's formative days in 1995 we actually used a private conference [on the WELL] to plan our launch."<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Salon hired WELL management team member Cliff Figallo in 1998 and WELL conference host Mary Elizabeth Williams to direct its online community, Table Talk. After Salon purchased the WELL in 1999, WELL community manager Gail Ann Williams (no relation) became a Salon employee.<sup id="cite_ref-:2_10-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Kevin_Mitnick_hacking_case">Kevin Mitnick hacking case</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Kevin Mitnick hacking case"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In 1995, <a href="/wiki/Tsutomu_Shimomura" title="Tsutomu Shimomura">Tsutomu Shimomura</a> noticed some of his stolen software had been stored in a WELL account. He worked with WELL management to track and identify hacker <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Mitnick" title="Kevin Mitnick">Kevin Mitnick</a> as the culprit. This effort was described in Shimomura's book <i>Takedown</i>, which he wrote with <a href="/wiki/John_Markoff" title="John Markoff">John Markoff</a>, and in a Wired article excerpted from the book.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Media_coverage_of_the_internet_and_online_community">Media coverage of the internet and online community</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Media coverage of the internet and online community"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The WELL was described in the early 1990s as a "listening post for journalists," with members who were staff writers and editors for the New York Times, Business Week, the San Francisco Chronicle, Time, Rolling Stone, Byte, Harper's, and the Wall Street Journal.<sup id="cite_ref-:3_20-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:3-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This early visibility may have been helped by the early policy of providing free accounts for interested journalists and other select members of the media. Notable journalists who have written about their experiences on the WELL include <a href="/wiki/John_Seabrook" title="John Seabrook">John Seabrook</a> of the New Yorker,<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Katie_Hafner" title="Katie Hafner">Katie Hafner</a> of the New York Times,<sup id="cite_ref-:6_29-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:6-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Wendy_M._Grossman" title="Wendy M. Grossman">Wendy M. Grossman</a> of the Guardian,<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Jon_Carroll" title="Jon Carroll">Jon Carroll</a> of the San Francisco Chronicle.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_the_news">In the news</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: In the news"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In March 2007, The WELL was noted for refusing membership to <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Mitnick" title="Kevin Mitnick">Kevin Mitnick</a>, and refunding his membership fee.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The WELL also received numerous awards in the 1980s and 1990s, including a <a href="/wiki/Webby_Award" class="mw-redirect" title="Webby Award">Webby Award</a> for online community in 1998, and an <a href="/wiki/EFF_Pioneer_Award" title="EFF Pioneer Award">EFF Pioneer Award</a> in 1994. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Publications_about_The_WELL">Publications about The WELL</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Publications about The WELL"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Beckerman, Gal, <i>The Quiet Before: On the unexpected origins of radical ideas</i> (2022) Crown <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-5247-5918-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-5247-5918-6">978-1-5247-5918-6</a> The chapter, "Interlude: Cyberspace," covers the WELL and lessons learned about virtual community.</li> <li>Bruckman, Amy; Curtis, Pavel; <a href="/wiki/Cliff_Figallo" title="Cliff Figallo">Figallo, Cliff</a>; and Laurel, Brenda. “Approaches to Managing Deviant Behavior in Virtual Communities." Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Boston, Massachusetts, April 24–28, 1994. Conference Companion. ResearchGate. Retrieved February 6, 2022.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Coate" title="John Coate">Coate, John</a>. "Cyberspace Innkeeping: Building Online Community." Proceedings of Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing (DIAC-92). Berkeley, California, May 2–3, 1992. Collected in <i>Reinventing Technology, Rediscovering Community: Critical Explorations of Computing as a Social Project.</i> Philip E. Agre and Douglas Schuler, eds. Greenwich, Conn.: Ablex Publications, 1997. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56750-258-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-56750-258-9">978-1-56750-258-9</a>. An updated and revised version, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://johncoate.com/Building%20Online%20Community.html">Building Online Community,"</a> is hosted on his website.</li> <li>Driscoll, Kevin, <i>The Modem World: A Prehistory of Social Media.</i> (2022) Yale University. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-300-24814-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-300-24814-2">978-0-300-24814-2</a>. It contrasts The WELL's paid membership model with the volunteer structure of most BBSes, and notes that The WELL was one of the first dial-up systems directly accessible from the internet.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wendy_M._Grossman" title="Wendy M. Grossman">Grossman, Wendy M.</a> <i>Net.wars</i>. New York University Press, 1997. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8147-3103-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8147-3103-1">978-0-8147-3103-1</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Katie_Hafner" title="Katie Hafner">Hafner, Katie</a>, <i>The WELL: A Story of Love, Death and Real Life in the Seminal Online Community</i> (2001) Carroll & Graf Publishers <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7867-0846-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-7867-0846-8">0-7867-0846-8</a> Hafner's book was expanded from a Wired Magazine article.</li> <li>Kirk, Andrew. "Appropriating Technology: The Whole Earth Catalog and Counterculture Environmental Politics". In <i>Environmental History</i>, 374–94, 2001.</li></ul> <dl><dd><i>-- Counterculture Green: The Whole Earth Catalog and American Environmentalism</i>. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 2007.</dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Ludlow" title="Peter Ludlow">Ludlow, Peter</a>, ed. <i>High Noon on the Electronic Frontier: Conceptual Issues in Cyberspace.</i> Foreword by Mike Godwin. MIT Press, 1996. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-262-12196-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-262-12196-5">978-0-262-12196-5</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Howard_Rheingold" title="Howard Rheingold">Rheingold, Howard</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Virtual_Community" title="The Virtual Community">The Virtual Community</a>.</i> (1994) Perennial <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-06-097643-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-06-097643-8">0-06-097643-8</a> (Hardcover) – <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-262-68121-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-262-68121-8">0-262-68121-8</a> (2000 revised paperback edition)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Douglas_Rushkoff" title="Douglas Rushkoff">Rushkoff, Douglas</a>. "Cyberia: Life in the Trenches of Cyberspace.” 2nd ed. Clinamen Press, 2002. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-903083-24-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-903083-24-6">978-1-903083-24-6</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Seabrook" title="John Seabrook">Seabrook, John</a>, <i>Deeper: My Two-Year Odyssey in Cyberspace</i> (1997) <a href="/wiki/Simon_%26_Schuster" title="Simon & Schuster">Simon & Schuster</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-684-80175-2" title="Special:BookSources/0-684-80175-2">0-684-80175-2</a> (Hardcover) – <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-684-83873-7" title="Special:BookSources/0-684-83873-7">0-684-83873-7</a> (Paperback)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Tierney_(journalist)" title="John Tierney (journalist)">Tierney, John</a>. "Stewart Brand: An Early Environmentalist, Embracing New 'Heresies<span style="padding-right:.15em;">'</span>". <i>The New York Times</i>, February 27, 2007, sec. Environment.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fred_Turner_(academic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Fred Turner (academic)">Turner, Fred</a>, <i>From Counterculture to Cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the Rise of Digital Utopianism</i> (2006) <a href="/wiki/University_of_Chicago_Press" title="University of Chicago Press">University of Chicago Press</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-226-81741-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-226-81741-5">0-226-81741-5</a></li></ul> <dl><dd>--"Where the Counterculture met the New Economy: The WELL and the Origins of Virtual Community", Technology and Culture, Vol.46, No.3 (July 2005), pp. 485–512.</dd> <dd>--"From Counterculture to Cyberculture: How the Whole Earth Catalog Brought Us Virtual Community." (June 21, 2013) Keynote, the Anthropocene Project, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin. Video (English). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Py_P1_cHUE">HKW on YouTube</a>.</dd></dl> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Virtual_community_and_social_network_difference">Virtual community and social network difference</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Virtual community and social network difference"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>There is often confusion between a <a href="/wiki/Virtual_community" title="Virtual community">virtual community</a> and <a href="/wiki/Social_networking_service" title="Social networking service">social network</a>. They are similar in some aspects because they both can be used for personal and professional interests. A social network offers an opportunity to connect with people one already knows or is acquainted with. Facebook and Twitter are social networks. Platforms such as <a href="/wiki/LinkedIn" title="LinkedIn">LinkedIn</a> and <a href="/wiki/Yammer" class="mw-redirect" title="Yammer">Yammer</a> open up communication channels among coworkers and peers with similar professions in a more relaxed setting. Often social media guidelines are in place for professional usage so that everyone understands what is suitable online behavior.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Using a social network is an extension of an offline social community. It is helpful in keeping connections among friends and associates as locations change. move. Each user has their own spider web structure which is their social network.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:0_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Virtual communities differ in that users aren't connected through a mutual friend or similar backgrounds. These groups are formed by people who may be complete strangers but have a common interest or ideology.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:0_53-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Virtual communities connect people who normally wouldn't consider themselves to be in the same group.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2022)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> These groups continue to stay relevant and maintained in the online world because users feel a need to contribute to the community and in return feel empowered when receiving new information from other members. Virtual communities have an elaborate nest structure because they overlap. <a href="/wiki/Yelp" title="Yelp">Yelp</a>, YouTube, and Wikipedia are all examples of a virtual community. Companies like Kaiser Permanente launched virtual communities for members. The community gave members the ability to control their health care decisions and improve their overall experience.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2022)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Members of a virtual community are able to offer opinions and contribute helpful advice. Again, the difference between virtual communities and social network is the emergence of the relationship. </p><p>The WELL distinguished itself from the technology of the time by creating a networked community for everyone. Users were responsible and owned the content posted, a rule created to protect the information from being copyrighted and commoditized.<sup id="cite_ref-University_of_Chicago_Press_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-University_of_Chicago_Press-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1184024115">.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}</style><div class="div-col" style="column-width: 15em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/CIX_(website)" title="CIX (website)">CIX</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hugh_Daniel" title="Hugh Daniel">Hugh Daniel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digerati" title="Digerati">Digerati</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Global_Business_Network" title="Global Business Network">Global Business Network</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tom_Mandel_(futurist)" title="Tom Mandel (futurist)">Tom Mandel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Seabrook" title="John Seabrook">John Seabrook</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gail_Williams" title="Gail Williams">Gail Williams</a></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-timeline-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-timeline_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFPernick1995" class="citation web cs1">Pernick, Ron (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.well.com/conf/welltales/timeline.html">"A Timeline of the First Ten Years of The WELL"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 28,</span> 2008</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=A+Timeline+of+the+First+Ten+Years+of+The+WELL&rft.date=1995&rft.aulast=Pernick&rft.aufirst=Ron&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.well.com%2Fconf%2Fwelltales%2Ftimeline.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:8-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:8_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:8_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:8_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:8_2-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-WELL-Internet-community">"The WELL"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Encyclopedia_Britannica" class="mw-redirect" title="Encyclopedia Britannica">Encyclopedia Britannica</a>. March 6, 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">April 28,</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+WELL&rft.pub=Encyclopedia+Britannica&rft.date=2013-03-06&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftopic%2FThe-WELL-Internet-community&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:9-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:9_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:9_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFJenningsBrewster1998" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Peter_Jennings" title="Peter Jennings">Jennings, Peter</a>; <a href="/wiki/Todd_Brewster" title="Todd Brewster">Brewster, Todd</a> (November 1998). <i>The Century</i> (1st ed.). New York: <a href="/wiki/Doubleday_(publisher)" title="Doubleday (publisher)">Doubleday</a>. p. 554. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-385-48327-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-385-48327-9"><bdi>0-385-48327-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Century&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=554&rft.edition=1st&rft.pub=Doubleday&rft.date=1998-11&rft.isbn=0-385-48327-9&rft.aulast=Jennings&rft.aufirst=Peter&rft.au=Brewster%2C+Todd&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:5-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:5_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:5_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFigallo1993" class="citation news cs1">Figallo, Cliff (September 1, 1993). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/CliffFigallo">"The Well: Small Town on the Information Highway System"</a>. <i>Whole Earth Review</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 6,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Whole+Earth+Review&rft.atitle=The+Well%3A+Small+Town+on+the+Information+Highway+System&rft.date=1993-09-01&rft.aulast=Figallo&rft.aufirst=Cliff&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2FCliffFigallo&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-KH-Wired-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-KH-Wired_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-KH-Wired_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wired.com/1997/05/ff-well/">"The Epic Saga of The Well: The World's Most Influential Online Community (And It's Not AOL)"</a>. <i>Wired</i>. May 1, 1997<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 18,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Wired&rft.atitle=The+Epic+Saga+of+The+Well%3A+The+World%27s+Most+Influential+Online+Community+%28And+It%27s+Not+AOL%29&rft.date=1997-05-01&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2F1997%2F05%2Fff-well%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFAnonymous2012" class="citation news cs1">Anonymous (June 29, 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/the-well-a-pioneering-online-community-is-for-sale-again/">"The Well, a Pioneering Online Community, is for Sale Again"</a>. <i>The New York Times</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 19,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times&rft.atitle=The+Well%2C+a+Pioneering+Online+Community%2C+is+for+Sale+Again&rft.date=2012-06-29&rft.au=Anonymous&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fbits.blogs.nytimes.com%2F2012%2F06%2F29%2Fthe-well-a-pioneering-online-community-is-for-sale-again%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.well.com/aboutwell.html">Learn About The WELL</a> well.com</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:4-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:4_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:4_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFHafner1997" class="citation magazine cs1">Hafner, Katie (May 1997). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wired.com/1997/05/ff-well/">"The Epic Saga of The Well"</a>. <i>Wired</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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University of Chicago Press. 2010. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-282-89483-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-282-89483-9"><bdi>978-1-282-89483-9</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/824162179">824162179</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=From+Counterculture+to+Cyberculture.&rft.pub=University+of+Chicago+Press&rft.date=2010&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F824162179&rft.isbn=978-1-282-89483-9&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Ffromcountercultu0000turn&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_book" title="Template:Cite book">cite book</a>}}</code>: CS1 maint: others (<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others" title="Category:CS1 maint: others">link</a>)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-GB-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-GB_25-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBeckerman2022" class="citation book cs1">Beckerman, Gal (2022). <i>The Quiet Before</i>. Crown. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-5247-5918-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-5247-5918-6"><bdi>978-1-5247-5918-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Quiet+Before&rft.pub=Crown&rft.date=2022&rft.isbn=978-1-5247-5918-6&rft.aulast=Beckerman&rft.aufirst=Gal&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.livinginternet.com/r/ri_eies.htm">"IRC History -- Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES)"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=IRC+History+--+Electronic+Information+Exchange+System+%28EIES%29&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livinginternet.com%2Fr%2Fri_eies.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFO'Keefe2020" class="citation web cs1">O'Keefe, Patrick (March 9, 2020). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.communitysignal.com/when-your-first-day-as-an-online-community-manager-is-your-first-day-at-a-computer/">"When your First Day as an Online Community Manager is Your First Day at a Computer"</a>. <i>Community Signal</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 12,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Community+Signal&rft.atitle=When+your+First+Day+as+an+Online+Community+Manager+is+Your+First+Day+at+a+Computer&rft.date=2020-03-09&rft.aulast=O%27Keefe&rft.aufirst=Patrick&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.communitysignal.com%2Fwhen-your-first-day-as-an-online-community-manager-is-your-first-day-at-a-computer%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFEisenhart2001" class="citation news cs1">Eisenhart, Mary (May 27, 2001). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/books/article/Dipping-into-a-Well-of-stories-2917166.php">"Dipping Into a Well of Stories (Book Review)"</a>. <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=San+Francisco+Chronicle&rft.atitle=Dipping+Into+a+Well+of+Stories+%28Book+Review%29&rft.date=2001-05-27&rft.aulast=Eisenhart&rft.aufirst=Mary&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfchronicle.com%2Fbooks%2Farticle%2FDipping-into-a-Well-of-stories-2917166.php&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:6-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:6_29-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:6_29-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFHafner2001" class="citation book cs1">Hafner, Katie (2001). <i>The Well: A Story of Love, Death and Real Life in the Seminal Online Community</i>. Carroll & Graf. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7867-0846-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7867-0846-8"><bdi>978-0-7867-0846-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Well%3A+A+Story+of+Love%2C+Death+and+Real+Life+in+the+Seminal+Online+Community&rft.pub=Carroll+%26+Graf&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=978-0-7867-0846-8&rft.aulast=Hafner&rft.aufirst=Katie&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:1-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_30-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_30-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFValovic2000" class="citation book cs1">Valovic, Thomas (2000). <i>Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet</i>. Rutgers University Press. pp. <span class="nowrap">88–</span>106. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8135-2754-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-8135-2754-6"><bdi>0-8135-2754-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Digital+Mythologies%3A+The+Hidden+Complexities+of+the+Internet&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E88-%3C%2Fspan%3E106&rft.pub=Rutgers+University+Press&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=0-8135-2754-6&rft.aulast=Valovic&rft.aufirst=Thomas&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFHermosillo1996" class="citation book cs1">Hermosillo, Carmen (1996). "Pandora's Vox: On Community in Cyberspace". In Ludlow, Peter (ed.). <i>High Noon on the Electronic Frontier</i>. MIT Press. pp. <span class="nowrap">437–</span>443. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-262-12196-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-262-12196-5"><bdi>978-0-262-12196-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Pandora%27s+Vox%3A+On+Community+in+Cyberspace&rft.btitle=High+Noon+on+the+Electronic+Frontier&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E437-%3C%2Fspan%3E443&rft.pub=MIT+Press&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=978-0-262-12196-5&rft.aulast=Hermosillo&rft.aufirst=Carmen&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBruckmanCurtisFigalloLaurel1994" class="citation web cs1">Bruckman, Amy; Curtis, Pavel; Figallo, Cliff; Laurel, Brenda (April 24–28, 1994). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221515969">"Approaches to Managing Deviant Behavior in Online Communities"</a>. <i>ResearchGate</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Altamira Press. p. 35. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-0251-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-0251-2"><bdi>978-0-7425-0251-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Deadhead+Social+Science%3A+You+Ain%27t+Gonna+Learn+What+You+Don%27t+Want+to+Know&rft.pages=35&rft.pub=Altamira+Press&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=978-0-7425-0251-2&rft.aulast=Adams&rft.aufirst=Rebecca+G.&rft.au=Sardiello%2C+Robert&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFRichardson2015" class="citation book cs1">Richardson, Peter (2015). <i>No Simple Highway: A Cultural History of the Grateful Dead</i>. 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The Well Is Still Alive"</a>. <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Finding local community structure in networks. <i>Physical review E</i>, <i>72</i>(2), 026132.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:0-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_53-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_53-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/social-network-vs-online-community-what-difference">"Social Network vs. Online Community: What Is the Difference?"</a>. <i>Social Media Today</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Virtual communities as communities. <i>Communities in cyberspace</i>, 167–194.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_WELL&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.well.com/">The WELL</a></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110907011235/http://www.well.com/gopher/">"The WELL Gopher"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.well.com/gopher/">the original</a> on September 7, 2011.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+WELL+Gopher&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.well.com%2Fgopher%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThe+WELL" class="Z3988"></span> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jumpjet.info/Offbeat-Internet/Gopher/Repository/Articles/The_death_of_WELLgopher.txt">Retained</a> in 2008 as a <i>text museum</i> and served via HTTP till around 2012</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000816025831/http://www.well.sf.ca.us/">www.well.sf.ca.us</a>, 16 August 2000</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070310191401/http://wired-vig.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,18992,00.html"><i>Wired news</i>: Salon buys The WELL</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.05/ff_well_pr.html"><i>Wired</i> magazine: "The Epic Saga of the WELL"</a> by <a href="/wiki/Katie_Hafner" title="Katie Hafner">Katie Hafner</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060113233631/http://www.socialchemy.com/smalltown93.htm"><i>The WELL: Small Town on the Internet Highway System</i></a> by Cliff Figallo</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20130120015343/http://news.com.com/The+Well+celebrates+20th+birthday/2100-1025_3-5649445.html"><i>C|net News.com</i>: "The WELL celebrates 20th birthday"</a> at <a href="/wiki/Archive.today" title="Archive.today">archive.today</a> (archived January 20, 2013)</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050417055808/http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22417"><i>Net Wars</i> at The Inquirer: "You own your own 20th anniversary"</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20130119162619/http://news.com.com/Salon+puts+The+Well+on+auction+block/2100-1026_3-5835759.html"><i>C|net News.com</i>: "Salon places The WELL up for sale"</a> at <a href="/wiki/Archive.today" title="Archive.today">archive.today</a> (archived January 19, 2013)</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul 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