quote:

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What is a third place? The first place is your home, where you can relax and be comfortable. The second place is where you usually are when not at home — work; work provides social interaction and sense of community. Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks introduced third places as somewhere besides home or work where people can socialize and feel comfortable. Think Cheers.

Online games are thus third places as defined by the eight characteristics of third places.

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That is from Here.

They are talking about MMORPG's, but don't you think places like Hatrack would qualify as "third places" using the criteria they cite there?

Farmgirl
 

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Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
 
Absolutely. I definitely think of Hatrack as a third place.

I want a third place in real life too. I don't have one yet, although church is close. Still, not quite - I don't just hang out there, and I don't go during the week.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
The Rack sure seems to fit as well as the MMORPGs they're talking about.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
I don't really have a second place.
 

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Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
The only thing I wasn't sure of was the whole "leveler" part ("social status is rarely invoked")

I think there is a little bit of social status on Hatrack.

But I defiantely agree with the part under "regulars"

FG
 

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Posted by Sharpie (Member # 482) on :
 
I don't really have a second place either -- home is where I work. Although... online Scrabble might be my second place; I take it as seriously as "work" .

Very interesting article.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
I don't think that social status in the real world translates to much social status here.

Out of the box, we're as likely to take a college freshman seriously as a corporate executive.
 

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Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
But I think once we "know" that someone here is a doctor, or a professional, etc. etc., we recognize and respect their greater knowledge in certain areas....

Unlike an RPG character, which is entirely fictional.

FG
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 

quote:

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But I think once we "know" that someone here is a doctor, or a professional, etc. etc., we recognize and respect their greater knowledge in certain areas....

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Let someone find out you're a celebrity on a MMO, and watch out...
 

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Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
Speaking from experience there, Tom?
 

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Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
 
I know I've asked this before Sharpie, but where do you usually play Scrabble online. I mostly stick to ISC (Internet Scrabble Club). I have no doubt you're quite a bit better than me, but if you ever get on ISC or if you have any other place I should check out to get some games in, maybe we could play some time.
 

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Posted by Sharpie (Member # 482) on :
 
I'm Marsh on ISC. When John is here (about half the time now), we play as the two-headed monster Mosaic. (He is JVP on there.)

I'd definitely play .
 

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Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
 
Haha! Whew. Yeah, I think I might be a bit out of my league, playing you. 1846?! At one time I broke 1300 but that was when I was playing obsessively. I still wouldn't mind playing sometime (I'm in class right now) but don't expect any sort of competition . I'm Dakoit on there.
 

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Posted by Sharpie (Member # 482) on :
 
One of my favorite six-letter words .

At my real-life club, we can play anyone from 500 to 1900. The truth is -- anyone can beat anyone. Yeah, probably the 1900 wins, a huge percentage of the time. But every rack has its own challenges, every board is different, and every opponent worthy.

So match me anytime (if I'm "working", I set my mood to 3 and just watch games.)

Okay, I'm done derailing yet another thread. I think.
 

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