no way.

they can be...but you'd have to define your criteria for 'valuable' for me.

I value my time with my online friends. It's easier to do more than one thing when on the computer and talking to them. Online friends have just as much value as the off line ones.

They are to me!!!

I don't think so cause you don't really know their real personality....Me and a couple of friends decided to meet with a couple of people we met online that lived in the city next to ours and we got along well online (and still do) but in real life they weren't as interesting

yes, because so far none of you have asked me to help you move.

I believe they are.

they can be.. i don't have as many online friends as i used to.. but i found that you would rarely be afraid to tell them anything.. because you didn't have to deal with the repercussions in real life.. and you had time to think about what you wanted to say.. and you could hide if you wanted.. you could leave without having to try to think of a good excuse because its the internet.. but i saying that.. my true friends are far more valuable than any online friends..

Some of them are and they often don't stay online but get to be friends in the flesh, too. We often will share things with people who can't 'see' us and thus build deep friendships with them. If they return the feelings, it's a good foundation for true friendship.

Not for me. My real mates will always come first.

Yes... very very valuable indeed :-)

Yes :)

Yes they mean a lot to me

Depends if I can ever see myself meeting them, which is usually no.

Yes I believe they are and in a lot of cases even more so. I have friends that I have known on line for about eigtht years. This last year friends I have made on Answerbag have helped me through a time when I was not sure I would survive intact and not sure I really wanted to do so. My online friends have helped to carry me . Some friends I have met from on line became very close friends of my husband and myself and we have travelled to Australia and America to meet them. I hope to meet more friends in the future

Yes they are.

I value a small group of my real world friends more than any of my regular or online friends, but that's just personal experience, we've supported eachother through a lot of crap that I just don't see happening online

they can be...

I hang out with people on AB more than real life friends.

Actually there much more valuable, I have NEVER had an online friend borrow money then not pay me back.

I have found they can be very real, very valuable and very available. Sometimes much more then the ones in "real" life. They both can be awesome.

I know you would NEVER guess it from my discussions on here... but I'm more of a social hermit crab than a social butterfly. Honestly... I don't know how to make friends. Or at least, how to keep them. I have no shopping buddies, or Trekkie conventioners or anything like that around me... so my online friends are VERY valuable to me. And many of you ABers have helped me through some hard times (my brother going missing, wedding worries, whatever) I SO appreciate that... It's nice to know you have friends, even if you never hear their voice in real life, or know any face other than their avatars.

Close, but not quite ... real friends are just a little bit more valuable.

two of my online friends *are* real friends, even though one lives across the country, and the other on the other side of the world. just like genuine face-to-face friendships, these relationships didn't "just happen" over night, and they have grown stronger over time. i depend on these people as much as i would depend on ANY true friend. we know some very personal things about each other, and that comes from trust that has built up over time. just like in "real life", there are people who are your true friends, those you just talk to, and those you wouldn't want to be in alone with in a dark alley. sure, the internet has it's share of losers and liars, and we have to be careful. but we all know that these people exist in "real life" too, and we have to exercise the same amount of caution. the internet doesn't make my online friends any less valuable to me. i trust them and love them the same as i would if they lived next door to me. (and i wish they did)

I sold a six pack of online friends on Ebay for $29.99 I sold a similar six pack of "real" friends on Ebay for $39.99. The figures don't lie.

I have had really close online friends. Closer than a "for real life" friend. I thank the internet. Its nice here...though if you wanted to end a friendship with someone it would be easier if they were online :)

Absolutley. Online buddies will tell the truth as they are not face to face where as sometimes real friends will lie to you to protect you and themselves. But i cherish my online friends just as much as my real life friends

i wouldn't know ^_^

A friend is a friend no matter where they are. I have a very good friendship with someone online that lasted for 8 years. Sadly he just past away. He never judged me for anything and it was as if we had been friends for life and lived next door to each other.

Yes, they can be. I've had an online friend for 5 years now. She's an amazing person and I really appreciate her friendship. She and her husband came over to stay with us a few years ago (they live in a different country) and it was great to meet them in person.

it depends-have you met the person in real-life? If not, how can you be 100% sure they are who they say they are. Just because they talk like they're 15 and act like they're 15, that doesn't make them 15. -i do, however, have good trust with my fellow Answerbaggers ;-)

of course, friends are friends no matter where they are... true friends will always listen when you need to talk, and you dont have to live nearby to do that.

They can be, but it is much harder to find in real life, so those are much more rewarding friendships. If you START a friendship online, and move to friends in real life, that can be quite rewarding. For the most part though, I believe that having too many friends online, and not in real life, is a form of either escapism or antisocial behavior. Not to bash people, I mean no offense. I do, however feel that with the internet, it is too easy for someone to sit in front of their computer, instead of seeking actual human contact. Talking to people online may technically be human contact, but it lacks any truly personal interaction.

Mine are. Many times they can tell something is wrong with me before those ones that are around me. They are a valuable part of my life.They make me laugh, lift my spirits, and always have words of encouragement. I am grateful for each one. Most of my online friends are from http://www.interracialfriends.com . It is a free online interracial personal site, many of the members are serious for love and new friends. I enjoy it is great online chatting and blogs.

Most definitely. I have made so many inside jokes and a lot of great memories talking to online friends.

ew god no.

yes

Umm, they can help you in a different way but I think they can be very valuable. Yes.

yes to me they are in many ways and I thank one and all especially the truly great members of the AB family , even though they are many many thousands of miles and a half a world away, also my home grown Aussie friends... to all thank you :):)

sometimes they can be because they are not biased. They don't know you and can give some advice you cant get from your normal friends.

1st of all,there is no better friend for me in online as well as in real life.but there are people like i expect somewhere.but anyway its difficuilt to find.if i find anyday,then i will be happy...........

heck yes! sometimes even more. cuz u dotn have to worry about clicks and keep reputation online!

yes,i think so,if ur honest n open,i dont really have many n i'm always looking 2 make new friends

Oh yes...very much so. I am already close to a few choice ABers here! I can vent on them and feel just as good as venting with my BFF.

I don't have friends either way. I like the people on-line better than those on-the-street. I've been told you have to "be" a friend to have a friend. Oh, well.

Yes, but in different ways. I'm more open to discuss certin issues with online friends while I'm more reserved with real life friends. My online friends are there for the problems I feel I have no one to turn to about.

It depends on how much they mean to you and add to your life. YOU decide what is valuable and what is not. Just because we don't see someone physically doesn't mean the bond isn't strong.

Yes! I'd go as far to say, better friends. It doesn't matter the distance. These people (few who I've ever met IRL) are more trustworthy than the ones I know in my region. I have several fair-weather friends I consider to be mere acquaintances. In fact, most have been MIA for the most part. And my assumation that people around here are flaky have been confirmed, recently. A guy friend of mine who had used to live here wanted to come back. Twice, he planned to get an apartment with a so-called friend. Twice, it fell through (the friends having backed out of the deal). Now he's stuck in a place that's worse than where I'm stuck. And this area isn't exactly a shining example of a community. (I like to joke that this is one of those rare communities that isn't a community; I've been to real ones.) I have many friends online, I still talk to. But when it comes to real friends in real life, I have only 2. One is my sister.

no.

my online friends are valuable to me. Of course, you cant always be sure who you are talking to online, but i know the friends i have are genuine. i have some ive known for more than two years now, and even though we cant always talk, or its a long time between chats, they are still there for me. Most of my online friends are in ireland. I know who my real friends are even if their online, they know me well and they still stick around!lol. I will always cherish my online friends since they are really the only friends i have. i moved to my town seven months ago and i dont know anyone here so my online friends are important to me. Not evevryone you talk to is a bad person, you really have to trust your gut.

I have absolutely no friends in real life. and many 'online friends'... ONLINE FRIENDS ARE AN ILLUSION AND DISTRACTION. We all need human contact, love and warmth.

Friends are friends. Of course, online 'friends' that pass a Turing conversational test and are actually AI, might not be friends in the traditional sense, but they're still an entity providing you with something.

No... You never know what you are dealing with online.

Everyone has the personalityh they do. Just be careful. Everyone likes to express themselves.

They can be. And sometimes have less bias...but its almost a different type of friendship since its only built on words and distance where "real life" friends are built on body language and words. But from personal exprience, I had more luck with my online friends rather than real life (and my relationship with my real life friends are strong).

Sometimes, more valuable, I think. As they don't have to confront your issue face to face, I think my AB friends would be more frank and direct about a personal issue I might ask advice on . . . or . . . in their comments to a comment of mine.

I value all of my friends, the ones I see in flesh-&-blood and the ones that I enjoy their company online. All of my friends mean a great deal to me.

I believe so. Nothing says you have to only have friends face to face. I think the internet is a great tool to meet other people you would normally never get a chance to meet.

no, friends are people who love u an u could trust them

Yes, they are. I have 2 online friends with whom I´m very close.They are allways just a click away and at times easier to reach then the ones living in the same city.

Just because I can't go to the mall or to the beach with you cuz you're only an AB friend doesn't make you less of a friend. I don't have a lot of friends so all friends are important to me, wherever they are.

My online friends are the most valuable

actually no, i dont think they are. well....you say valuable sooooo it kind of makes me want to say...YES though maybe less important, if that makes sense.

even though you don't really KNOW them, they can grow on you and before you know it, you see them as one of your real friends.

I dont reckon theyy are cos you actt realllyy differnt online :P Lmao MS .

No not if you only know them online. But you can meet people online and then become friends with them in real life and those would be valuable friends.

They can be... There are those who have no other friends, and their online friends are their only connection to the outside world ... There are those who truly FEEL that their online friends are as important as their real friends - They can't wait to "see" them again... There are those who enjoy the "anonymity" of the net, where people learn to like them for being them, and not by what they look like... etc. And many become friends in real-life... Some even marry. Just because it's "online" doesn't mean it isn't real. You just have to be sure, because there ARE a lot of fakers and liars out there in internet-land. ;-)

I've had a similar discussion with a friend over just this topic not long ago (BigDaddy). The end result was that we each agreed that it really depends upon the person. For myself, I believe that a 'true' friendship, with all that that term implies, requires the more personal and in depth communications and experiences that only physical interaction can bring about. To that end, I would call people that I only know online 'aquaintences', but not real 'friends'. This does not imply that I do not like them nor that I do not have feelings of happiness or sadness or the like concerning them. It just means that, when push comes to shove, I really only know anything about them through the visual medium of printed word and maybe some images over a computer. I do not have any real-life experiences that would promote further bonding, such as body language interactions, simple activities such as attending a church or class together, being called at 2 in the morning to fix my buddy's car which won't start in the middle of some country lane somewhere...that sort of thing. Online friendships are certainly 'real', but they do not have the depth that physical interaction gives.

No, because you do not personally know them.

Yes, I think they can be.

Well at least you can insult them at will and not feel the crack of their hand in anger!

Hello!!! You may have a chance to get an online friend. If you are interested in me, try to send me an email to: micmas2(at)gmail(dot)com

True Friendship has no price. And yes there are many on both, online & in person...........M.C.S.

Yh I met a person online becauseone day I was guessing ramdom peoples msn adresses then I started to know one of them now we are best friends

I think they are. I love my online friends they have helped me through a lot. I love that they will give an outside opinion if something is wrong or I don't know what to do about some things.

Yes they are. I have met several face-to-face and have been friends with them for more years than I can count.

It actually depends who are the friends. Some are dangerous. But if you found a good one, then it should be the same. Good luck!

may bee its allways depend upon the person

Yes they are.

well if they're online how can they really be your friends?!

Yeah, I think they are. I am friends with a girl that lives in Japan, and I would have never gotten to know her without the internet. She is just as valuable to me as my friends here in town!

Absolutely and they hurt your heart a lot less.

I didn't know there was a thing called online friends. It seems interesting. I would however venture to say that the friends that you can invite for a coffee would be more valuable

A friend is there for you when you need to talk. They listen - now real friends are online just as much as an online friend. Is it really a big deal if you never meet up with an online friend if they are always there to listen? You cannot however replace real life friends sharing your real life experiences with a computer. If you do not have many friends in real life why not ask one of your online friends to meet up for real?

can't tell, have not met many people online. I'd like to though! Some one looking for a friend in Estonia? nvm.

No. I met one person online and the first thing he told me was that his roommate was dumping his girlfriend. I was creeped out and I didn't know why he told me. He was then in my marketing class and I hated the guy.

I dont see how they can be?!?! My best friend recently moved to another country, and I only see him occasionally now, but I miss him like crazy! I cannot see how an online friend can compare to a real life one.

Its all I got now. There is a lot more opportunity for deception with online friends, but oh well.

Yes because just like your reality friends they can give you advice and their opinions too.

yes but..friends in real life seem more valuble to me i think

yes all my friends are important for me ,

yes b/c u can talk 2 them more freely!

If you find the right friends who's there for you when you need someone to talk to, then I say the friendship is valuable. The only difference between online and real life friendship is that you don't get to see the other person face to face that often as having real life friendship. However, it's the effort of being there for a friend that count, it doesn't matter online or real life.

I think so. Some of my mates I have only met online turned out to be my besties. And my real life bestie is also besties with her so if the online one turns out to be sum1 i wasnt expecting, my real bestie will be there with me.

i think its kinda hard having an online friend because like you really dont know who they really are like there could be a freak talking to you and you might not know who they really are

I think I already answered it, but I am not so positive. The answer is Yes to your question. I have two friends whom I consider my sister and my brother ... I met them 8 years ago in the chat room. We met in person once with one and couple times with another one.

Online friends v real life friends? Each have a part to play in your life, and each can fulfill needs that the other set can't. Both are equally important but all should be treated the same...as friends.

yes, causr you can tell them secrets without them telling your friends, cause they dont know themm.:)

Online friends and Real time friends both have different things about them that make them equally as valuble in my opinion. Real friends have the obvious factor of the fact that you see them regularly, go out, have fun, you get the idea. Online friends, are usually people you don't ever meet, or meet and a very rare occasion. This means that you could tell them anything, regarding things that you don't want your real time group / friends to know about, and they can help you, because you don't have to worry about any information spreading out. Online friends are usually there when you need them, wether for problems, or even if you're just bored and want to chat / play an online game!

All friends are valuable. But I don't think you can properly know somebody just through the internet, I don't.