If you think about it, the people online who form communities such as this are creating a sorta Sim-like life. We have pics(avatars) to represent ourselves, there's live chats, continuing conversations, expressions of emotions, advice and other social attributes. I personally like this TechIMO community. It is diverse and global.
In fact, I like it so much that I am not going to have to "get a life" and pay $10./month to be and inhabit parasitically, a "real Sim".
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...mn_programs_dc
.....life can be strange.....