There are two different ways of having relations when using the computer: with people one does know and anonymously, with people one does not know. If you are using it on a professional basis, people know who you are. You tend to format your communication in that sort of manner, you tend to be a bit more formal, and you tend to be a bit more restrictive in what you say. Where as if you are just commenting anonymously on the Internet, you can pretty much say what you want, whether it’s nasty, or obnoxious or not.
Anonymity gives you the ability to say things for example in a political sense, says Quillinan, that he would never say if someone knew who he was. Quillinan does not like it that strangers know his views in certain things and in an anonymous fashion you can have an influence on what other people think, which he personally finds very interesting. In computer networks, when people don’t have to interact ever again with that person, they are truly cruel, and they are really nasty. Where as when they are in person they tend to tone down their real feelings. There is not as much violent hatred in real life as on the Internet for example. How communication between people is formatted not only depends on computers and systems like the Internet, but also depends very much on how people relate to each other and how you communicate with other people through computers is very different from how you communicate in person.
People you know and do not know
In relations the witnessing and the recognizing of the other is very important. Computers facilitate a lot of relations, argues Quillinan, but it depends on what you’re using your computer for.
