WELL (virtual community)
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Type of site
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Virtual community |
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| Available in | English |
| Owner | The WELL Group Inc. |
| Website | well |
| Launched | February 1985 |
The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, normally shortened to The WELL, is one of the oldest virtual communities in continuous operation. As of June 2012, it had 2,693 members. It is best known for its Internet forums, but also provides email, shell accounts, and web pages. The discussion and topics on The WELL range from deeply serious to trivial, depending on the nature and interests of the participants.
The WELL was started by Stewart Brand and Larry Brilliant in 1985, and the name (an acronym for Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link) is partially a reference to some of Brand's earlier projects, including the Whole Earth Catalog. The WELL began as a dial-up bulletin board system (BBS) influenced by EIES, became one of the original dial-up ISPs in the early 1990s when commercial traffic was first allowed, and changed into its current form as the Internet and web technology evolved. Its original management team—Matthew McClure, soon joined by Cliff Figallo and John Coate, collaborated with its early users to foster a sense of virtual community.
Gail Ann Williams was hired by Figallo in 1991, as community manager, and has continued in management roles into the current era.
From 1994 to 1999 The WELL was owned by Bruce Katz, founder of Rockport, a manufacturer of walking shoes.
In April 1999 it was acquired by Salon, several of whose founders such as Scott Rosenberg had previously been regular participants there.
In August 2005 Salon announced that it was looking for a buyer for The WELL, in order to concentrate on other business lines. In November 2006, a press release of 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."
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