10 Ways I Use the Internet to Stay in Touch with Friends

Keeping in touch with friends used to be a pretty low-tech affair. You saw them at school or work, called them on the house phone, and even wrote and mailed letters to them. That’s wrote, as in with a writing implement, on paper even. Nowadays there are a lot more options, none of which require you to come in actual contact with any of your friends. Here are 10 ways I use the internet to stay in touch with my friends:

1. Email – Even this option has become somewhat passé these days, what with the advent of the social networking sites, and other options, as described below. This still is, however, the best way to send info without the risk of getting tied up for half the day.
2. Facebook – Posting updates and photos is a great way to keep everyone up to speed on what’s going on with me, and vice versa, without having any genuine contact with them. It’s also a real asset when trying to locate them. Speaking of which …
3. Search Tools – Websites and search engines are an invaluable aid in tracking down old friends. It’s like hiring your own private investigator, without the cost or human interaction. Using these tools along with your friend networks can help locate most everyone you know.
4. Twitter – Another quick and effective way to keep friends posted. Tweets are short and sweet, and can be followed with RSS feeds, so you don’t need to be logged in on a browser to stay abreast.
5. IM – Instant messaging lets me chat one-on-one with friends when jumping into a social network just isn’t feasible, desirable, or when I need help avoiding distractions when I’m trying to be productive.
6. Skype – A nice blend of videoconferencing and messaging that saves a ton of money on that old standby option – POTS (plain old telephone service). It’s mobile, and you can use it to IM your friends as well.
7. YouTube – Remember when you used to invite friends over to watch movies of your summer vacation? Now you just download an app that lets you send the video straight to YouTube and, voila, your drunken skinny-dipping episode in Barbados goes viral overnight.
8. Blog – I used to pull out a journal in my bedroom to write down my thoughts and feelings, and then tuck it back under the bed for safe-keeping. Now I pay a web host to post them all online, on a blog that anyone can access. Good times.
9. Forums – I also keep in touch with friends I’ve made within various interest groups via the forums available on those groups’ websites. It’s a great way to plan meetings, discuss issues, or just shoot the breeze.
10. MMORPGs – Massively multi-player online role-playing games. Because, honestly, what better way to keep up with your friends than to gather them all together in one place to mercilessly destroy them with all manner of weapons, spells and potions, eh?

Taken From DSL Service Providers