To be clear, this is not about software. Community can exist in blog comments or it can exist on Twitter. Conversely, sometimes you see something that is labeled a community and that looks like a community but doesn’t feel like a community. This holds true more often for customer or professional communities than for pure enthusiast communities.

A community is not:

• A rational economic exchange with minimal social interaction
• A place where transient users can post an opinion
• A place where only moderators respond to original posters

So what makes for a healthy community? There are a long list of things that can be included here but maybe the most important ingredient is that within a good community, there is the possibility of developing friendship. Ask yourself, does my community ever lead to friendships between members?