What do you (jawabians) think of getting to know each other face-to-face (on a more personal level)?

Here at Jawab newbies are encouraged and oldbies are respected :)

lol thanks

Actually theres nothing unexpected in this. Its understandable that many users would feel more comfortable participating online with privacy/a level of anonymity/comfort of replying at will after thinking etc. So yea, I think its pretty valid

No, come on, Nabeha. Of course, it is totally understandable and there is nothing wrong in it. It's more of an option for those who wish to get to know each other more on personal level and this could be due to several reasons. There is, as Usama said, a sort of easiness too, when one replies here knowing that one does not actually know the person in real and does not need to worry what others have to say. As usual, there are always pros and cons and individual prefences. :)

Right .. Thanks for understanding guys :)

or we can just share contact details...

or Usama can come up with Jawab's fb page where we all can connect and this will also benefit Jawab

Good to know that I was not the only one thinking on this line. You are right, more details on profile could be really helpful as well as opening a fb page (I think Usama is working on the latter nowadays or at least was planning to). Jawab needs to reach people and I want it to. :)

Great idea. I'm just delaying the FB page for some "strategic purposes" :p But yes, I've been thinking of expanding the profile information and/or adding a way to contact other Jawab members

Right .. Jawab is not for social networking I guess

Jawab is a social network brother

@Osama, actually its not. Social networks are more about people connecting with each other. We have become a community for now but that is not its purpose.

@Usama Its not about "for now" its about where it is going and what it is becoming.

Wikipedia says "A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes", which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige."
Yes there is the word "tied/connected" and there is no 'connect' option on jawab. But this definition also has "common interest". We might not be connected visually or graphically but everyone here at jawab is connected through this common interest which is "Questions and Answers about Pakistan". I think who ever comes to this website and start questioning or answering they become a part of this network. Even maintaining their profiles and about their 'interests' and 'about me' is social networking.

The other thing is demand. There are some active members on this website and they will be here for some time and then they will loose their interest in jawab or will get busy with their lives etc and they will leave. But if jawab is here to say jawab shall have to keep evolving and provide more engaging experiences. So a demand for this will eventually rise and then it will be inevitable.

looking for a rope to hang myself :p Some serious discussion, this has turned out to be

@Osama: Hehe, well true it does fall in that definition :) But as you would probably agree that this is not where it aims to go. People here do "network" in that manner, but Jawab would function just as well if this "networking" stopped and random people asked and random people answered (as long as there the right random people were present).

Regarding your other point, I agree. Even though I am working on a longer term strategy but for now this is what I think: The manner in which Jawab is evolving right now depends on our "regulars" who, as you said, might lose interest if Jawab's interaction features don't provide a more engaging experience. Great, yes we can work on that, but for now this "regular" interaction serves to get Jawab's word out as well as get it properly indexed on Google which will eventually let me turn it into what I initially aimed... I'd like to hear your views, esp if you think I'm living in a dream ;)

@Usama hmm, I mean its not about being right or wrong. It all depends on time, things may evolve in a way you never expected or the way I am suggesting.

You talk about random people and then you depend on regulars :)

By loosing interest I meant anyone not just these regulars, I have lost interest in Facebook, no one can be on such a platform forever, but the platform has its own life too where people will come and go.

And yes you have to live in a dream otherwise this is just another website and you are just another freelancer.

@Awais I hope you are still alive :P

lol yeah I realized there were more important things I needed to live for, besides I missed writing 'pun intended' at the end, so my bad I guess :p

True, its really hard to predict and its already turned out very different from what I was expecting :)
Well yes, regulars will bring it to a level that random people can ask and expect to get value out of it.
The part about the dream, yup true :)

Yes, I like what you said. We can delay that. But I think there is no harm in enhancing profiles.

well, yeah sure, making contacts online beyond jawab is also okay. i mean, i knew early jawabis through twitter before jawab was formed.

2 invitations,I think I better pack up for travel now; )