The WELL - Wikipedia

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2021-07-07 21:30:13

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.[needs update ][2] 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.[3]

The WELL was started by Stewart Brand and Larry Brilliant in 1985, and the name (an acronym for Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link)[4] is partially a reference to some of Brand's earlier projects, including the Whole Earth Catalog. Initially The WELL was owned 50% by The Point Foundation (publishers of the Whole Earth Catalog and Whole Earth Review) and 50% by NETI Technologies Inc. a Vancouver-based company of which Larry Brilliant was at that time the chairman. The WELL began as a dial-up bulletin board system (BBS) influenced by EIES,[5] 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.[citation needed ]

Gail Ann Williams was hired by Figallo in 1991, as community manager, and has continued in management roles into the current era.