My Usage Of New Technologies

As I've already said in my first entry, I really don't utilise new technologies for communicating to their full extent. Mobile phones, emailing, and participating in a portal of poetry for both posting and reviewing are the three I use. With the mobile phone and email I only communicate with people I already know, however on the poetry website they are all strangers. Also the majority of the contributors I have noticed are from America. Even if I wanted to see them it would prove a rather costly exercise. The anonymity could allow me to be more harsh or critical than I would be in person but it doesn't work that way. All round the comments appear to be very supportive. That's probably why I have only posted three poems. If everyone is too scared to give constructive criticism, then what's the point? I tried to once, and I promise you not in a nasty way. All that happened was a privately sent message from the poet stating he had been writing poetry for twenty years and did not need to learn any new ways to express himself. I thought of replying he should try a new way called "well" but thought I don't need an argument and if someone has decided that they don't need to keep learning in a field they have a passion in, that's sad. I have only been using this portal for a few weeks but I don't think I'll continue. I mainly wanted to get some feedback on my work when I signed up and that includes critical feedback. My personal opinion on the privacy issue is to put out there only what you're willing to have for everyone and forever. It only takes a little bit of forethought. My biggest personal hurdle with the Internet is the lack of tactile, olfactory, audible and emotive involvement (although the latter can be beautifully portrayed if a good writer wishes to open up enough). Even over the phone you can hear a lie or a smile, on the net words are carefully checked before posting.