re: "Even these boards create a somewhat shared consciousness."
"...Robert's been very good at herding cats."
Is it any wonder we get an earful on "primate" psychology, interaction and animal behavior?
The shared consciousness here is virtual, but I don't know how many times I've surfed to the zone only to spot a reply to a post that was posted by a member only a minute or two earlier. Like telephone's ringing...some posts get's one's attention even when one is not focused anywhere near the Zone. I've never needed the "email notification" the post form provides.