The pioneering electronic community (and, I think, the very first web-based forum), the well, is to be sold off.
The Well, which has been going since 1985 is similar, in function to a forum. It hosts a series of discussions (conferences) around many subjects, including online privacy and rights.
Many of the early members have gone on to become guiding lights on T'Internet. People like Mitch Kapoor (who founded Mozilla) and John Perry Barlow, who, along with Kapoor, founded the online rights organisation , the
EFF.
The full article is at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4165542.stm
The Well is at
http://www.well.com