Hm, you made me curious about the group.

But seriously: why shouldn't be friends with having met on a site like WDC be possible? Maybe you might never meet your friend in person, but since writing is a very personal and subconscious activity it makes one see the person behind it how he / she really is...

What I read here isn't too far away from myself. I've made a close bunch of friends here on WDC and we have regular contact. I have difficulty to open up face to face but here it was easy and now I even wish I could meet the friends I made here. At the moment however it isn't possible since I'm in Europe and they mainly in the US but never say never.

The friendship you built with Shannon seems real and strong and I think if you'd met face to face it'd have developed the same way. I agree with your Webster's definition and think that it really doesn't matter if a friendship develops online or face to face or moves from one to the other.

When both parties are honest to each other and willing to connect to each other emotionally and trusting each other to some extent then it fits the definition of friendship, my definition. And this seems to be the case with you as well as with me. I hope that Shannon's and your friendship will lasts long and what concerns meeting in reality... never say never.