Originally a children's toy, MindStorms now has a broader appeal, particularly for university students and business professionals. However, there is a potential downside as well. Companies can't afford to take self-organized communities for granted. In the United States, volunteers who have monitored message boards and provided other services to America Online Inc. have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, arguing they deserve to be paid. These self-organizing communities are growing while the internet is in its infancy.
Participants communicate largely by e-mail and file transfers.
But the net is soaring in ubiquity, bandwidth and functionality. Soon, much more sophisticated tools for collaboration will be available. The human instinct to share knowledge and give advice is not new. Nor is it unusual for a company's customers to work together. Car enthusiasts have long helped each other tweak a little more horsepower out of their engines.