week 6- task 3

http://forums.techguy.org/

The tech support guy, website is a very simple website, layed out with a side tool bar with options such as welcome guide, forums, about us and how to help. This website has been around for ten years and the people who are answering questions within the forum are very knowledgable about computers, it was one of the first sites to give out free computer computer support online. It is celebrating its tenth year and has over 210,000 members and 27 forums. You have to be a member inorder to post any questions though, which may be an issue for some people.

I believe that it does have an element of communities of practice because for one, anybody that is registered is able to answer questions that people have. And so there is not just one estrablished leader, they can all post there ideas and work together to figure our the best way of going about a certain activity. i believe that this website does encourage learning by practice in an activity, because you have to actively go on to the forum, post your question and then try out the different suggestions that are posted on to the forum. It can not be done in a passive way, while using some of the ideas that are suggested you may have to go back on the forum and ask some more questions! and so it is extreaml active.

It also appears to me to be a number of communities of practice because with in the sub forums, they use alot of language that only people with knowledge of the subject could join in on, but also if new members join they can learn from other members and learn to be as knowledgable as other members. An example of this is the "Digital Photography and imaging" section, in which one of the members asks what the best software is for removing "noise" the person who posts this is still resonably knowledgable, but is still asking questions and asking for people advise who may no more.