Forums
Internet forums are a comparatively old phenomenon (in comparison to streaming video or VoIP) and they were known to people almost from the beginning of internet technologies. Internet forums are not regular websites that just offer various kinds of information to viewers. In a way, internet forums can be compared with online chats – people communicate with each other and express their opinions about this or that topic, but the whole process of communication is stretched in time and can continue not just for days, but for months and even years. The process of stating people's opinions is not aimed at reaching a certain goal, or making the final decision about something. As a rule, online forums are designed for attracting visitors to sites in order to improve traffic and make more and more people aware of such sites. As a rule, website owners make money by advertising various things, and the more people see the ad the more money the owner will get, so that's why forums are a useful tool in attracting the attention of a wide audience. In fact, internet forums have little in common with usual forums where people are gathered to discuss some vital issues or make a certain decision. Most often internet forums are 'places' where people can discuss whatever they want, from sexual problems or new products in the sphere of high technologies to political issues and discussing scientific discoveries. But the vast majority of all internet forums are as a rule created to attract more people to websites.