While I generally agree, the forum can open doors for relationships that grow. I've met people because of this place, like
@Two Feathers who communicated by email for a time. We've since met. We don't talk weekly, but if he called with a need I'd try to be there.
Living in the Army so long you make friends that come and go in your life. They aren't out of your life but I went months or sometimes years without talking as we moved to different places for duty. When we do talk, conversations start where they left off. A forum like this can be the connection place for those "old friends" or the starting point for new ones.