We’ve all got Internet friends, many of whom we will never physically meet. What would you do if they were no longer there? Would you care?

The thought occurred recently when a very dear friend of mine, who I worked with at the University of Waikato back in New Zealand, was absent without leave from the internet. A day or even two of his not being there is normal. But a week or more?

Fortunately I’m also in contact with one of his many daughters via ‘chat’ on Facebook, otherwise I wouldn’t have known that he had a heart attack last year. Since then he has had ongoing health problems. So when he went quiet once again a few weeks back, I immediately contacted her on FB. Bless her heart, she profusely apologised for not letting me know. She needn’t have. I completely understood. I was just glad that he’s…