Yeah, I consider people that I've met on the internet to be my friends. Email is no different than a letter you send your non-internet friends in the mail. IM is no different than a phone conversation, except that they're free. I've shared my real full name with those I consider friends. Some even call me by my nickname. And I talk to some of them on the phone (not CT4, either, lol). And this is not even including my Sorors. It doesn't make a difference how you meet them, they are your sisters, regardless. I've never lied to my friends about me and who I am and what I do. You either take me or leave me.
As far as holding them in the same regard, each of my friends is special to me for a different reason, so each person is held in a different regard. I love all of my friends, and I pray for them, just as they pray for me.
I'll let you know what showed me that the people I've met via (
) GC are TRULY my friends. The first time I didn't log on for a few days, I got back, and people were LOOKING for me!! I was so shocked!! And they had sent emails to CT4 asking about me. That's real.