I do think we can and do make true friends on the internet. I count a couple as dear friends, and met some face to face. I don't think if we part ways it necessarily means we weren't true friends. It happens in face-to-face relationships too sometimes. Life can be complicated and it has phases.
I do think though that online relationships have a few extra challenges. We don't share a history together... experiences... as we do with most of our face to face relationships, and shared experiences help us to feel together. Also, often on the internet, we lose friends. We do in face to face life too, but i think when you aren't sharing the same places, and not talking to them while in front of them seeing their face, that there is a greater chance of hiding emotionally, making it more difficult to repair a relationship when it's troubled.
