The mirror metaphor is powerful for academics who are beginning to see certain sites on the WWW as living spaces--not only places to archive texts, but also places where they can go to produce, work and play. These places are also more theoretical spaces to reflect critically on academic communities as they exist in real institutions in real time. This mirror metaphor is also powerful for those who can envision "the other side of the mirror" (Foucault 26) a more effective, productive, real academic community that results from online publication and interaction.