As most of us know, there are numerous different ways to communicate via the Internet, everything from simple e-mails to message boards and blogs.

President and CEO of Bothell’s Byte Slaves, Inc., Sven Mogelgaard, wants you to keep electronic social networking in mind, as well.

“It is something that you can have a little bit of fun with,” Mogelgaard said. “But if it’s used properly, you can get a lot of benefit out of it.”

Mogelgaard said probably the best known example of a social networking site is Facebook. And he said the site can be useful, but often ends up being a bit of a time waster.

“It seems like everyone on Facebook is out to collect friends,” Mogelgaard said. But he adds, if you create a friend list of several hundred people, just how friendly can you actually be with all those folks? Mogelgaard wonders if you really can have any contact with most of them, constructive or otherwise.

For adults who want to use electronic networking as a serious business tool, Mogelgaard created Byte Slaves Bits, a site dealing primarily with computers and technology. He also offers “Social Networking 101” seminars on the basics of electronic social networking, including how to create a profile, finding worthwhile friends, activities and other topics.

What’s the difference between a social networking site such as Byte Slaves Bits and a message board? According to Mogelgaard, networking sites are designed to be more interactive. You can make them as private or open as you would like. You can create a site just for your own employees or one that is invitation only.

Mogelgaard expects networking sites will get more elaborate in the future, with video communications, more direct links to other Web sites and information, among other innovations.

For now, Mogelgaard said one key to successfully using a networking site is properly setting up your profile. If it’s a personal profile, he said, you don’t want to get carried away and give out too much information about yourself, information that will be just sitting out there for all to see. On Byte Slaves networking site, Mogelgaard notes that once you put something on the Web, it takes on the half-life of plutonium.

Still, if you are putting together a business profile, you want to take an opposite approach, trying to cram as much information into a profile as possible, Mogelgaard said, while keeping that profile interesting and readable.

Only a short time from its launch, the Byte Slaves network has about 30 members, most from this area, though Mogelgaard said one advantage to networking sites is that anyone, anywhere can join. He described signing up for Byte Slave Bits as easy, and indeed all that’s essentially needed is an e-mail address and creation of a username and password. The site is free. Recent postings include Mogelgaard talking about the need to regularly change your computer passwords for security purposes.

Another thread talked about free voice mail and business services that are available on various Web sites.

Located in downtown Bothell, Mogelgaard said he started Byte Slaves eight years ago.

“We think of ourselves as PC paramedics,” he added.

Byte Slaves mostly is aimed at businesses and entrepreneurs, but they will come and look at your living-room computer, as well. They also can set up business and home networks.