Ha, got you, didn't I?

What I mean is that the best way to have a thriving online community is to simply create a great place for an existing community to gather and socialize.  Whether that existing community is hobbyists, customers, music fans, a sports team, an association, a non-profit, or a family, all of those groups already naturally congregate.  They have a strong reason to get together over time, so when you offer an attractive place to hang out, you can leverage that affinity.

The mistake is to think that by purchasing a community application and creating some blogs or forums, you've "created" a community.  Focus on the people first, and then use the technology to support their needs.

If you've got a group that's looking for a great place to gather, check out http://hoop.la.