Netmag.co.uk published a solid interview with Caterina Fake. It’s a must read for anyone working on a community-oriented website. (Or any website for that matter, because the web is community, right? Right.)

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes of hers

The real nature of the web is as a connecting force. This is the web coming of age, it’s returning to what it was originally intended to be.

Flickr has now become mainstream, but it’s what we would call iPod mainstream rather than Coca-Cola mainstream.

The most difficult part is not the technology but actually getting the people to behave well … It’s always underestimated, but early on you need someone in there everyday who is kind of like the host of the party, who introduces everybody and takes their coat.

That last quote explains why the low-entry costs these days don’t mean any new player can take over the traffic of a popular site. You can make all the features you want, if you don’t have the community right from the get-go, you’re doomed.

Read the whole interview.