Maybe the time is not right?
Hypothetical situation:-
A: Hey! What is your forum-nickname?
B: Hello there. I am so-and-so.
A: What are you working as?
B: I sell goreng pisangs for a living.
A: Oh...
B: *smiles*
A: *pauses for 15 secs* Uhm, I have to see if others have
arrived. Later.
A and B never talked to each other for the next few hours.
Total attendees: 10
Just kidding.
To your question: yes - real friendship can be forged online but
for some of us, it took too many wrong turns to know what is right.
Just my personal thought.
Have fun planning an outing anyway! 
