I've noticed that people get FREAKED OUT about keeping their e-mail and identity private. Why is that? Is it because I'm a nobody that it doesn't really matter to me? I don't get it.

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), March 03, 2000

Answers

Just resistance and good habits in the face of the march to Orwellian dystopia.

-- INever (inevercheckmy@onebox.com), March 03, 2000.

Last year there was a lot of gov.mil activity and interest. Some people did not want to parade their identities in front of certain interested authorities.

-- Normally (Oxsys@aol.com), March 03, 2000.

Cinloo,

there are many others reasons on top of what was said above.

My first time on TB2K 2 years ago, I posted my real address, and I happened to differ greatly on an unrelated to y2k topic with someone. I got nasty flaming emails from that. I then learned to pick and choose on which posts I'd divulge my identity and email address.

Also, many people are afraid to offend "friends" they've made on the forum by speaking their minds on a certain subject.

And then there are people who can't divulge their identity from work, the "whistle blowers" for fear of losing their jobs.

-- Old TB2K forum regular (freespeech@yahoo.com), March 03, 2000.

Cinlooo,

Several years ago, some women posted on the net as women and promptly had their inboxes filled to the bounce point with "wanna f**k?" requests. Since then, some are still afraid that's going to happen again, even though I think it's dropped off somewhat because now women are less of a rarity on the net. Sorry if this sounds sexist. It's just that back in 1987, most folks who were on the net were males in IT or the military.

-- (kb8um8@yahoo.com), March 03, 2000.

I've been posting with my real e-mail address since November and I STILL haven't gotten LUCKY! LOLOL

All kidding aside, the whistle-blower theory makes sense. But what's the chances of someone you actually know stumbling into the forum.

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), March 03, 2000.

Curious. I've always used my real name and address and haven't had many problems. Yeah, I get the usual 4 or 5 get rich quick schemes and 1 or 2 lose weight fast schemes per day, and once a week an adult site ad. And all of these are strictly delete-before-reading.

But despite all the TB2K posting I did, all of it apparently against the grain, I received a total of ZERO flames. I got a certain number of requests for clarification, and an occasional "you jerk" message, but that's not a flame since the author obvious didn't know who he was talking to [grin]. Most correspondence was extremely polite and civil, and well worth not being anonymous.

So I don't see the problem.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 03, 2000.

I've always used my real address and the silly name that AOL requires me to use. My experience has not been as bad as Flint's. Just the occasional offer to see something naked doing something to something else naked. Delete key eliminates that. Maybe there are some advantages to AOL.

Best wishes,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), March 03, 2000.

I always used my own email addy. Never had a problem with it. If there really IS some .gov list of potentially dangerous revolutionarys .. I hope I'm on it.

PS..cinloo...after seeing your post about your monkey, and looking back at the graphic...I almost passed soda through my nose!! Hysterically funny!

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), March 03, 2000.

Z,

Wow, you delete those? I've been savin' 'em up like pokemon cards. Ever read the little tickler (pun intended) some-guy-pretending-to-be- a-woman writes to lure you to clicking the link? LOL!! Peerless entertainment value. If you REALLY want to wet your pants, have someone read it aloud in a Down-East Maine accent. Man, talk about passing soda through your nose.

Jimmy

-- Jimmy Splinters (inthe@dark.com), March 03, 2000.

Lot's of good reasons to not post your real email. There is a big sweeper that comes along and ARCHIVES everything on the net. What you believe/say/express today, might not be your 'thoughts' tommorow, is one reason.

Another, if an employer, etc wants to do a background check, he will have access to your opinions. Do a search on dejanews to profile an email and you get the picture real quick!

There are also sites that will do a reverse email lookup and map it to your HOUSE, is another good reason.

Add to that the spam and wacko's, and anony is the way to go. At the very least you can get a hotmail account.

-- Xdoomer (doomerstomper@usa.net), March 04, 2000.

Cin,

I guess it depends on what one does for a living. For some, their personal opinions don't matter to their employers, but for others the wrong opinion could result in the boot or a GREAT deal of explantation, after which time you'd never wholly be trusted. I happen to believe I'm in the "get the boot" crowd, and so prefer to keep as (reasonably) anonymous as possible.

I also feel that NO ONE is REALLY anonymous on the net. If .gov wanted to expend the energy to find someone, and they keep posting from somewhere it's probably only a brief matter of time. Hopefully however, one can stay below the radar level of importance and continue on their merry way.

Regards,

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), March 04, 2000.

Those 'sweepers' picked up my old hotmail addy. I haven't been using it for quite a while now but I go there once in a while to delete all the stuff that is still sent. I think they hang onto it forever and will send no matter what. I put filters on all the ads for several weeks (I have hundreds of names filtered, to no avail), they just change their address and the same ones show up 2-5 times per week. I just got sick of it and changed mailboxes and only post partially real email.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@yahoo.com), March 04, 2000.