PC Tips...
In most societies folks associate who they are, their social status, or their deeds by what they are named. The honor and pride we have for our names lets others know what we feel about ourselves. It can, however, also let other folks know too much.
To demonstrate to friends and coworkers just how much can be learned from knowing a person's full name on the internet, I go to my provider's search area and enter my first and last names. In doing so a very short list of addresses appear. By including an address and a full name in a search one can also get the person's phone number, and also the same information for the person's neighbors. Please do this with your own name to find out just how far you can go with your search engines. With additional software or by paying someone else, folks can even get more information. Hence, on the internet a person's full name is very precious and a wise thing to keep from distributing.
Please don't let this page upset you, but I've known several people who have found out about all this the hard way. The results were mostly additional junk e-mail, but in some cases much worse things occurred. To keep from allowing folks to get your full name you can take these very easy steps:
1. Either read the help files for your browser about secure/insecure links with other folks, or consider all links to be insecure. Most links are insecure unless firewalls or other protection is used.
2. NEVER give out any information to folks about yourself or others. If you feel someone is a friend and they ask for personal information, then think again. Friends do not ask friends to relinquish their security, not in cyber space or in real space. The most common excuse for requesting personal information is to "send a gift". Their friendship should be gift enough.
3. Keep in mind that all e-mail, newsgroup posts, and web page messages are monitored from time to time. Web pages can easily be copied and distributed, and e-mail and posts to newsgroups are archived by businesses like Deja News. Some of these businesses have even considered copying all of their information data onto CD-roms for distribution.
4. By default, browsers use your full name when you post to newsgroups and when you send e-mail. Changing these defaults to shorten your name to a first name or "handle" is relatively easy in Netscape 3.0 and Netscape 4.04. The steps toward doing this are:
Netscape 3.0: Click on "Options" in your menu bar. Click on "Mail and News Preferences". Click on the "ID" tab. By default the name you gave your Internet Provider Service (IPS) is in a slot at the top of the window. You can change this to whatever you wish. I use Alan or Walking Grizzly Bear.
Netscape Communicator: Click on "Edit" in your menu bar. Click on "Preferences". Click on "Composer". A window pops up that has the name you are using in a slot near the top of the window. You can change this name.
5. Keep in mind that though it is impossible to avoid full names altogether, the frequency with which you use them is the issue here. Telling someone about the progress a person is making in one way or the other should be respectful of that person and not include the full name every time.
6. Even if someone else uses their full name, that doesn't mean you have to also. Use their first name, and let them know why. If you don't know what to call them just ask, this is something that will always be appreciated.
7. If you can help it, don't use e-mail and newsgroups for personal messages that can expose you. I was a newbie at one time, and did allow my name to get distributed freely. Since I have stopped doing this I've received much less junk e-mail.
8. Do I have to explain why I don't care for folks to send me e-mail using my full name? Or, is it now obvious that when our first and last names appear on the internet that they are like a magnet for problems. You can call me anything, even late for supper, but don't call me by my full name. Did you know you can edit your address book and decide what folks will be called in front of their e-mail address? It's true!
9. There are some software packages that allow you to go on-line and chat with folks without anyone being able to copy your messages. They can't even see your messages unless you invite them into the conversation. Netmeeting and ICQ are two examples. Netmeeting comes with Windows and is available to those using it on a trial basis, or who have Internet Explorer. ICQ is absolutely free to the private sector. There are many other advantages to using programs like these including knowing when each other is available for contact, fast file transfer, etc. If you want more information about ICQ, please e-mail me a line or two and I'll soon get back to you about it.