As I begin this third week of blogging, I found out something a little disturbing -- maybe I'm not as anonymous as I once thought I was. In the midst of my sidebar overhaul over the weekend, I added a couple of new counters and a cool map.
When I'm further exploring this, I'm learning that when I'm logging into other people's blogs, they can figure out what city and state I'm in. They even know I'm viewing them on my trusty Mac and the resolution on my screen (hell, I don't even know the resolution on my computer screen).
The super-techo-geeks out there could also probably tell me the prescription of my contact lenses, the color of my shirt, and the cologne I'm wearing today. The evil super-techno-geeks out there probably know my mother's maiden name, my social security number, and the expiration date on my discover card -- Scarry!
So, as you're out there on the information superhighway, don't think you're out there in some kind of stealth car hopping from site to site. The reality is that you're driving out there in a mustang convertible with the top down. The least that you could do is wave hello...
15 comments:
really??? I have been in convertible this whole time? oh well - here is me waving hello to all the super-techo-geeks.
hmmm...so now i know who the handsome fella is in the convertible driving by my blog daily ;)
isnt it weird to know people can track you? the first time i found this out, was via a friend's free message board. we were getting obnoxious posts and the person didnt know we could get their IP address. and we knew what town they were in, and even able then to find their server and report them. we not have a password-protected board :)
doc, just dont go streakin' they the neighborhood, ok?
When I first started blogging, I was anonymous. That lasted until I realized:
1) There was no way to hide where I was coming from from anyone with a Sitemeter account ...
2) No one really cared what my name was, where I was coming from ... or any of those little particulars ...
3) I'd become so addicted that I could no longer hide my blogging from my family ...
4) Those who knew me and would have cared about what I was saying never read blogs anyway ...
So at that point, I threw all caution to the wind ... and became just as public - as I was anyway ... 0.o
When I realized i wanted to put my poetry on there ...and I didn't want my poetry on there without my name, I figured an anonymous blog was impossible ..so ...mine is all out there.
Watching that stuff is really facinating ... it can get quite interesting like ..who is this person from xyz that comes and looks every day and never comments ...expecially if they come from some far away place like New South Wales South Africa or Dublin Ireland.
What I want to know is how you got to my Testing the Cultural Divide site last week, thanking me for a visit, when I had only posted as the granola...
Who is the super-techno-geek here, eh?
I'm about ready to come clean to the general public with my real nom de plume, which isn't exactly difficult to figure out anyway. Need to promite my writing.
Mine is also all out in the open. I check summary quite often on site meter, so I can see how many hits I am getting but I don't click over and look at details. About once a week I take a look but it only holds 100 visits so what's the use.
For people who actually upgrade and buy site meter usage they probably know what color our underwear is. I don't know what the percentage of people who purchase upgrade service is, but I bet it's kind of low, so I'm not going to worry about it. If I was you I wouldn't worry either.
Have a good day tomorrow Dr. A.
do me a favor and leave me some illusions please... Yes I knew they could tell alot of stuff like if you list your city they can tell your city and state, but only if you list them with your isp when you first start up.... as for the rest... how many creeps are techno geeks? averages... i play the averages:) Im stuck anyhow, im addicted remember LOL
Can my convertible be red?
I have also left most of my particulars out in the open. I figured someone could find them if they really wanted to. And, judging by what you've written, I was right. :)
hmmm...
Doesn't leave much to the imagination, does it?
later...
Well, I guess all my secrets are out with you. Thankfully, since you can see my underwear, I wore this gorgeous hot pink lace push up bra so I look spectacular waving to you in my convertible.
dr. A, i also wanted to tell you that if you happen to have rr. Your IPN will change occasionally. I have my own IP number blocked from site meter. One day I noticed I had alot more traffic and some of it was hours long. I was getting so excited until I realized they were at my site at the exact same times I was at my site. Sure enough, my IPN had changed.
I have it through cable so I called them about it. They said that sometimes a power surge will cause it to create a new IPN and city. Mine has never had the actual city I live in on it.
They also said that sometimes if you disconnect the rr cable box and then plug it back in it maight change the number and city.
I do know some who have rr and no information shows up, not even their country. I don't know how that happens. If it is through cable you have to give them your address. I'm going to check around and see if I can get any info on that.
right we are added to the map finally, and is a mustang a car over here its a drink ;)
Cathy or Dr A,
Does my town show up? I have comcrap, and I don't have sitemeter...so I haven't the vaguest idea what you guys are talking about! But at any rate, I have photos of myself on my blog and I go by my real first name, so I'm not anon anyways. I knew it would be pointless! I don't discuss the hospital I work at, but people could figure it out if they really wanted to....
Happy 4th everyone!!
Hugz,
Carrie :)
P.S. What kind of Mac? After having chronic moderately severe hypertension due to a rage problem associated with a Dell laptop, I followed my brother's advice and bought a Powerbook G4! (Only slightly kidding about the hypertension...!) This laptop rocks... I totally love it. :) Computer problems are a thing of the past, except when my kitten bit through my power cord and I had to buy a new one. But that led me to discover the Apple Store at King of Prussia Mall, and that's not such a bad thing!
Anyways...once you go Mac, you never go back! ;)
Take care,
Carrie :)
I use statcounter, myself.
I was rather shocked at all the info.
But what the hey.
What I like about statcounter vs. sitemeter, is that it gives you info on the keywords people found you on search.
I have seen some strange ones, like someone looking for pantyhose pictures, and, well, some REALLY wierd stuff. It's funny . . .
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