[gobolinux-users] The wiki

[Paul Dann]

Isaac Dupree wrote:
> registering is ALWAYS at least a little nuisance, if nothing else.  It 
> generally requires a password too.
>   
  That is a fair point, and it's regrettable.  It's also a shame that
people have to lock their cars.  Unfortunately we live in a fallen world
and these things are sometimes necessary.  I'm sure most people wouldn't
begrudge having to use a password for something like this.

> Disliking the concept of online identities.  (I presently find them 
> helpful enough that I'll give myself identity, but I also feel that the 
> possibility of non-identitied action completely makes sense.
  OK, this is also a valid point, but I think you're inevitably going to
have to have an identity if you want to do anything more than the most
trivial things on the internet.

>   Online 
> identities seem a fishy thing anyway.)  BTW, before I had a throw-away 
> e-mail address, I didn't report any bugs in the Gentoo bug-tracker 
> because it required an e-mail address and had no privacy policy (maybe 
> because it may have published the address for all to see - not sure).
>   
  Yes, e-mail really is the passport of the internet isn't it.  It's a
pity they make it mandatory for some of these things, but at least we
*can* get throw-away ones for those sites that need it.

> or if you want to phrase it in your aggressive wording, they're hiding 
> because they like hiding.  Some people have had bad experiences with 
> identities.  Some people just like hiding, which is not the same as 
> trying to conceal anything.
>   
  OK, you're right; it is a mistake to force people to reveal their true
identities just to edit a Wiki.  However, the registration process
doesn't require an e-mail address (it's optional), so it's really just a
matter of choosing a username and password, and reading some funny
letters.  Other than that, the only thing tied to the account is the IP
address, which is logged even if you're not registered.

Paul