Googling yourself

Well it came out today that an online store I have purchased from in the past (but probably not any longer since they're being annoying about trying to get a double charge refunded) had a file of stored credit card information stolen. It probably doesn't effect me (although I'm hoping they'll answer this inquiry when the last few emails about the double charge haven't been answered) since I don't check off those "Remember your credit card number?" boxes.

However since this was apparently discovered after someone Googled their own name and found a web site with their credit card info posted, I tried doing the same.

Yikes, I ran across some old Usenet and mailing list posts of mine I hadn't remembered. Some of it interesting, some of it a little embarrassing what with the difference of maturity a decade and more can make, and some of it showing continuing bad habits.

For instance I have a bad habit of posting late at night when I'm not nearly as likely to spot really, really, really bad typos and grammar errors. I spotted one old Usenet discussion in which I twice used the wrong choice of their/there/they're, each time picking a different one. (Note the irony that I am posting this at 3:00 AM in a week where I have been quite sleep deprived.)

Another bad habit, posting early in discussions and then just disap

Really annoying to have someone show up and then just disappear like that isn't it. I did that a number of times. Once even starting a thread and near as I can tell never replying to any of the replies that showed up. Ugh.

These days I would normally do a search if I didn't know the details on something I was going to bring up, or at least state up front that I was posting with a lack of knowledge. In the above mentioned discussion I pulled some numbers out of my nether region that were so far separated from reality that I'm surprised no one came right out and said, "Man, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Do you like embarrassing yourself in public like this? Should we get you a dunce cap for Christmas?"

Ooh, nifty, old RPG mailing list posts. How sad that only one of the vehicles that I posted to one list seems to have survived to the present day. And it looks like the archives may not exist on the web since even Googling for the name of that one vehicle doesn't find anything put one copy on one website. Or perhaps not so sad, more nasty typos including its/it's confusion (at least I'm in a great deal of company when I make that mistake), and what's that a comment about expecting typos because I am posting late at night.

Also nifty, an early discussion I had completely forgotten (while remembering a less skilled one on a Fidonet forum) about the intersection of IP law and Role Playing Games. Basically an argument that TSR was being foolish to fight off AD&D compatible 3rd party material since that encouraged people to write either game system neutral 3rd party materials, or write for games whose companies were more flexible. Which amounted to driving away material that would help encourage your continuing lock on 1st place in the industry and pushing people to instead support your competitors.

It's also interesting as I read some of these old things I have come across names that I think might be people I've run into online more recently. And some that I have spotted and realized have completely dropped off my radar.

So, to make a a longish post just a little longer, do a Search on your name or usernames you have used. You may find some interesting things if you do.

Why yes, I am still up...

Heh, just came across a post where I was snarky to one of TSR's netreps. Fortunately he took it in good humor (or at least posted like he did).

Then again 90's TSR needed to be snarked at. When I think about the money and effort they put into games they had to know they were dooming from the start -- Such as the entire Amazing Engine line. Where they pretty much told everyone up front, "Nothing in this line will have any support beyond articles in Dragon Magazine, and then that plural is only if we are feeling nice." How about just pouring lighter fluid on the drafts of the books and burning them in front of the authors, that might have almost been kinder than to say, "Hey, we're going to put your work out in a line where we are shooting each game in the foot. Would you rather have your work shot in the right foot or the left foot? Never mind, we're using a shotgun so it will get bother feet anyway. And the legs. Probably a little in the gut too..."

I would have loved to have seen some sort of second edition of Amazing Engine, it had some interesting ideas (such as the core character/setting character split).

Just a note to say, still up.

Woohoo, 5:44 AM and still awake. Gee, could this be part of why I have been so tired this week? Nah, of course not.