Psycho-Babble Administration Thread 523081

Shown: posts 101 to 125 of 125. Go back in thread:

 

Re: ended up as Goggle

Posted by Dr. Bob on December 8, 2005, at 0:34:00

In reply to Re: ? » Dinah, posted by Tamar on December 7, 2005, at 19:58:42

> somehow it ended up as Goggle again.

The default subject line is the subject line of the post being replied to, not the latest post in the thread...

Bob

 

Re: ended up as Goggle » Dr. Bob

Posted by Tamar on December 8, 2005, at 7:02:21

In reply to Re: ended up as Goggle, posted by Dr. Bob on December 8, 2005, at 0:34:00

> > somehow it ended up as Goggle again.
>
> The default subject line is the subject line of the post being replied to, not the latest post in the thread...
>
> Bob

I knew that! I just felt defeated...

 

the best available online privacy

Posted by pseudoname on December 13, 2005, at 13:20:11

In reply to small boards and privacy, posted by alexandra_k on July 3, 2005, at 19:26:19

I don't know if this thread is still active, but I want to throw in my feelings. I think Tamar and ClearSkies are right about a members-only board possibly leading to a false sense of security.

I am *extremely* concerned about my own privacy and anonymity in posts here and everywhere, including the private boards I've posted to.

So for example
   •my screen-names don't refer to my real name / nickname / location / school / job / interests / etc
   •my posts don't mention my real name / nickname / location / school / job / ethnicity / etc

If I'm posting about potentially identifiable situations, I change irrelevant details the way that social science articles change details to protect subjects' privacy. A story about my cousin could become a story about "my relative" or "my friend" (if she is also a friend).

If I'm posting about a client, I might say "someone at work" or just "someone I know", when I think that gives enough context for others to comment on.

I also avoid using similar-sounding screen-names in different boards. Don't be "Bippo" here & at Yahoo; don't use different Disney names everywhere you post.

If someone is worried (like me) about malicious spies / neighbors / etc connecting posts back to her actual identity, can't she take steps like this, too? I would advise taking such steps whether a board is public or members-only. If it's in cyberspace at all, it must be considered insecure and potentially open to the WORLD. I agree that members-only access reduces the risk, but not nearly enough.

My only exposure is in disclosing my true •sex •marital status •age •Midwesternity(?) and •meds that I'm using. Because my meds are unusual, even these few facts may eventually be put together and traced back to me if I ever disclose my meds IRL.

But the only better privacy is not to post at all.

The other problem —of someone in your own residence / school / workplace sneaking into your computer files— won't be solved by a members-only board, of course. It can't be solved, period. That's why President Bush says he can't ever e-mail his daughters...

 

Re: the best available online privacy » pseudoname

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 20:57:27

In reply to the best available online privacy, posted by pseudoname on December 13, 2005, at 13:20:11

Hey. What you say is correct. If you are worried about your privacy then you should take those steps to protect it.

The trouble (with me) is...

That I get into a space and let my guard down.

Alters... Though I can't blame them of course... But when I'm in a different space things get posted. Doesn't matter how much I regret them later, they are here indefinately for anyone with internet access to view. For anyone with access to my internet history to follow.

> But the only better privacy is not to post at all.

Well there are degrees of privacy. If you have to be a member to view then that would stop people following your internet history and reading your posts. That would be a greater degree of privacy. More private still would be posting from home so people are less able to access your internet history in order to be able to follow it. More private still would indeed be just to shut the f*ck up as you note.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet...

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 21:56:46

In reply to Re: the best available online privacy » pseudoname, posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 20:57:27

okay.
so here goes...
i post from work because i don't have internet access at home. over here there simply isn't any free internet access except a limited amount in schools (where it is of course monitered by teachers). you are charged for your usage at the library and where i am you can only use the internet at the main library (to the best of my knowledge) which is a fair hike away. yeah, there are lots of internet cafe's but they charge by the hour and it is fairly expensive.

so i post from work.

and what i have noticed...
is that every user login has a separate file. i only have access to the file that is associated with my login. i go in there and try to clear my cookies and there is this little document or whatever called 'index'. i can view it and what it seems to be... is a record of my entire history. every single link i've followed. i can view that but when i go to delete it it says 'you must have administrator access to modify / delete this document' or something along those lines.

so...

people with administrator access (that probably means staff in the department who have some administrator priveledges associated with their login) and the wonderful people over at information technology support have access to my entire access history.

if they decided to follow the links...
well, there are pages and pages and pages and pages of babble links, of course. also... i do tend to follow the link to my new post. so a fair few of those links are to my posts. and yeah, because i've been stupid enough to post a lot of the things i've posted it is just oh so easy for them to figure out who i am. really wouldn't take them very long at all.

and there it is.

i don't know whether all work situations do this...
i don't know whether all universities do this...

but what i do know is that if people find out who i am then it gives them a bit of a predicament.

when they are requested to write me an anonymous referee report / reference and they are asked specificially 'do you know of anything that may affect the candidates ability to complete or whatever...' and 'do you have any reservations about the candidates ability to complete or whatever...' then i suppose they have a choice... they can keep their trap shut or they can be honest.

not a nice position to be in.

and yeah, it is my own fault, i appreciate that.

but how much safer would i feel in knowing that when they follow my access history they will be slapped with 'access denied'? a whole heap safer that is what. a whole heap safer.

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 22:02:52

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 21:56:46

and it is of course my own fault.
because of the things i've posted.
but the problem is that...
there isn't a single thing that i can do about that now.
there isn't anything i can do about what i've posted already.

and so...

when i move i won't be accessing the boards.
because when i access the boards i leave a trail associating me with this site.
and because of what i have already posted
its just not safe for me to do that.
not even if i joined up with a different name
and kept my trap shut from this point on
it doesn't matter because when i access the boards i leave a trail associating me with this site.
and because of what i have already posted
its just not safe for me to do that.

people from work know i post here.
i think...
they probably know who i am.
my supervisor has said a couple things which i think he would only have known from reading here.
he is a good person
i am pretty sure that he will keep it to himself
and that he doesn't regard me any differently because of it
but...
other people are not so understanding
and the risk is too great.

most people...
i dare say most people wouldn't go out of their way
and i would have absolutely no way of knowing
except that...
i wouldn't find work
because of the anonomous referee reports / references
and i can't afford to take that risk.

because of what i have already posted
that i can't do anything about.

so.

here until the 24th i guess.
then my internet access is gone from this end.
and there it is.

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:25:24

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 22:02:52

> but...
> other people are not so understanding
> and the risk is too great.
> most people...
> i dare say most people wouldn't go out of their way
> and i would have absolutely no way of knowing
> except that...
> i wouldn't find work
> because of the anonomous referee reports / references
> and i can't afford to take that risk.
> because of what i have already posted
> that i can't do anything about.

because while people might notice i'm a little wobbly irl they really don't have so much of an idea of the extent to that. i might ring in sick for two or three days and they take that at face value. but not if they see some of the things i've said in venting on the boards.

and its archived now.

the full extent of my psych history
the full extent of the space that i do get into some times

there it is.

is this making sense to people?

i'm not over-reacting...

am i?

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:27:03

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:25:24

because if i'm not...

then why aren't other people worried?

oh yeah...

because they have self control and they managed to shut the f*ck up in the first place.

so the fact that i can't trust myself to do that...

means that i do have to leave.

i'd be a fool to stay - right?

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:29:25

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:27:03

and it is of my own making...

but i do wonder about the ethics of the archives...

when trouble with self-control can be part of the issues that bring people here...

and when people disclose stuff that they never would irl...

and yeah there are warnings...

but is that enough?

is it really?

oh yeah.
but the archives are a source of information
and recruitment of new posters

good of the group i guess

 

Re: that wasn't very clear...

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:30:04

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:29:25

and who cares about the individuals?

who can afford to care?

it hurts :-(

 

I'm glad you're still here » alexandra_k2

Posted by pseudoname on December 14, 2005, at 10:43:16

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:30:04

Alexandra, thanks for posting. I was going to send you a Babblemail if you didn't post again soon.

I'm glad you posted all this. I understand your postition a lot better. You are in a bit of a spot! Your only access to Babble is on your work computer & you can't clean its history. I totally see why a members-only board is so appealing to you. It would be for me, too, in that situation. I would greatly prefer it.

In my last post I said "The other problem —of someone in your own residence / school / workplace sneaking into your computer files— won't be solved by a members-only board."

I now see that's INCORRECT. A members-only archive would at least require a mischievous sneak from your workplace to register in order to READ your stuff or figure out what was yours, which, as you say, would be harder without direct links. It would be an extra hurdle for them, and even if they can register for free, most mischievous people don't. (There's a fair amount of evidence for that.)

I also see why the Wikipedia article could bother you a little. As you said, someone who saw dr-bob.org in your history could figure the site out from the Wiki article, if they looked it up there.

I don't know what to say about your old posts. I agree with Dinah (who's read more of them than I have): there's nothing there anyone could hold against you. You don't confess to crimes or murderous impulses or pilfering or sabotaging work projects or anything like that. I don't think anyone could possibly conclude from those posts that you were unstable – just bright, well-read, logical, caring, and skilled with words. But I, too, fear simply the exposure of certain thoughts to unintended readers.

> i'm not over-reacting...
> am i?

I (who's never had an office job) think you're *not* overestimating the possibility of supervisors seeing how much time you spend at a non-work web site. This is not quite the concern that you raise, but... Are there any rules against personal use of the computers? Do you only post during breaks or after work?

If non-work surfing is allowable and you're Babbling only during downtimes, then maybe you're really in the clear. I say this because I think you *are* overestimating the "scariness" to others of your archived posts. But if no personal computer use is allowed, then that could change the risk calculus...

I'm sorry the situation hurts, but I think people do "care about the individuals". *You* have shown me that. :-)

 

Re: that wasn't very clear... » alexandra_k2

Posted by cricket on December 14, 2005, at 11:43:26

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:30:04

Alex,

Nooooooooo!

Yes, i understand, but no. Pleeeeeease don't go away.

There has to be a way. Isn't there the possibility you could get at home internet access in your new situation?

 

Re: I'm glad you're still here » pseudoname

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 20:35:01

In reply to I'm glad you're still here » alexandra_k2, posted by pseudoname on December 14, 2005, at 10:43:16

> I don't know what to say about your old posts. I agree with Dinah (who's read more of them than I have): there's nothing there anyone could hold against you.

i think there are bad things i've said...
maybe i'm over-reacting...
maybe not...
i can't tell sometimes.
but i think there are bad things i've said...

> You don't confess to crimes or murderous impulses

uh...

> or pilfering or sabotaging work projects or anything like that.

noooo

> But I, too, fear simply the exposure of certain thoughts to unintended readers.

yeah i'm not sure if thats it...
or if there is a bit more to it than that...

> Are there any rules against personal use of the computers?

technically... for research only.
in practice... anything goes (aside from porn).
in the sense that people talk about it happily enough.
just when the bill gets large i suppose...
i typically tend to come up as a very high user...

> I say this because I think you *are* overestimating the "scariness" to others of your archived posts.

> am i?
am i really?
i can't tell.
really. i can't tell.


 

Re: that wasn't very clear... » cricket

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 20:36:40

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear... » alexandra_k2, posted by cricket on December 14, 2005, at 11:43:26

((((cricket))))
i don't know...
i just don't know.
i'm sorry :-(
i wasn't going to talk about it on the boards...
because i don't want people to feel upset
or to beg me to stay
(i appreciate that you aren't doing that and you understand...)
i can't tell whether i'm being over cautious
or sensible.
i don't know.

 

sorry dr bob

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 21:54:02

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear... » cricket, posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 20:36:40

sorry i've been all over the place and a real jerk lately :-(
i'm really really sorry :-(

 

Re: sorry dr bob » alexandra_k2

Posted by gardenergirl on December 14, 2005, at 22:08:48

In reply to sorry dr bob, posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 21:54:02

Sounds like you have some concerns, and there's no good answers for them, unfortunately.

And just in case, my cycle is off, so I can't help you recognize or predict at this point...

;)

gg

 

''jerk''?? » alexandra_k2

Posted by pseudoname on December 14, 2005, at 22:37:04

In reply to sorry dr bob, posted by alexandra_k2 on December 14, 2005, at 21:54:02

> sorry i've been all over the place and a real jerk lately

Maybe I missed it ;-)
but I'm pretty sure you haven't been a jerk at all!

((k2))

–pn

 

Re: sorry dr bob » gardenergirl

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 15, 2005, at 13:43:10

In reply to Re: sorry dr bob » alexandra_k2, posted by gardenergirl on December 14, 2005, at 22:08:48

> Sounds like you have some concerns, and there's no good answers for them, unfortunately.

:-(
Yeah.
Though... Well... Maybe I have figured it out really. If I try and run away from my past... It will only come back to bite me real bad. I think that is what tends to happen. Yeah. There is a place for tact. And I need to get a bit better there. But... Okay... Lets imagine worst case. They find me out and think I'm crazy and I never get a job. Did I ever really want a job???? Dunno. I'd be happy enough coming back to NZ and starting another degree :-)
So. I guess it isn't the end of the world :-)
And I am who I am and I'm trying to get better and being here helps me.
So there :-P
Heh heh.
But that being said... I'll try and tone it down a little...

> And just in case, my cycle is off, so I can't help you recognize or predict at this point...

Uh. Okay now... Not so okay last week ;-)

 

Re: ''jerk''?? » pseudoname

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 15, 2005, at 13:44:56

In reply to ''jerk''?? » alexandra_k2, posted by pseudoname on December 14, 2005, at 22:37:04

> Maybe I missed it ;-)
> but I'm pretty sure you haven't been a jerk at all!

Aw thanks, you are very sweet...
But yeah I think maybe you did miss it ;-)
But its okay I'm feeling better now...
And I really hope I learn not to go off at people so much :-(

 

Re: all you computer people out there: index???

Posted by alexandra_k2 on December 15, 2005, at 14:02:26

In reply to Re: ''jerk''?? » pseudoname, posted by alexandra_k2 on December 15, 2005, at 13:44:56

if you go into your cookies folder...
is there a little notepad document called 'index'? have a scroll around it... in amongst the meaningless symbols... what is that??? is it your cookies or your access history or something like that?? whats it doing there??

i'm just wondering 'cause i know next to nothing about computers and maybe i was getting a little paranoid with the 'ITS are bugging my computer' thing... so i checked my laptop and there seems to be one in there too... i'm wondering whether that is normal... or whether ITS put one in there too when I connected it to the network...

what is it?
(i know its a notepad document)
can i delete it?

 

Re: that wasn't very clear... » alexandra_k2

Posted by muffled on December 19, 2005, at 23:04:39

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear..., posted by alexandra_k2 on December 13, 2005, at 23:30:04

Alex, i don't think you come across bad. You come across as someone who cares about others. We all in this world are crazy somehow. We all done bad stuff. Nobody is perfect. I'm lucky I guess, I just an ordinary Joesephine. I wouldn't really want people to know just how crazy I am but at the same time who the hell is anyone else to judge me? F*ckem all thats what I say. (the ones who would judge me).
I may be crazy, but at least I am trying to be a good person.
So while it would unfortunately perhaps negatively affect my family, we would survive. if anyone knew all about me.
Aw heck Alex, I hope you make the decision thats best for you. I would miss you something terrible, but I also want whats is best for Alex.
You take care.
Muffled

 

Re:pseudoname»cricket»gg#9827;(heh heh) » muffled

Posted by alexandra_k on December 23, 2005, at 1:39:45

In reply to Re: that wasn't very clear... » alexandra_k2, posted by muffled on December 19, 2005, at 23:04:39

woo hoo i just knew that would come in handy for something... and i found a club too... hehehe.

hmm.

i think i figured it out.
it was just the usual stuff...
somebody will see me and wish I would fall off the face of the earth :-(

i hope i get over it one day

 

Re:

Posted by alexandra_k on December 23, 2005, at 1:40:15

In reply to Re:pseudoname»cricket»gg#9827;(heh heh) » muffled, posted by alexandra_k on December 23, 2005, at 1:39:45

oi!

what happened to my club?????

 

Re:pseudoname

Posted by muffled on December 23, 2005, at 10:50:35

In reply to Re:pseudoname»cricket»gg#9827;(heh heh) » muffled, posted by alexandra_k on December 23, 2005, at 1:39:45

> woo hoo i just knew that would come in handy for something... and i found a club too... hehehe.
>
> hmm.
>
> i think i figured it out.
> it was just the usual stuff...
> somebody will see me and wish I would fall off the face of the earth :-(
>
> i hope i get over it one day

Dunno what happened to your club?!
Never mind anybody else.
I don't wish you to fall off the face of the earth!
I want you here.
Muffled

 

I'm back! Took 10-day break :-)  »k2 »muffled (nm)

Posted by pseudoname on December 25, 2005, at 14:10:27

In reply to Re:, posted by alexandra_k on December 23, 2005, at 1:40:15


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Administration | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.