Wonder Why?

phillywood · Dec 15, 2010

I have noticed that recently we have had a rapid influx of new members joining IAP. Also, noticed that they are hesitant to give any info. on their profiles, like city with no country or other things that would let us know who they are or what their interests are. Not that we need to know all about their family and living conditions or whatnot just some basic info.s so we can tell where they are from or how they got interested in penmaking or who was their inspiration and may be introduce them to local chapters of the IAP's and all. I wonder if we as members or maybe the management team don't have any greeting procedure that makes them comfortable to fill out their profiles for other members to get to know them.
What's your take on this?

Papo · Dec 15, 2010

That would be the case in a perfect world.But unfortunally we live in this world... philly

Brooks803 · Dec 15, 2010

people also have a right to their privacy. they could also be testing the water to see if this is a group they really want to belong to.

Mack C. · Dec 15, 2010

I really don't see it as a privacy issue. I think new people are in such a hurry to get to the forums and post if they care to, they just won't take the time required to fill out anymore info than is really necessary. Not laziness, just most likely viewing the info as not necessary.

alphageek · Dec 15, 2010

My guess (and this is just that)... There is thousands of boards on the net. I personally have signed up with several. There isn't many that I have put nearly the amount of information as I have here. It may take a little while for people to get into the mix and realize how great of a place it is here and add their info.

Its also possible that they are into woodworking, but not specifically penturning and thus want to look around, but its not their primary place on the web... And I do believe that there is some concerns that people have with privacy at times.

Just like the variety of people, there is probably a variety of reasons.

maxwell_smart007 · Dec 15, 2010

We do have a greeter team, tasked to help people feel welcome to the forum, Phillip.

Human nature makes people leery about giving too much information away to strangers. I bet that many of those that don't initially fill out their profiles add to them later; as they get more involved in the forum, they'll open up more...

Many people come here initially looking for an answer to a question. Generally, many of them tend to find out that there's a LOT of information on the IAP, and troll around for a while - then join the community later...

There is also a rule whereby an individual (or business) that wishes to sell in the classifieds must give us their full name and location...

HSTurning · Dec 15, 2010

I personally didnt add much info when I joined. I actually was a lurker for over a year.
For me it was a privacy issue. I really dont like posting personal info on the web in any way shape or form. I have become more comfortable here and have posted more and added more info on my profile. But that is just me.

glycerine · Dec 15, 2010

When I joined the site, I didn't really even pay attention to my profile. It was probably several months or maybe longer, I can't remember, before I actually went and filled out some of the info on there...

donald19 · Dec 15, 2010

I've been a lurker and non poster for awhile now becuse my boss keeps rapping my knuckles about my internet use. Come January 6th 2011 all this will change. I'll be retired. And for my boss you can read my mind and know full well what I'm thinking. LOL I'll be back!!!

ctubbs · Dec 15, 2010

My first experience here was looking for a specific bit of information. For that I was willing to list minimal info about myself to get the data I needed. However, I found a home and continue to use this site for the much more that is offered here as can be seen by the number of post I have. Just call me blabbermouth. The comradery found here is unsurpassed anywhere on the net. I have memberships in several other sites, but here is where I always check first. On the off chance the data can not be found on site, I'll check elsewhere. Not often.
No I can not fault anyone for not listing their entire history until they feel comfortable here. If you listen to any news, almost every day there is a story about how someone put their info on the net somewhere and had their id stolen. There, you now have my $0.02 worth for the moment.
Charles

Padre · Dec 15, 2010

When I first came on the site I knew no one. I was fairly new to pen making/turning and I was hesitant to put up a lot of info. I also did not know if being a priest would 'turn some people off.' You know how people paint with a broad brush sometimes.

Since I've been on and active I've met a lot of New England pen turners, and I now count most of them as friends. We have a local chapter filled with really great people and I really enjoy being around them.

I have also come to 'know' and befriend many who I have not personally met face to face, but talking to them here and some over the phone makes me really glad that I joined this site.

Now my information is posted. :biggrin:

Padre · Dec 15, 2010

ctubbs said:
SNIP....... Just call me blabbermouth.........SNIP

More like 'blabberhelper' Charles. Your posts are helpful. And even funny sometimes!

srf1114 · Dec 15, 2010

Worst case scenario

You also gotta realize the security issues.

Just the person's real name is huge, you give me a current city, now I can do a phone book search and most likely get your home address and phone number.
With that info you can get names of family members, from there I can work back to parents/siblings. From there I can guess School info ( either yours or kids) Maybe I do a search on a geneolgy site, now I know your mother maiden names, (that is a big one for credit card fraud).

It's called Social Engineering. Where you give a little, innocent info, and scammer's use that to gather more and more info. Eventually they can start using educated guesses on things like passwords or security questions for your online accounts. Pretty soon they figure out your online paypal account.

Not that the registered IAP users would do this, but how well do you really know that person with the really cool avatar anyway? How many people on here are the greatest friends you never met?

Trust me, it is much better if we all hid behind silly little nicknames and fun avatars, that maybe mean something to us, but not to anyone else.

Sorry for the depressing assessment, but it is the reality of today's online world.

Padre · Dec 15, 2010

srf1114 said:
Worst case scenario

You also gotta realize the security issues.

Just the person's real name is huge, you give me a current city, now I can do a phone book search and most likely get your home address and phone number.
With that info you can get names of family members, from there I can work back to parents/siblings. From there I can guess School info ( either yours or kids) Maybe I do a search on a geneolgy site, now I know your mother maiden names, (that is a big one for credit card fraud).

It's called Social Engineering. Where you give a little, innocent info, and scammer's use that to gather more and more info. Eventually they can start using educated guesses on things like passwords or security questions for your online accounts. Pretty soon they figure out your online paypal account.

Not that the registered IAP users would do this, but how well do you really know that person with the really cool avatar anyway? How many people on here are the greatest friends you never met?

Trust me, it is much better if we all hid behind silly little nicknames and fun avatars, that maybe mean something to us, but not to anyone else.

Sorry for the depressing assessment, but it is the reality of today's online world.

And if I could quote the film "Risky Business" here, I would.

I think most of us are aware of the security issues, and to be on a site such as this, share information, and NOT take other precautions, IMHO, is simply crazy.

And to be quiet honest with you, all you need is an email address or other tidbit of information and I could get the same info you did with a name.

Again, I guess I'm old enough to say that the 'catch phrase' in "Risky Business" applies some times.

ed4copies · Dec 15, 2010

srf1114 said:
Worst case scenario

You also gotta realize the security issues.

Just the person's real name is huge, you give me a current city, now I can do a phone book search and most likely get your home address and phone number.
With that info you can get names of family members, from there I can work back to parents/siblings. From there I can guess School info ( either yours or kids) Maybe I do a search on a geneolgy site, now I know your mother maiden names, (that is a big one for credit card fraud).

It's called Social Engineering. Where you give a little, innocent info, and scammer's use that to gather more and more info. Eventually they can start using educated guesses on things like passwords or security questions for your online accounts. Pretty soon they figure out your online paypal account.

Not that the registered IAP users would do this, but how well do you really know that person with the really cool avatar anyway? How many people on here are the greatest friends you never met?

Trust me, it is much better if we all hid behind silly little nicknames and fun avatars, that maybe mean something to us, but not to anyone else.

Sorry for the depressing assessment, but it is the reality of today's online world.

Or, you can take the attitude of a signature line used on IAP: "I love my computer, my friends live there!!"

I prefer the latter. YMMV:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

PenPal · Dec 15, 2010

Membership,

Can mean commitment. Is worth exactly what you contribute. The saying what goes around comes around. With that I just received the most frightening blast of Thunder that shook me, the house and pets, surely an omen.

I wish all members a fruitfull New Year in Pens.

Regards Peter.

ctubbs · Dec 15, 2010

pwhay said:
With that I just received the most frightening blast of Thunder that shook me, the house and pets, surely an omen.

I wish all members a fruitfull New Year in Pens.

Regards Peter.

Peter, it took me a while but I did finally teach my daughter that thunder will not hurt you,:music: it is that flash that will get you.

OH, and by the way, by the time you see the flash, it is over.:biggrin:
Charles

Drstrangefart · Dec 15, 2010

As a relative new guy, when I signed up, I was just trying to muddle through the sign-up process. Some things are still a bit disorienting, like setting up a gallery, and other odds and ends. I'll figure it out sooner or later. I only recently realized I hadn't included a state OR country on my profile. It's not a huge hairy to me, but that's just me. The important thing is gathering and sharing information. That's what I'm here for. Maybe at some point I'll luck out and stumble across some turners in West Georgia that meet up somewhere.

ctubbs · Dec 16, 2010

Heck Allen, I've tried and tried and still can't get the gallery set up, so I just attach any photos as attachments to the post. That is not what I would like but it works.
Charles

phillywood · Dec 16, 2010

Well, guys I appreciate what you all input to this thread. However, I think the whole message was lost. i didn't say that anyone put your name and last name and the street address and your family. that I can realize would be unsafe, but the guy who put MI, and not telling anything else tells me that he is her to just get info and not contribute to much. I personally, answer to the posts that I can read some info about the poster not that I need to know about their family and what not. Just a name that can be addressed and something about this hubby and the reason they joined, rather than trying to post to a thread with a name"Joe the plumber". I have passed over many threads that I couldn't tell anything about the poster being concerned that the poster may be a manufacturer spy trying to get info. I have made friends here that I have not met them face to face ,but i respect their talent and their honesty. now, in my case, I only added the last name because it was required form me to pot for selling product on line here. but, people have proven to me that they are sensere here.

amboyna · Dec 16, 2010

Brooks803 said:
people also have a right to their privacy. they could also be testing the water to see if this is a group they really want to belong to.

You hit the nail on the head. And I like the water here.

turner.curtis · Dec 16, 2010

I would also add that with the explosion of social networking, that there has been more of a paradigm shift and people are not as willing to struggle through older technology filling out all the forms and information they request. I know even though I run several forums myself this is the case with me. To be honest, I almost did not sign up for this forum and only leached due to there being no integrated sign-in. Now that I have spent the time filling out my information via Facebook, I would prefer to use sites that are integrated with Facebook Connect.

phillywood · Dec 19, 2010

srf1114 said:
Worst case scenario

You also gotta realize the security issues.

Just the person's real name is huge, you give me a current city, now I can do a phone book search and most likely get your home address and phone number.
With that info you can get names of family members, from there I can work back to parents/siblings. From there I can guess School info ( either yours or kids) Maybe I do a search on a geneolgy site, now I know your mother maiden names, (that is a big one for credit card fraud).

It's called Social Engineering. Where you give a little, innocent info, and scammer's use that to gather more and more info. Eventually they can start using educated guesses on things like passwords or security questions for your online accounts. Pretty soon they figure out your online paypal account.

Not that the registered IAP users would do this, but how well do you really know that person with the really cool avatar anyway? How many people on here are the greatest friends you never met?

Trust me, it is much better if we all hid behind silly little nicknames and fun avatars, that maybe mean something to us, but not to anyone else.

Sorry for the depressing assessment, but it is the reality of today's online world.

Ok, we don't even have your name to address your post politely. so what was the purpose of you joining this site with no information. We have proven that we are not after fraud and many here will practically will give their shirts off their back for other members, so what was your motivation, if I may ask? I am hoping that my info. which was necessary (required by the management) for selling blanks on IAP was not construed as for someone doing all that you mentioned.

Drstrangefart · Dec 19, 2010

We live in an age where you're trained from childhood to give out as little information as possible, especially online. It's not too surprising for me to see someone unwilling to even list the city they live in. It's been like that since the early days of dial-up. It's usually just fear of the terrible things they've been told will happen if someone knows what city they live in.

dogcatcher · Dec 19, 2010

phillywood said:
[Ok, we don't even have your name to address your post politely. so what was the purpose of you joining this site with no information. We have proven that we are not after fraud and many here will practically will give their shirts off their back for other members, so what was your motivation, if I may ask? I am hoping that my info. which was necessary (required by the management) for selling blanks on IAP was not construed as for someone doing all that you mentioned.

There are over 9000 members on this site. Only a few are active, actually a very few are active. So out of the non active members how many of them are of this type?

We have proven that we are not after fraud and many here will practically will give their shirts off their back for other members,

It only takes one person to ruin your financial life.
Check these sites, do a search on your name.
http://www.anywho.com/
http://www.usa-people-search.com/

Then do a Google on your name, then do a Google on your screen name. If your info is out there you are subject to being scammed with identity theft, credit card theft, bogus banking accounts.

I have a friend that is a headhunter for the big boy jobs. He can take info from a forum and find out more info about a person than the person himself knows. Scary, but I saw him do it, with a guy I personally know that he did not know, in 2 days he knew stuff that I did not know and I have known the guy since we were children, 55 years ago.

dexter0606 · Dec 19, 2010

I have passed over many threads that I couldn't tell anything about the poster being concerned that the poster may be a manufacturer spy trying to get info

Phil
Get over the conspiracy theory thing. I think you read far too much stuff into this. People just want to post. They don't need (or should be required) to give any more info than they want.

Smitty37 · Dec 19, 2010

Ahhhhh

How great being blessed with a name like Smith...do a search on my name and you'll get a multitude of hits one or more of which might be me. Problem is you'll need to know quite a bit about me to figure out which one(s).

phillywood · Dec 23, 2010

dogcatcher said:
phillywood said:

[Ok, we don't even have your name to address your post politely. so what was the purpose of you joining this site with no information. We have proven that we are not after fraud and many here will practically will give their shirts off their back for other members, so what was your motivation, if I may ask? I am hoping that my info. which was necessary (required by the management) for selling blanks on IAP was not construed as for someone doing all that you mentioned.

Click to expand...

There are over 9000 members on this site. Only a few are active, actually a very few are active. So out of the non active members how many of them are of this type?

We have proven that we are not after fraud and many here will practically will give their shirts off their back for other members,

Click to expand...

It only takes one person to ruin your financial life.
Check these sites, do a search on your name.
http://www.anywho.com/
http://www.usa-people-search.com/

Then do a Google on your name, then do a Google on your screen name. If your info is out there you are subject to being scammed with identity theft, credit card theft, bogus banking accounts.

I have a friend that is a headhunter for the big boy jobs. He can take info from a forum and find out more info about a person than the person himself knows. Scary, but I saw him do it, with a guy I personally know that he did not know, in 2 days he knew stuff that I did not know and I have known the guy since we were children, 55 years ago.

So, because I had to furnish those info.s for the mangement, you would say that I already became a target? And, Ed4 copies and ElMostro, and all the others tht we sell blanks and all that here on line?

dogcatcher · Dec 23, 2010

It is a possibility. Just as it is a possibility that no one is trying to dig out the info.

Smitty37 · Dec 23, 2010

Hmmmm

I've always wondered why someone would want my address, I ain't gonna let them come live here, there ain't a whold lot to steal that wouldn't take a truck to haul away and I'm too fat and old for young women to sneak around to peep at my body....

phillywood · Dec 24, 2010

Smitty37 said:
I've always wondered why someone would want my address, I ain't gonna let them come live here, there ain't a whold lot to steal that wouldn't take a truck to haul away and I'm too fat and old for young women to sneak around to peep at my body....

Smitty you see how good looking I am!

:wink:

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