Something I Find Annoying

[diamondback6881]

Don't try to judge me on what you think I said. What I actually meant, was that I FIND IT ANNOYING WHEN PEOPLE USE THIS AT THE END OF THEIR POSTS ON THIS SITE.

This is a great, friendly site, and by doing this at the end of a post, it makes it LOOK LIKE you are being spied on. What I didn't say is that I am frightened or worried about it. I just find it annoying.

I find a couple of things that members here do annoying, but I don't go and start an entire thread about them. (Hint: one of them is in the post I just quoted)

You need to get over it. It isn't a big deal. You aren't getting spied on.

[Guest Saya]

i just manged to carm the situation down and you go and post somthing like that.. ugh thats sooo annoying! lol.

[lilannie]

i just manged to carm the situation down and you go and post somthing like that.. ugh thats sooo annoying! lol.

Other people are allowed to post their opinions on an open thread. You aren't a mod.

[Guest Saya]

Did I say I was?, you need to lighten up love, it was a joke.

[lilannie]

Did I say I was?, you need to lighten up love, it was a joke.

[Steveorstephanie]

Saya is right. I didn't want to start a fight. All I said was that I find it annoying. But some people seem to think I'm saying I'm worried, frightened, think that they have got my details etc. To clarify for the last time - These type of banners annoy me, they don't frighten or worry me.

The earlier poster who said that the people who use them are attention seekers, is right. That's why it annoys me. They are trying to make themselves look like they know who and where you are. I know that they don't know that, and that I am the only person who sees my info. I'm not stupid, I do understand this.

Please accept that it just annoys me.

[WallaWalla]

As for the topic:

Well, it's not like anybody else can actually see the IP address. It's more or less just reflecting it back to you for the sake of shock value. No biggy.

As an aside:

I've got a rifle and a box of ammo, a couple of medium-large dogs, a truck, a fair amount of knives, and several heavy blunt objects. I'm not afraid of anyone on the internet... Besides, most of those locater thingies are way off base when they try to tell me were I live. Usually by at least one state.

# Location:Kansas

I'll be here all night folks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, it's not like anybody else can actually see the IP address.

Actually, yes, whoever operates the service that generates those banners can, they get it when your browser goes and fetches the image. Not only that, but thanks to the magic of the HTTP "Referer"¹ header they get the URL of the forum topic you are reading every time the banner gets requested, which is once for every time it appears on a page.

Every one of us forum members joined (and stayed) knowing that DD can collect this information. This does not mean we are okay with random third parties getting a hold of it, too. Especially since the banner generating services aren't limited to only one forum, and especially especially since data mining is how they earn their money! So, annoying? Try borderline criminal.

Sorry for going on a rant like this, but as a computer scientist specialising on security and a person concerned about privacy it makes me angry seeing people unthinkingly handing out other people's privacy-sensitive information to random strangers in exchange for some minor amusement. How would you like it if your friends told your address, telephone number and hobbies to anyone who offers them candy in exchange?

¹ Should be "Referrer", but the standard misspells it.

[diamondback6881]

Sorry for going on a rant like this, but as a computer scientist specialising on security and a person concerned about privacy it makes me angry seeing people unthinkingly handing out other people's privacy-sensitive information to random strangers in exchange for some minor amusement. How would you like it if your friends told your address, telephone number and hobbies to anyone who offers them candy in exchange?

Bolding added.

I wouldn't care. Someone tries to break into my home and they're dead. It's as simple as that.

[Nat]

I have not noticed any IP addresses her.

[Nat]

I find a couple of things that members here do annoying, but I don't go and start an entire thread about them. (Hint: one of them is in the post I just quoted)

You need to get over it. It isn't a big deal. You aren't getting spied on.

Oh I think I know what he is talking about. I freaked out too on another forum when I saw it because I thought that person somehow got my IP address and posted it in their sig. But my friend told me it's different for every user. Only I can see my own IP, everyone else can see their own and he showed me the site where the user got it from. So no biggie. I understood it when I got on the forum at another location and the IP was different.

[Yvhuce]

Bolding added.

I wouldn't care. Someone tries to break into my home and they're dead. It's as simple as that.

Damn straight. You break into someone's house, you'd better be willing to die. I'd probly also sic my more rabid family members on such a former friend... After all, we know where they live, too.

[Horndog]

I didn't read the argumentative posts but I can assure you that only the administrators and moderators, on this site, can see your IP address. The only way that your IP address would be used is if you do something illegal that prompts a subpoena of your information.

Those sigs that you see retrieve data from your browser cookies, which also reveal your web browser and your OS.

And let's say people somehow get a hold of your IP address. They can't do anything with it. The most someone can do is obtain the location of the IP address, but that's about it.