Before I happen to **** off too many people around here I'd like to ask a
question and it is off topic and I'm sorry.
The reason I believe at least in part for some of the stuff that goes on
around usenet and n/gs and when I say stuff I mean
flame wars, threats, insults and plain rudeness is because of the sense of
anonymity that everyone can enjoy while posting here.

I have maintained, right or wrong that people have said things to me in n/gs
that they would never say to my face in real life, either because most
people don't act this way in public and at 6'1" and 230 lbs, I'm thinking
most people wouldn't jump up and run the risk that I was a Looney and
wouldn't cold cock em for saying x,y and z thing.

My point is, I got into it with someone in another group and it got down to
each of us challenging each other as to the identity of the other. I know
childish but true. Imagine something like happening in a n/g it's
unthinkable I know, but it's true.

I did maintain that by using some common sense, as well as select info i.e.
message headers, personal info a person might mention, the fact that they
own a domain, that anyone could if they really wanted to, to find out the
name, address and telephone number of another poster and splash it all over,
in the hopes of shaming a person into quitting a n/g.

I also maintained that even if one didn't know how to do the detective work
ones self that for a hundred bucks you could find and pay someone to find
out the info for you.

So I'm sorry I'm long winded, but my simple question is.

Is the illusion of annominity around here bogus and are we all kidding
ourselves into thinking we're undectable.

Shawn-Zaphod