[ILUG] Frappr's map of Vim users

[Gareth Eason]

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Daniel Goldsmith wrote:
| why do people put this information on display so easily, without
| thought or concern, while arguing passionately against spyware, data
| retention &c?
[snip]
	   Hi,

	Mostly because there is control of what information is imparted on this
site (and many others like it.) The site asks for name, photo, and city.
It also implies that you are a user of Vim. It may also harvest the IP
address you add the record from and the browser and OS you're running
on. Even all these things combined are not a hugely noteworthy set of
data (especially given that many of the photos are not photos but
carricatures, etc.)

	The huge problem with spyware is that you may not know information is
gathered, or what information is being gathered. All the information
submitted to the site in question is pretty much public information
anyway (though a name, location and valid photo might be a useful
starting point for further investigation towards identity duplication or
similar...)

	There is also an element of payoff for the user - they get to see their
data plotted with other people's data. And the more people that put
valid data in the system (or appear to do so) the more interesting and
worthwhile it becomes (in general.) There is a whole branch of marketing
/ consumer science devoted to making it worth people's while to give up
personal information in return for some reward. (See reward cards with
savings, surveys with free prizes, etc., etc.)

	Just my 2c. (without going into too much detail on very boring mundane
stuff, hopefully :)  )

	My sincerest apologies if your question was intended to be rhetorical :)

	Best regards,
	-->Gar
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