Where the bloody hell are you?  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 02:36:38 am
content: When replying to some posts it really helps to know which country people are in. If you have not already done so, please consider entering your country or rough geographical location in the location field of your profile. Then if you want to know where to get the best deal on xyz, or ask about local voltages, or whatever, we know where you are and how that relates to the answer.

author: Ferroto
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 03:35:35 am
content: Quote from: tronixstuff on May 13, 2011, 02:36:38 amI just had major Déjà vu

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 08:37:12 am
content: I've enabled the country display on posts again.So those that have set a Country on your profile it should show up on your info box on the left.If it doesn't show up for you, go to your Profile settings and select from the Country drop down list and SAVE.I've also made it a requirement that people select their country on registration. I think that's only fair on such an international forum.Dave.

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 09:06:45 am
content: Excellent, I was going to comment on this myself so I'm glad this has been addressed. Thanks Dave.

author: Ernie Milko
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 09:38:52 am
content: Excellent idea. This should solve many problems.I'll do mine now.

author: ToddFun
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 10:39:10 am
content: Glad to see Dave is alive. I haven't heard much out of him on twitter and no new videos in forever! OK I exaggerat but still one better come soon or I'm going to explode. Well, if its another set of speakers I might still explode.

author: scrat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 01:31:16 pm
content: Just updated my profile, including the flag. I always thought it was a fair thing to say from where we come from, but (I don't know why) never thought to publicly ask for this.

author: Hypernova
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 02:57:49 pm
content: There should be parallel universe option.Also added a more detail in the address field so the little green man knows where to finds me.

author: scrat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 03:38:32 pm
content: Cool! Now the side "bar" showing the profile info within my posts is very similar to the Italian soccer national team badge: 4 stars (one for each world championship won) above the flag!

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 04:51:53 pm
content: i thought i filled the country form long time ago, but it didnt show up until i updated my profile just now.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 05:36:52 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 13, 2011, 08:37:12 amI advise people to use that with caution because a poster's IP doesn't always reflect their true location. I used to work for an American company which got its Internet connection via a US based proxy server so I showed up as being from the US on a forum which did that.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 05:40:58 pm
content: I filled out my Location, because that is normally what is used there. It had my country in it as well. But, I just set the country as well.

author: Ernie Milko
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 05:59:54 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 13, 2011, 08:37:12 amDave, I think this should be retrospective; so that ALL users, both new and existing, MUST indicate their country.

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 07:25:30 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 13, 2011, 05:36:52 pmIt doesn't appear to be automatic -- I had to manually select a country in my profile before it showed up, for instance.

author: scrat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 07:32:48 pm
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 13, 2011, 05:59:54 pmSince I think forcing all users is not viable (which would be the sanction?), either a personal message to everyone or a news on the top of the principal page could work.Quote from: baljemmett on May 13, 2011, 07:25:30 pmI don't remember a country field. IIRC, before there was the location data only, which was a string.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 08:54:09 pm
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 13, 2011, 05:59:54 pmI think a requirement to state your country of residence is clearly racistDo you want age, sex and religion too?If people are too dumb to specify a location when it is important forcing them to specify a location doesn't make them any smarter.I find the way people ask questions or state problems quite telling. Inability to perceive a problem from someone else's perspective is indicative of inability to perceive and solve problems generally.My personal privacy policy dictates I never provide valid personal information to anyone on the internet unless it is in my interest and unavoidable. If forced to provide a location I would lie.

author: flolic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 09:47:27 pm
content: I think someone is a little paranoid...

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 10:38:44 pm
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 13, 2011, 08:54:09 pmA person's country of residence does not indicate their race, merely where they live. Ever heard of immigration?

author: jasonh
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 10:45:11 pm
content: QuoteImmigration, I have heard of that. It's all those boat people the aussies send to us

author: ziq8tsi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 11:11:55 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 13, 2011, 08:37:12 amLudicrous! Are you going to ask about eye colour next?By all means encourage people to reveal their country, but you should at least have a few special options like "hackland" or "republic of privacy".I am well aware of the international nature of the internet, and I aim to phrase all my messages, whether they are replies or questions, in such a way that they are location-specific or refer to locations only if absolutely necessary, and are location-neutral otherwise.I suspect that it is quite easy for fellow users to determine my country, and for moderators it is a given. But I would prefer not to put a flag next to everything I write, as though it is a big influence on my opinions.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 01:37:09 am
content: Quote from: ziq8tsi on May 13, 2011, 11:11:55 pmHell no! accurate description of penis length & girth in the measurement unit of your biological father's country of origin will be the obvious choice!QuotePrivacy? You are kidding right? Even as a resident of Nauru, stating your country of origin is hardly a positive ID? What is the problem? Popular as it is, it's still highly unlikely all those guys in the black helicopters even read eevblog. (it'd be so difficult to do in a dark cockpit wearing mirrored sunglasses.)Meanwhile back at sane HQ it is obvious that some reference to location of, nation of residence will save a great deal of faffing about and pointless information for posters and those who make the effort to offer helpful replies.Despite the Internet,eBay and cheap air freight making cross globe sourcing a real option there is still a labyrinth of trade restriction, national standards, laws etc for each of us to negotiate. Knowing what countries you are dealing with can only be an assistance.If it's really an issue for you,then state your nation of residence as Tuvalu, your eye colour as Wednesday and length and girth as 1 pole and a smidgen respectively. Just don't complain when answers to you questions end up inappropriate for your location or situation.

author: jasonh
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 02:07:25 am
content: To be fair to people who have said why should it be mandatory, I have stated many times in forums where I come from yet posters make assumptions that I am from the states anyway. I think that has happened on this board as well with my so far, few posts.So, if not everyone reads the posts properly what makes you think people are going to look at my profile information?

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 02:07:44 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on May 14, 2011, 01:37:09 amNow, now Uncle Vernon, you're being sexist! I'm sure not all eevblog members are male

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 02:24:07 am
content: Quote from: GeoffS on May 14, 2011, 02:07:44 amSexist, hell not at all! I'd be the first to encourage more female participation. Besides without accurate statements of gender how can you be sure of any gender breakout?

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 02:35:16 am
content: Quote from: GeoffS on May 13, 2011, 10:38:44 pmYeah and deportation which is how you lot got there isn't it, or are you one of the petrol drinkers?See location awareness ain't all sweetness and light......

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 03:26:15 am
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 02:35:16 amI'm sure that everyone who was deported to Australia is now dead, seeing the last convict transportation was in 1868. As for petrol drinkers, they would almost certainly be dead too given the poisonous nature of petroleum products - unless of course you mean petrol sniffers? These unfortunate people suffer a number of serious medical conditions. It's a terrible problem amongst many indigenous communities.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 03:57:29 am
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 13, 2011, 05:59:54 pmI don't know if that's possible (unless a custom script is written), I think it only applies to new people who register.Dave.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 04:16:21 am
content: dave enforce to state the location, but he didnt enforce you to lie. so when you are in country X, and you indicated in country Y, be prepare to get answers relating to country Y, simple! i dont see any privacy issue there. even if it is, i dont think Dave will come all the way here just to peep next to my home fence.

author: insurgent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 04:21:05 am
content: He's obviously collecting our county information to sell to Google and Facebook. Can't blame a bloke too much for wanting to earn a few extra quid! ;p

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 04:48:25 am
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 13, 2011, 05:59:54 pmThat precludes participation from those of us that don't know what country we are in!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 05:07:03 am
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 02:35:16 amOrigins from a land barely able to win the cricket more than 4 times a century, your national embarrassment is entirely understandable. But think on the positive side with all that pasty white untanned flesh you stand to save a fortune on reflective bicycle clips.The ill informed jibes above would probably be the only examples of racial tension experienced on this forum. The positives for flag tagging are far outweighing any negatives, at least for the adult majority.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 07:09:29 am
content: Whenever someone wants to at least attempt to partly protect his privacy, there are hordes of doofus coming up with the oh-so-funny argument he is paranoid.The reality is, every information that can be abused will. And the only way to secure information is to not have it.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 07:21:13 am
content: i cant think of how people going to hack the country info

author: joelby
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 07:57:02 am
content: Be careful - next thing, people will start declaring that they refuse to even reply to anyone who doesn't state their exact location!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:25:03 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 14, 2011, 07:21:13 amLike this!http://zapatopi.net/blackhelicopters/bhchart.png

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:34:46 am
content: I am a proud Australian, i will never understand people who cant live with other people knowing what country they are living in.Regards

author: Ernie Milko
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:47:27 am
content: My reasons for suggesting indicating you location be made compulsory are twofold:-1/ Posters who sell, and never indicate where the equipment is located.2/ Posters who ask for advice; where can a particular piece of equipment be bought, and never indicate where they live.Threads as above on this forum are very common.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:51:47 am
content: Quote from: joelby on May 14, 2011, 07:57:02 ami know what you mean

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:17:57 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 14, 2011, 07:21:13 amThis is one of the typical reactions "I can't think of". But others can. And they not only think, they even do.I have seen people on USENET being tracked down to their employer and their home and then blackmailed. Not because they directly provided that information, but because a criminal crackpot assembled that information from small pieces of information. Each piece of information was looking completely innocent on its own, but adding to the total picture.It is not the single information that is the problem. It is the giveway of lots of small pieces of information which can be assembled. By not providing innocent looking information when you can avoid it you make it harder for the crackpots.Seriously, do you want some of the nutcases on this board or their "friends" (think six degrees of separation) show up on your doorstep and having a "chat" with your family?

author: Cj1corbystarlet
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:43:09 am
content: Tinfoil hat time ??

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:58:42 am
content: Quote from: Cj1corbystarlet on May 14, 2011, 09:43:09 amYet another of the "you are just paranoid" responses with no substance and written without engaging the brain.

author: jasonh
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 11:42:13 am
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 14, 2011, 08:47:27 amSo, for those two things it should be 'compulsory'? I.e. others have no say in the matter because you would like to know it. With your 56 posts, how many have been misguided because you didn't know the country of a person you were trying to help? How many items did you nearly buy to find they were not actually in the UK?I guess living in the country with the highest number of cameras per person has you not caring who knows what about anything.Look, I don't really care too much but I find this thread amusing. Not because of the people who want to retain some information but because of those who believe it should be compulsory!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 11:49:30 am
content: Quote from: BoredAtWork on May 14, 2011, 07:09:29 amHell yeah bring back the dark ages. After all the public are way too stupid to have information. We all know information is best kept as the reserve of CIA, Al-Qaeda, pilots of black helicopters etc. Heaven forbid a forum being used as a vehicle for the transfer of information.Quote from: BoredAtWork on May 14, 2011, 09:17:57 amI hadn't though this board to be the hiding place of nutcases. Now I'm not so sure. But hey if they bring the beer they are welcome around on most any Saturday afternoon.Quote from: BoredAtWork on May 14, 2011, 09:58:42 amExactly how long was any brain engaged to surmise that quoting a country of residence will end as a national security risk?But hey I take your meaning and intend on substituting the word camel for the word oscilloscope and vegemite for the word multimeter to ensure our absolute and continued anonymity. Can never be too careful.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 11:55:02 am
content: The bottom line is, if you're worried about saying anything which could damage your employer then don't join the forum.Telling everyone your country is hardly going to make any difference to your privacy, so what everyone knows I live in the UK but they don't know where and even if I told them I live near Bedford, it hardly narrows down the possibilities, you still couldn't come knocking on my door. Of course any of the moderators/site administrators have access to that information in the form of my IP address but that's the case anyway, regardless of whether I tell everyone my country or not.

author: johnmx
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 01:18:30 pm
content: In my opinion telling our country is not a privacy issue. An example of a real security issue is telling the day of birth. This happens in every Social Network. Many home banking websites ask this question (plus your national identification number or VAT number) when you try to recover the password.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 03:24:09 pm
content: Quote from: Ernie Milko on May 14, 2011, 08:47:27 amAs I said such people would be better served by being told of their failure to consider what they posted from the perspective of a reader than by forum features which mask their failings.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 04:28:00 pm
content: Quote from: johnmx on May 14, 2011, 01:18:30 pmAny personal information is a privacy issue. Mention something you bought on ebay here (as many do) and I can go find the seller and you will be in his feedback. Just country information could narrow possible matches by a factor of 10 or 100 depending on country. I can then look at profiles and if you ever sold anything I get to know your location within the country and everything you ever bought or sold on ebay as far back as their records go. Your ebay activity may give me other things to search for so I might find you asking questions in another forum and pick up the bits of personal information you left there. Maybe I could find you on Facebook and if you have been sloppy could find lots of information on you and your friends, family, employment and interests. I might pick up an email address which could link you with lots of other bits of personal information.Anyone with an internet connection can do that. Someone you have given real information to like a bank or employer or government is much better placed to trawl the internet to find anything you ever told anyone.Any little bit of personal information you release helps link you to other information and once you put it on the internet there is no taking it back. Who knows what the future holds, you can be sure the SS would have trawled the internet to help identify Jews if it existed at the time.So I will be sticking with my policy of not giving any valid personal information to anyone if I don't have to and the paranoid and tinfoil hat comments come from those without much sense or imagination.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 04:49:26 pm
content: i guess the best and safest solution will be to avoid internet and anything electronics. go back to stone ages where there is no viruses and cancers. simply by posting here, will open a window of risks.

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 05:12:29 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 14, 2011, 04:49:26 pmI wouldn't say that is the best solution. Electronics and the Internet can be very useful tools for spreading misinformation, just ask any government or country.If you are trying to avoid Skiptracers, you don't want to avoid information services, you want to leave hundreds of false trails to take up there time and throw them off track.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 05:18:50 pm
content: the problem is. there's skiptracer here watching. i'm paranoid

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 05:22:43 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 14, 2011, 05:18:50 pmHere is your opportunity to lead them off track!

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 06:47:25 pm
content: I agree that every piece of personal information you give out is a threat to privacy but I think some people are overcautious.To those who are worried about divulging their county: as yourselves the following questions:Do you ever drive even a little bit over the speed limit?Have you ever crossed a pedestrian crossing whilst the light is on red?Do you smoke?Have you ever drunk a little too much?Do you eat unhealthy foods every now and then?If the answer to any of the above is yes then maybe you should reconsider your position? All of the above activities are probably more risky than entering your country on your forum profile. Come on, admit it, there are far more important things to worry about, your evaluation of risk is very poor.

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 06:54:42 pm
content: Personally, I don't see any risk in entering my country into my profile. I also, personally, don't see any reason to do so.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 07:28:15 pm
content: i was just kidding ok?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 07:34:53 pm
content: Quote from: Russel on May 14, 2011, 06:54:42 pmQuote from: Russel on May 14, 2011, 06:54:42 pmFor reasons explained above.All right, if you ask any question where that sort of information would be of use, I'll not bother answering and I'm sure the same goes for many others here.

author: tnt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:23:20 pm
content: I'm at 35e3 feet above Chicago right now.But usually I am in Belgium

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:34:24 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 14, 2011, 06:47:25 pmUtterly irrelevant. The cost/benefit analysis of avoiding a particular risk has zero bearing on the cost/benefit analysis of avoiding some other unrelated risk.Thishttp://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/10463/article is worth reading and includesQuote

author: flolic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 08:55:14 pm
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 04:28:00 pmYou are correct and I totally agree with this.But also, this don't bother me at all. On this board I provided so much more information than what country I'm in.I have link to my website, which is my full name. Little googling of that name will lead you to my Facebook profile. Little more googling will show you my mobile phone number, and if you dig deep enough you will even find exact geographic coordinates of my house.I know all of that infos are in depths of Internet. Because I put them there deliberately. So what?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:02:09 pm
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 08:34:24 pmMay be so but why give widely different cost/benefit analyses for different risks?If you've answered yes to any of the questions I posted earlier but are worried about putting your country on your profile it indicates you've overly exaggerated the risk of divulging such information and downplayed any benefits. It's like a taxi rushing you to catch a plane to go skydiving and you complaining to the driver for breaking the speed limit by 5mph.Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 08:34:24 pmI'm not going to argue that may be people aren't worried about thier privacy as they should be but there's a difference between revealing all your personal details on facebook and filling in your country in a forum profile, something which is transmitted via your IP and could become obvious from your posts anyway.

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:26:03 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 14, 2011, 07:34:53 pmRespectfully, if I ask a question that requires my location I would provide that information. Just as, if I ask a question regarding a particular multimeter I would include the make and model of the multimeter.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 09:38:49 pm
content: Quote from: Russel on May 14, 2011, 09:26:03 pmThat's all right, I've had a quick look through your posts and am pretty sure of which country you live in but won't say anything because I know you don't want me to.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 10:10:21 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 14, 2011, 09:02:09 pmI don't. You don't seem to understand what a cost/benefit analysis is.If the benefit minus cost of an action is positive (or cost/benefit is less than 1) then the action should be taken. You are trying to argue that the rule should change because the size of cost and benefit are small.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2011, 10:25:15 pm
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 10:10:21 pmYes, I know what cost/benefit analysis is thank you.I think we just disagree on the cost benefit/risk analyses of speeding slightly, eating food every now and then, drinking a bit too much occasionally etc. and filling in the country field on the forum profile.I'm also have a pretty good idea of your country going by your forum posts. If you wanted to hide it, you've not done a very good job of it.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 12:49:48 am
content: Quote from: Rufus on May 14, 2011, 04:28:00 pmAn issue? It's only an issue to the morbidly paranoid or to those with something to hide? If your not Osama Bin Laden or Ronnie Biggs why the hell would you care if someone knew your usual location?QuoteCan you? I bought an 87/3 on eBay a while back. Tell me who I bought it off? Tell me another two items I've purchased via eBay? Tell me what I paid for them? Come on you know my country of origin it should be a doddle for any suspicious mind.QuoteA factor of ten on something near infinitesimal, you'll have an answer in a hour will you?QuoteOh you can, can you? Hell I've let you know my country of residence and the exact item I purchased. You'll be able to steal my soul right?QuoteThus far you have far from validated your claim that your able to locate any eBay information other than the facts I've told you, I purchased an item and the item was a Fluke 87/3?QuoteMaybe? You'll get all this by knowing my country of residence? Despite the appalling security within foolbook I think you'll have more chance of pushing sting uphill than you will at finding anything about me I didn't want you to know.QuoteAnyone eh. So you'll have no problem getting back to me with your revelation from above?QuoteQuite true. That is of course if I've left a trail of Internet blunders for them to trawl through. If I've managed even basic common sense with my own privacy there isn't going to be much to find other than within other secure databases.QuoteAnd there you go assuming I've put information there I may now wish I hadn't. I and the millions of others with some basic clues haven't got too much to worry about.QuoteWell why work with half chances? There is no doubt the SS used the telephone for their evil. We should all have telephones outlawed immediately right, because that real risk remains to this day!QuoteThat's OK, and to help you in your quest for Internet purity, we can ensure any replies to your questions or post are also devoid of any such information. We'll not mention standards those could trace our country of origin. We'll not mention what equipment we use because again you could use it to find our location to the nearest border. but hell if you wish to place paranoia ahead of knowledge exchange who am I to argue?If I haven't made obvious blunders like posting a link to an individual purchase on eBay you have no idea of my eBay handle, no idea of my purchases or who I have purchased from. Foolbook and other social media are a real trap for the chronically clueless but nothing that cannot be managed.Basic security, different passwords (and different user names), thinking about what you post,and other easily remembered steps will keep most risks at a minimal level. The Internet isn't anonymous and it doesn't need to be, it about exchange of information after all. I've yet to see any evidence to suggest that the negatives of displaying country information here outweigh the advantages. Nor is there anything other than manic paranoia to suggest it poses any real privacy risk. More to the point if the naysayers had bothered to read the intent of the OP's suggestion and the replies of the forum owner they'd have soon worked out there was no compulsion nor any removal of an opt out option.And don't ever forget that those tinfoil hats pose a real risk during electrical storms unless correctly earthed. Risks are risks after all no matter how minuscule.

author: jasonh
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 01:26:00 am
content: Come on guys, this is getting ridiculous. This argument is not about privacy anymore it's about trying to make someone do what you want them to do and try to twist their view to yours. It has no value anymore except to try and push views.I haven't been here long but it's got to be one of the least significant threads around here. That and some guy jerking off to a furby. Two in one day, what luck!

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 01:47:48 am
content: It should be pointed out that setting a user's country is only required for new members, not existing members.There's no check that the country you set is in fact where you live so, depending of your level of paranoia, feel free to set your country as you see fit - change it every week if you like. No tin foil hat required.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 01:50:27 am
content: Quote from: jasonh on May 15, 2011, 01:26:00 amIt's OK for you to trivialise but imagine if you will for a moment the repercussions if a similar stance to country information was taken at the eurovision song contest! How would we know that Azerbaijan was the winner? Saying it was the ones in white would hardly help, would it. TISM

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 02:04:21 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on May 15, 2011, 01:50:27 amI got really surprised with the Winner ,Its still hard to believe, that this average song, ended out as Winner ..

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 03:24:26 am
content: Quote from: jasonh on May 15, 2011, 01:26:00 amyou'll get more in the weekend! and yes its a luck!

author: PetrosA
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2011, 04:37:47 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on May 15, 2011, 02:04:21 amUhhh, it IS EurovisionIf you ask a continent of people who at some time or another listened to ItaloDisco or Euro Pop you can't really expect the standards will be very high, can you? Right... didn't think so