I usually read this forum on Internet Explorer, but happened to be on Netscape when I went to Fodor's today. I noticed that writers' e-mail addresses appear on their postings on IE, but not on Netscape. NOt that it's a big deal, but I just wondered if anyone knows why that occurs?

I'm not sure what version of Netscape you are using, but I use Netscape 4.5 and the email address in this forum do show up.

Yeah, I noticed that too, but I have netscape at home and at work. I can see the email addresses at work but not at home, it's just strange. <BR>

There was actually a posting someplace on fodor's about how the addresses were to be encripted or changed so that they couldn't be "stolen" and used to spam us all. They are still supposed to be readable individually though. On the other hand, what really annoys me is all the people who write on the forums who give phony names/addresses. I want to see who is giving me advice or commentary. If they feel they must use aliases to write here, it's not much of a community. Does this bother others? I look forward to seeing postings by our regular contributors and these cute (or not so cute) aliases are just annoying! What are they trying to hide?

Ann, I found I was still getting spammed, so I have gone the way of the fake return address. Anyone who's been on the list for a while should be able to place me by my first name and ISP, but I just can't take getting X-rated stuff in my email box (dainty soul that I am). <BR>Any suggestions for how to include my real address in a spam-proof manner?

After someone takes the time to find you r home address and phone number and calls you -you will also stop giving your real name. It is not impossible.

I wonder how much is known about us from our internet use, so if people prefer to use aliases, that's perfectly OK with me. I too still seem to be getting some spam. I've heard that you can put 'no spam' in your address to avoid getting it. So, for instance, my address could read [email protected] and those who wanted to email me with travel questions could just leave out the nospam part. I've never tried this to see if it works though. <BR>

I haven't personally gotten any spam yet, but if I do, I'll probably start giving an obviously fake address in the heading, and then put my real address within the text, like this: "If you want to know anything about Niles, Ohio (and who doesn't!), email me at [email protected]" That way serious questions will still get to me. And if someone is going to spam me, they'll at least have to read through my really boring post first! <BR>

I apologize to you all for being so naive (and being lucky enough to have avoided being spamed so far). It's just unfortunate that we (I'm sure I'll be on someone's spam list by tomorrow) have to go to these measures and hide our identities in such a friendly forum.

What I find weird about the missing addresses is that I can read them just fine on the Europe forum, but they're invisible to me on the Canada forum. Wonder how they managed that! (For those who care, I'm using Lynx (the browser, not the car.) As to the spamming, so far I've escaped it. Someone above mentioned, and I've seen it advised on other web sites to include "nospam" in your address, so programs used to cull addresses for mass e-mailing purposes will be foiled. Of course, that doesn't stop an individual from getting your address, but I gather that the major spam offenders are doing it for the money, not to annoy. So far, I have not had reason to regret using a real address here, but I can see where unwanted/inappropriate correspondance could make one's life miserable. In those circumstances, I can see using an e-nom de plume. The down side is when people hide behind them to say things they would never say under their own names, or for other juvenile reasons (thinking of the guy [it has to be a<BR>guy] who identifies himself as part of the male reproductive anatomy. What's that about?)

My opinion is that I don't care what people call themselves as long as it is an interesting post. <BR>I wish that I had used a false name on this site when I first started posting. <BR>using my real name makes me feel a bit vunerable.