I just noticed a new 'IP logged' feature included in the lower right corner of every posting, but displayed only to the forum administrator & moderator. I'm sure Nigel is probably 'already' able to track our IP addresses, but by including this IP Address feature 'visually' in the post, it will I assume help to discourage spammers & those already banned members from repeatedly returning under the guise of false (sock puppet) user names. Though I may not like the feeling of big brother monitoring & tracking us, the security this offers in this case is well worth it. This issue points out the kind of 'trade offs' we must make in our daily lives now (especially after 9/11) in the name of security.

The big debate of the day now appears to be 'how much' we're willing to sacrifice for the sake of security. I think this is (though off topic) worth discussing because it ultimately affects us all. Where should the lines be drawn? How much of your privacy & freedom are you willing to give up for the sake of national & international security?

Scott

PS: Nigel, many thanks for your continued sponsorship of this great forum, my second home for over 3-1/2 years.

I have to compliment Nigel for this new SZ feature. I believe we all understand why this feature was implemented, and that it doesn't correspond to a deliberate intention of limiting our privacy (although it does). In view of some recent posts and the directions that some threads toke, I think this was the right thing to do. The alternatives were not pleasant. To passively & sadly watch the discussions getting saur every day, or to expel some members. If we have the right to come here, subscribe and participate in this forum ABOUT MUSIC under an anonymous identity and decide to break the reasonable limits of etiquette, then the moderators should have the right to have the possibility of tracking us. I hope that we understand that being critical, even provokative, and feeling free to disagree when we feel we disagree, is always welcome. This has nothing to do with plain personal provokative posts, with intentions beyond the goals of this forum.

I care very much for my privacy, however I can't but thank Nigel for his intelligent decision.

-- Jose'.

I watch "Law & Order" and other cops and lawyers show, and it seems to me that the law seems to favour the criminal. I don't keep illegal drugs in my home, or firearms, etc. If an officer asks if he could search my home, what do I care. There's nothing to find. The FBI is monitoring my phone calls. "Hi honey, could you buy a loaf of bread on your way home. Yes dear." Go ahead listen to my phone call.
Blinkers last posts were trolls. Forum members here did not respond to it. Way to go people. I believe Nigel made the right decision to ban the trolls.
Starkeeper

Hate to break the bad news to you guys, but almost every site you visit logs your ISP and computer ID #'s.....even my site does and I can check that in my site stats.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

I agree, the best way to handle these things is not to respond. Even IP Tracking is not fail safe, there are a lot of ways out there to disguise your real IP address and the people that troll and spam all use those techniques.