Yea - I know . . . It amazes me too sometimes . . . However, the problem that I am having with Google - is that they are going to be sharing it with to many other people now . . . That is why I have my privacy setting set on HIGH and also delete as much as I can all the time . . .
OH and BTW: Have you ever Googled things you wrote way back when - when there were only .alt groups and the like . . . Love to do that to look at some of the stuff I wrote and some other stuff I have there (under another name of course) from way back and there were no forums . . . Now that is a Laugh ! ! !
I agree totally, which is why I still maintain... be careful what you share with others on the Internet. If you don't want someone to know you searched for it... Go to the library and grab an encyclopedia and do your research the old fashioned way. If you don't want people to know you wrote it, put it in an envelope and put a stamp on it. If you don't want people to know you purchased it, head to the mall (but then you should probably use cash, as using a credit card is no different then using Google.)
One could also argue on the other side of the coin that the entire purpose of the Internet was to share information on a global level. And it has become a tool that has gone beyond the expectations of that purpose! Users just need to be more aware that this is the Internets purpose at its heart.
I am in no way bashing your opinion or the Internet for that matter. So I hope the encyclopedia or put a stamp on it comment did not come out as harsh. I actually agree with you on many levels and as a web designer I know what can be collected simply with a cookie...
And the concept of big brother has been around forever! We have been using phones and credit cards for decades. American Express knows where I eat and sleep every time I take a vacation as well as what prescriptions I fill. The Internet is just another tool to add to the list.
For better or worse we have entered the "information" age and while it does come with its downsides it also has it benefits.
In the end I always looked at this way, anyone who bothers to take the time to collect my information on the Internet or worse yet tap one of my phone calls will just come away being pretty bored!
