[cap-talk] A can of worms, or, "why do we care so much about identities?"

[David Hopwood]

Karp, Alan H wrote:
> Valerio Bellizzomi wrote:
> 
>>I get the feeling that we are going into a can of worms.
>>Question: why do we care so much about identities?
> 
> We are opening a can of worms, but it is a very important can of worms.
> People assume that identity has a meaning external to the system it is
> being used in.  That leads to lots of mistakes, mistakes that I say are
> due to the fallacy of identity.  
> 
> How do you know me?  Might Alan Karp be a pseudonym MarkM uses to make
> points that he doesn't feel comfortable making himself?  Might Alan Karp
> be a pseudonym used by all HP employees when writing to security mailing
> lists?  In truth, the identity you attach to Alan Karp has very little
> value to you outside of what is on this list.

For a fascinating account of an actual case of a constructed on-line identity,
see <http://sandystone.com/pupik/violation-and-virtuality>.

(Pretentiously written, to put it mildly, and slightly fictionalized, but
nevertheless worth reading to the end IMHO.)

-- 
David Hopwood <david.nospam.hopwood at blueyonder.co.uk>