spawn of Vulis

[Zooko Journeyman <zooko@xs4all.nl>]

> FWIW, my 8 y o has his own IBM Aptiva, his own Internet access, his own
> e-mail box, and I exercise absolutely no control over what he reads or
> says on the Internet.


You need to help him set up a pseudonym, Dmitri.  Think about 
10 or 20 years down the road when he wants to get a contract/
join a phyle/avoid an enemy or whatever, and his entire 
childhood e-mail and virtual-community history is greppable via
a 2-second, 2-cent search.  This would give his employers/
partners/competitors/enemies/governments a great deal of 
leverage over him in various ways.  Also it might be very 
embarassing socially, which is no less important.


Get him a pseudonym.  You can always (more or less) claim the 
reputation capital that your pseudonym accumulated, but you can
never (probably) lose history accumulated under your True Name.


Of course he could always change his name/adopt a strong 'nym 
in the future in order to get a clean start, but this might not
be easy, especially since people can find him through you and 
perhaps other of his relatives or friends.


Sincerely,

Zooko Journeynym