Re: (Against) sneaking your name in

[Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

  Sally Marquigny <SALLYM -at- MSMAILHQ -dot- NETIMAGE -dot- COM> writes--
     The way I usually come up with a nice fictional cross-section is to
     use names of people I've known; for example, I'll use the first
     name of my best friend when I was 8 combined with the last
     name of current neighbor 2 doors down the street. Or combine my
     brother-in-law's middle name (as a first name) with the name of the
     town I lived in 5 years ago (as a last name).  Fake addresses are
     easy if you remember any previous addresses you've had (work or home).
     Just change the street number or name a little bit, and
     it's an apparently valid address, even down to the zip code.

     I have a *very* strong opinion against using blatantly fictional/cutesy
     examples in any documentation;  IMO, it's insulting to the audience,
     even if they do get a chuckle out of it at first glance.  It's annoying
     thereafter.
=======
Personally, I see more of a hazard in Sally's method than using
blatantly fictional names and addresses. At least with blatant
fiction, the user is likely to *know* it's fictional. Combining
real names or just changing the street number on an old address
you had is *still* going to be *somebody's* name or address. My
childhood address was 69 Leonard Ave. If I change it to 102
Leonard Ave just for the sake of changing it, that is still
going to be a valid address. Worse--some unsuspecting citizen
may actually get unwanted mail because of it.

    =*=  Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil  =*=
   =*=  "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
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