Last month I wrote an open letter addressed to an ex-boyfriend of mine who'd apparently been having a hard time moving on... and still is, apparently. Anyhow, in the open letter (see here), I briefly addressed the concept of a site meter and the wonderful info. mine provides me regarding those who visit my blog. At this point in time though, I feel the need to clarify some things about site meters:
#1 A site meter does not identify anyone by name unless someone has actually given his/her IP address an assigned name and that assigned name is his/her own name.
#2 A site meter's primary purpose is to count a site's number of visitors and does so by recognizing the info. that distinguishes one visitor from another = the server "location" of a visitor's IP address, including some of the following additional visitor details: Domain (Las Vegas Valley Water District - that'd be one of the more very specific domain listings I've seen, for example), ISP (e.g. Cox Communications), City, State and Country, and even the longitude and latitude of the location, plus the date and time of the site visit, and the referral page or web search and/or site that brings a visitor to my blog.
Using some of the aforementioned info. provided by my site meter, if I already know some things about a reader or a friend and I note particular details too close to be a coincidence, I can make an accurate guess as to who's who. Of course, it's always easier to identify visitors who comment since I can compare the date and time of a comment's posting to the site meter's record. However, let's say a friend of mine who uses AOL and lives in the rather large San Diego area (HI STEPH!) were to visit my blog only occasionally and by no means daily, and she never made a comment (until recently), I would never figure out it was her because there'd be no obvious visit pattern, no individual specific info. provided, nor any timeframe in which I could identify her visits or any comments. But if say, an old college friend of mine who uses a small internet provider and lives in a very small military town in Alaska comes by for a visit to my blog, even if she only visits once a month and never makes a comment, I can still be sure that it's her. I can also, sometimes, figure out who's-who via referral page listings or search threads, but only if I'm really paying attention.
Don't get me wrong - I am in no way tracking every visitor who comes by. I still don't even know my honey-man's IP address!?! and since he has never left a comment and never will, coupled with the fact that he's in L.A. and uses one the most common ISPs in the valley -even if I tried- it'd be nearly impossible to identify him. Only on a fluke have I been able to consistently note a few who's-who details via my site meter, able to identify Amanda B., CanadianAmy, CircusKelli, ClosetMetro, DocErn, Southern Fried Girl, my father and my friend Wendy's sister in Utah... ha! And don't forget, Mr.-not-so-anonymous-T.R. ~
Seeing that my open letter didn't do the trick (move on, I tell you -- MOVE ON!!!), I think I'll be ignoring my site meter now. I may take an occasional peek, but there's never been a need to do so.
Monday, March 13, 2006
My Open Letter, Revisited
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6 comments:
Track me baby, TRACK ME!!
hehehehee
as long as you see me, I thought I should say "hi"
Hi.
Yep, here I be. :)
I do the same thing with my site meter. LOL
Viewing site stats is indeed addictive. I am fascinated by comparing the number of visitors to the number of commenters. So look at me! Trading my stealth reading self into a full-fledged commenter! (Hello!)
I am intrigued now. I find it interesting to be able to track such things. I find it more interesting that he keeps coming back. I guess it is normal though. In his mind, I assume that he must think since you mentioned him, you still love him. You will never get over him, and you check the site meter daily to see if he has come, and it makes your heart flutter.
What he doesn't know is that he is really creepy. REALLY creepy. In fact, I feel creepy now, that I drop by, and read on occasion. Knowing there is a site meter makes me feel like an intruder. Like I am barging in. Wierd...what a strange, odd, and bewildering feeling.
if I experience any kind of flutter re: Mr. T.R., it's the kind where you feel sick to your stomach in a I'm so gunna throw up all over you kind of way!
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