This is just a note to everybody, since in the server logs over the past two days I've seen a lot of failed logins. In order for you to create an account and login, you have to use a valid e-mail address, because the system will use that to e-mail your password to you. We don't sell these addresses anywhere, and they are not displayed on the site, so they cannot be harvested by spammers. As you'll note, we don't sell advertising space here-- the only commercial activity is some sponsored links to Amazon, and you can just plain ignore those if you want.

Right now, the only significant advantage to having an account is that you can use your name on your forum posts (nonusers are just listed as "anonymous", as on Slashdot) and users also get a Blog, their own personal space for writing pretty much whatever they like (as long as it isn't abusive to other users or unconscionably profane. And yes, I end up being the determiner of what is profane and abusive, and even if I can't define it-- I, like the Supreme Court-- know it when I see it.

Registered users also can use Rampancy to send and receive private messages through the site to other site users, and can receive notifications by email when they receive private messages and when new stories are added to Rampancy; these functions are optional and entirely under user control.

At any rate, although those are the only restrictions currently placed on the Anonymous accounts; however, if necessary, in the future there may be more. I hope it's not necessary.