Why?

[CaptBW]

Why am I finding my web address, ISP, operating system displayed in with valid communications?

[Ubik380]

Because they can.

Your "external" IP address is part of the TCP/IP packages that move your data back and forth over the internet. Extracting this information is trivial and can be used to discover your ISP. Your OS is discovered when the web site asks your computer for your browser name/version, and that would reveal your OS.

My guess is that the little "data box" in the person's sig is a script or java applet that wasn't created by the that user. They just pasted it into their sig.

[Brenden]

I have been seeing those little "tags" more and more on the forums!!
As they they say-nothing is private on the net..

I just do not know whether or not the person that has that sig line,can keep a record of the data,or if it just posts the info??

Brenden

[Ubik380]

They probably will never see it, but this is an opportunity to point out that revealing sensitive personal information in an on-line forum can be like hanging a sign on yourself or your home. Have you said that you are a Rohrbaugh firearm owner? Well, it then it ain't a secret any more. It might even pop up when someone does a search for "Rohrbaugh owner" in Google. Will anyone use the information against you? Maybe yes, maybe no but for sure you don't have control of the information any more.

[Michigunner]

I wasn't very happy to see that stuff on the screen.

If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can add danasoft.com to the Restricted sites.  That is the provider of this nonsense.  You can press Tools, Internet Options, Security, Restricted Sites, and then Sites.

Of course, that still leaves the problem of others seeing private information.  I was hoping it would be removed by Administration.

I use another browser where you can block images of your choice.

Bill

[Michigunner]

Well, I looked at that silliness again and realized that only the user will view their personal information.  I cried Wolf!  Sorry about that.

So it is no more than an annoyance, considering that we already know who we are.

Again, you can easily remove the display as stated previously.