True Names and Other Patch Day Ramblings

All the fuss about Real ID launching today in the US got me thinking about the fantasy concept of the “true name”. In folklore and fantasy, a common belief is that knowing someone’s true name will give you a sort of magical power over them. This concept is used in various stories, from Rumpelstilskin to Tolkien. The way people are panicking out there on the internets, you’d think that this was more than just a myth.

I don’t have a problem with Real ID. I’ve given out my real name freely to my guildies, to the twitter-verse, or on other blogs I’ve left comments on. I give out my real name every day to complete strangers, like the cashier at the taco place I went to for lunch, or the website I bought a present for Jardal from. The way I see it, our real names have lost most of their power in this internet age. Yes, a crazy stalker could find out where I lived from my real name. But they could also find that out from my IP address, some junk mail I threw into the dumpster, or a billion other methods. Identity theft can happen to even the most careful individuals.

Real ID could have been implemented differently, but this is the way it is and I’m excited to take advantage of its features. I respect that some people are more concerned about privacy issues, but spreading panic isn’t helpful. Go read the FAQ for yourself and make an educated decision. Don’t let other people’s opinions sway your judgement. Don’t feel pressured by anyone to use it or not.

On a more lighthearted note, Midsummer is here! It’s one of my favorite holidays – I love the plethora of XP you can gain from simply flying around Azeroth. The new Dungeon Finder option for the holiday boss Lord Ahune is a fantastic addition. Check out one of the many guides that other more helpful bloggers have posted, such as this one from Daraia at Daughter of Ravenholdt Manor.

It figures that when my WOW interest is finally sparked again, the servers are down for an extended period. *Grumbles*. I guess I’ll go make dinner or something…

Oh, and btw. Go get an authenticator. Seriously.