JPetersen:
I would love to answer your questions but the last time it slipped
publicly my identity online, that was a huge mistake and I am very
careful now what I let slip and choose my words very carefully and
very deliberately for good reason. Don't think I am blowing you off
because I am here and now giving you a thoughtful personal answer.
Someone I helped a few years ago and later flew up to meet me
posted my identity the next week and I got rushed with thousands of
"help me", "can I hire you", and "how do you security this or that" and
general fan lore questions which to be honest was a bit overwhelming.
I would prefer not to get into all that all over again so I am sure you
can respect my interest in privacy.
If you are really that curious though, it is not exactly rocket science to
figure out who I am just on what side facts you already know about me
and my writings and posts in this and dozens of other forums but I would
prefer you leave that to your own quiet speculation. Many thanks.
Anyway, to your larger and unspoken question ...
I am here first and foremost because I enjoy helping people and I do what
I can to help those who really need help concentrating the most on
those people I feel need the help the most. Most of these people would
not be able to afford hiring anyone at my level so they have really nowhere
to turn other than to scout online help forums (like this one and dozens
of other similar forum communities) out there.
I have a different name in every forum community but you can be sure
that I monitor a great many of them as these are the place you find people
with the most questions and in the most need and I help people where I can.
If you doubt any of that, just read all my posts here posted through the years.
Now in the case of sphost, he got hit with an unexpected attack per his post
above and clearly thought his security was "good enough" which it obvioiusly
wasn't and that is good enough for me. Under those conditions, I'll help anyone
that asks for my help assuming they can get my attention but I watch these
forums fairly close so it is not all that hard to do.
-Spiral
PS: Incidentally, for those who have a need to know, I do let them know,
and most of those people and the people I choose to help and there have
been many through the years, most I can now consider friends,
some very close friends.