Well I use a munged email address on Usenet (pretty easy to guess the
real one)...means I don't get picked up by harvesting software unless
someone cares to do the job manually.....but then I have nothing to
hide.....and if I do get someone providing my real addy to such groups I
have a delete key in my mail reader, plus filters, so I don't get to see
it....

Now, when it comes to supplying a valid email address - whether on
Usenet, a google group or a forum....the benefit of doing so outweighs
the benefits of not doing so IMO - say, a moderator wants to discuss a
post with you (hopefully not edit or ban outright which IMO is not what
should happen) how can they do this without a valid email address (even
if it is a disposable)???? What if you are getting involved in a flame
war or a dispute which is not in the best interests of the group to
carry on on-line? A valid email address allows this to continue off-line
without impacting the group as a whole....

The only reason I can see for remailers, untraceable emails, fake
addresses, impersonations and maybe hipcrime (although I only have a
vague idea on what this does as I can't be bothered to look it up) is
for people up to no good...who do not have the interests of a group at
heart and truly do not want to participate in the spirit intended....in
a nutshell to troll wanting to cause disruption.....

Gill

BTW I haven't checked if Tristan's email addy is real....