So I logged into a creative writing site I belong to and recieved big shock. One of the other members whom I thought I had come to know pretty well over the past six months had been caught plagiarising some works including several of mine. I had thought I had come to know this person well. We had exchanged copies of printings where we had been published and had numerous chats about the style of writings we enjoyed and our motivations. Fortunately I'm a paranoid sort and I keep copyrighted paper records of everything I write, especially if I'm going to post it in a public forum. The web master of the site keep electronic logs as well. The situation is being sorted but I'm still a little steamed.

Damn, man, that sucks. :/ I don't know if that's a good reason to say you shouldn't trust people you haven't met though. I don't think it would be much harder for him to deceive you had he met you. Some people are like that. Maybe that's just me having all my friends over the internet speaking though.

Anyway, good that it's getting sorted out.

Maybe he meant, don't trust anyone you meat on the internet?

DTA. (D)on't (T)rust (A)nyone, period. It has never failed me.

I can agree to that. On the upside I logged into another writing site I belong to expecting my account to be deleted (I hadn't bothered to renew my membership) and found out I was still active and had been given a free account until I do decide to upgrade or renew.

thats really cruddy. On the webmaster community I belong to theres been like.. 20 threads of reported stealing in the last month. Must be thieve season

I never post full completed pieces unless I'm effectively saying: I can't sell this.

I've never actually met Estarra nor Sarapis (nor any other IRE admin)...

Haven't been to Vegas yet?

Nope. I was never qualified to attend a gods meet. (Nor could I have afforded it anyway...)