Ever since my last article, Looking Back at SkUmBaG68, I keep getting y-mails about how "Skumbag68 isn't real, anyway," and they ask, "Why DID you waste your time treating him as if it was a real person who did something real?"

I suggested a point in my past article: "I suppose it was a good way to raise awareness; the results of giving out your password. But when you look at it that way, it may have been a set-up by City Hall or the Times Editor to shake us up a bit." It was a suggestion! I had no idea how many people actually believed this. I mean, while most of us were convinced in the reality of the matter, there are others who have scorned it right from the beginning!

There is a correction I would like to make, though -- somebody mailed me and referred me to a quote by the Times Editor in B00tybabe's article Pox -- Not Our Only Worry. It seems that this individual, and perhaps a few others out there, misinterpreted the Editor's comment: "The fact is, I published SkUmBaG68's article because I hoped that it would make clear to our citizens the dangers of giving out passwords."

I think what we need is a vocabulary lesson!

Ready? The word publish, if you look it up in the dictionary, is usually summarized as: releasing for distribution, to print the work of an author, and to put out an edition. Not actually writing the piece.

That's a far cry from what this individual claimed. What they in fact said to me was: "I just thought I'd let you know, because Skumbag68 isn't real, the Editor told us that they wrote it, and a lot of people seem to think he is a real person." I know for a fact that the Editor did not intend for that statement to be taken that way, even if it is truthful....

I am arguing that Skumbag68 is real. Well, not even Skumbag68 -- the person who used this account and other accounts as aliases. I think there may be a person out there who actually put out an article about their hacking history. I mean, I would -- not that I'm incriminating myself (=D), but recognition is pretty great. Yet, I still stand by my first opinion in saying that the writing style was not that of a child -- I believe it is an older teen or adult. Maybe this person will come back now, and write an article about how young they are to have accomplished so much. =)

What do you think? I mean, I gave you some input on why I think this person is real, and that this was not a set up, but a real life occurrence. Do you agree? Does anyone think otherwise? I'd like to hear some reasons, either way.