I registered for XFire, yet another chat network. This one is specially
designed for Windows gamers. It scans your machine and keeps track of all the
games you have and what you're playing so your friends can see and jump in
with you. Kinda need, in a frighteningly insecure way. Anyhow, I have a
friend of mine for whom it's her primary IM and with Adium unifying all my IM
connections what do I care how many I have?
Going to register on their website, they require all sorts of information
including a birthdate. I accidentally submitted the form before filling that
in, I think the default was something silly like today's date. It told me I
needed to be at least 13. Ok, I can manage that. Go back, fill out the form
again and submit...
"You are not the right age to register for an Xfire account"
Uhh, and what age would that be exactly? Is this some sort of Logan's
Run-esque "don't trust anyone over 30"? I know Windows gamers are immature,
but designing a chat network which only allows 13-29 year old smacktards is
beyond even the inanities of Windows.
It turns out this is a feeble attempt at preventing 12 year olds from lying
about their age. It wasn't long before I found the "under13" cookie they had
set when I first submitted the form. Yes, it wasn't even obscured. As any 12
year old will be able to figure out how to circumvent it, a simple google
search gives the solution, I can only conclude this is a new user slip
punishment system.
--
I have a date with some giant cartoon robots and booze.
