Self googling

[mudskipper]

My surname isn't that common, but I think it's the combination of first name and surname that's a mismatch - a bit like being called something like Sinead Wong.

[TimberWolf]

My surname isn't that common, but I think it's the combination of first name and surname that's a mismatch - a bit like being called something like Sinead Wong.

Typing "Sinead Wong" into Google throws your post up on the first page

[VectraMan]

There's someone with the same name as me who writes technical books and articles in a similar field to a lot of the work I've done. Which is weird, especially as I (we) have a rare surname.

[Platypus]

There's a couple of people with the same name as me who are much more famous.

Suits me fine

Same here, plus another couple of 'average joes' who seem obsessed with getting their name onto every blog and social networking site, which keeps me at the low profile I prefer

[Sysman]

Last year Google seemed to be convinced that I had spelled my surname wrong, and offered "suggestions", all obviously paid for.

My usenet postings were for many years hidden from the standard Google search; you had to go into groups.google to find them, which kept my family and non-IT friends blissfully unaware of my scribblings. Now they are all in plain view in the main search. Rats.

First hit LinkedIn (there's nothing of import there).
Second hit Facebook entry of someone else sharing my name. He looks a complete loon, so I'm not overjoyed.
Third hit my website.

There used to be another chap on the other side of the world publishing his research, but in a completely different field. Not showing now.

[AtW]

Last year Google seemed to be convinced that I had spelled my surname wrong, and offered "suggestions", all obviously paid for.

Recently googling for sasguru would make them suggest it was spelled wrongly and offering "sadguru" as alternative, but now they offer "sosguru"

[xoggoth]

My real name is also that of a much more well known person. barsteward.

[MattH]

There's a good reason for doing this. It's about protecting your brand online, knowing what's there so if a prospective employer asks about something he found online about you, you have an answer, but also knowing if anyone else is mis-representing you. You can also 'seed' the internet with good things about you. Apparently.

Try Pipl - People Search - does a similar thing.

I found a post I'd put on a open source forum 11 years ago! Been trying to explain to my kids once you put something online it never, ever goes away. Specially on Facebook, or if the Google cache gets hold of it. But they are teenagers and so know everything! Personally I only use LinkedIn.

[moorfield]

I was sent down for the murder of a schoolgirl in 2005.

[Cliphead]

Nothing wrong with self googling to see the position of one's personal site.