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Anonymity
On Web forms like this, it isn't currently possible to acquire a person's name or login. It is possible (and easy) to get a person's IP address however.
In the case where a user connects to the internet via a modem to an ISP (most cases), the ISP has a pool of IP numbers which it assigns to users. Since the same IP address is used by different users attached to the internet at different times, the only information possible that I (or anyone) can gather from your submitting this form would be who your ISP is, not who you are.
In the case of a permanent connection via a LAN however, many times an IP address is static to a particular machine, and therefore often a specific user. Under these cases, it is possible for me to contact your network administrator and find out who the IP address was assigned to (if they even give out such information). In other words, there is a possibility for me to determine who you are.
With all that honesty up front, you'll have to trust that, for the purpose of this form, I don't care who you are (sure, I would like to know). The purpose of this form is so that I can improve my classes, and this web site. It's my opinion people feel free to be honest when they are assured anonymity. So here's your chance to offer anonymous advice or comments, either bad or good.
Of course, there is no guarantee I'll listen. I've been teaching (hell, 'living') long enough to know that you can't please everyone. If 1 person out of a class of 25 tells me that the class is way to hard, then I will assume that something was wrong with the placement of the student into my class, and not my class. If however, 24 people say it's way to hard, I'll do what I can to correct the situation.
I take my teaching, and my position at Columbia seriously and apply a great deal of work to it (which by the way, I expect from my students as well). I welcome all criticisms of myself, my classes, or the Columbia program in general. So thank you for reading all this, and for your comments, whether they be good or bad.
Mario Giannini
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