Happy Birthday to me... times a thousand

So it's interesting how sometimes technology can lead in unexpected directions.

The authors of phpBB included a spot on their account creation form for you to put your birthday in. This is, more or less, required by federal rules about websites tracking minors and stuff. They decided it would be fun to use that information, since they have it handy, and send you an e-mail wishing you happy birthday.

It's a nice thought.

This morning I opened my e-mail and had 24 of them. Almost all of them worded exactly the same. A bit of a Sorcerer's Apprentice broomstick pailfull of birthday cheer. It gave me a bit of a chuckle. At least now I know how many phpBB forum accounts I've managed to create over time.

I guess if there's a lesson here, it's to check the default settings in any software you install - particularly any software that automatically generates e-mail.