|
|
martydoesmagic Inner circle Essex, UK 1670 Posts |
I recently resurrected my magic blog, Marty's Bag of Tricks, and I've been thinking about best practice approaches to sharing secrets online. This is what I'm currently doing to protect the secrets I share on my blog: any time I publish an explanation for a trick, I post it as a hidden page that Google does not index. This page is hidden behind a simple password that is relatively easy to discover with a little effort (usually by reading a publicly available article on the blog). Here are some examples:
The Password is Always Swordfish I Got 9 Card Problem, But a Trick Ain't One! True Voodoo: 5 Voodoo Myths Busted! Dem Bones! If you really know what you're doing, there is a way of accessing the pages without using passwords, but most people would not know how to do this. I think I'm comfortable with this level of protection, but it does make it more difficult for people to discover the content. Other articles I write require you to subscribe to my Ruseletter, although the archive is currently available online (if you know where to look). Should tricks I share on Substack be password protected too? I'd like to hear what magicians on here think about this issue. Are the passwords necessary or overkill? Thanks, Marty |
gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3528 Posts |
This seems like the most basic and thoughtful type of protection for magical secrets online.
Obviously this is not going to stop someone who's persistent and who truly wants to know this information, but then again the object isn't to stop people like this- it's to reward them for their diligence. I think it's a great idea.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
|
martydoesmagic Inner circle Essex, UK 1670 Posts |
Thanks, gaddy. It is a curious paradox. We want to protect our secrets, but we also want to share them. Magic thrives because of this knowledge transfer activity.
I think my current approach makes things difficult enough for secret hunters but allows those genuinely interested to access the protected content. However, it does limit the number of people who will read, learn and, perhaps perform the tricks I share. I guess, though, that if you cannot be bothered to discover the correct password, you're unlikely ever to perform the trick. Marty |
DelMagic Special user 721 Posts |
Marty I applaud any and all of your efforts to keep the integrity of magical secrets while at the same time helping serious magicians grow and think.
I am so old that I doubt I'll ever understand this digital generation. Now I do spend a lot of time online. I love listening to online content that teaches and challenges me throughout the day. I am not a Luddite. I have two Ebay stores and I have an investigative mind. I was a chemical laboratory technician working in R&D for 34-years. Much about the availability of information can be beneficial. But some things, like magic secrets, don't belong out in the open. That was taught to me at an early age and it really seemed natural given the nature of performing magic. Most of my hardcore magic learning was done in the 70's and 80's. There was less time and energy when the family concerns came in the 90's. I loved being able to see Henning and Copperfield on TV. I watched talk show line-ups in the afternoon to see if any magicians were on there. I remember Ricky Jay on Dinah Shore(?) one day and he blew me away with what I think is Sealed Surprise. That show was aired on two different channels 30-minutes apart so I watched it again and burned his hands the whole time on the 2nd viewing. I just didn't see whatever it was he did. Because of that, I can understand people being drawn to magic videos online. However, I learned something early on in my magical life: The Best Magic Is Always Experienced In Person. While I love magic shows, I rarely see them apart from club meetings or conventions. I would say the most repeatable activity that I have engaged in that has brought me the most MAGIC WONDER MOMENTS is attendance at lectures. I feel sorry for those who just don't have access to in-person magic lectures due to their location or travel difficulties. I have seen world-class magicians up close and personal and I love it when I feel like a muggle! (Thank you magic clubs, conventions and Marc DeSouza!) I recently "attended" Ben Earl's online magic discussion/lecture program with a diverse array of talent. It was unique and gave me access to many who I'll probably never see in person. But it is not nearly as impactful as seeing it live. I believe this loss of impact must also occur in the teacher/student interactions online compared to in-person tutelage or sharing. The pandemic surely hindered much and we are all grateful for the online contact we were able to use, but the world of magicians and students will be much better off when we are able to get together in person. You are putting forth effort to improve magicians and that shows a generous spirit. I hope it is fruitful for you and those who follow the work you put forth. Regards, John |
martydoesmagic Inner circle Essex, UK 1670 Posts |
Thanks for your detailed response, John.
As a spectator, participant or magician, I agree that magic is best experienced live. Magic is predominantly a performance art (in my view, at least). As a result, you can't experience it correctly when it is mediated through a screen. When I didn't have three young daughters, I used to attend two or three magic events per year. Hanging out in person with like-minded magicians (and some of your magic heroes) cannot be beaten. We're also struggling with this issue in the UK Higher Education sector. I work at a university that prides itself in the on-campus experience it provides. But we're also trying to take advantage of some of the benefits of online learning and remote study. In truth, a mixture (or blend) of both works best. However, teaching and learning magic, especially one-to-one instruction, works almost as well via video conferencing software like Zoom. This helps widen participation because you don't need to live near a magician to have a magic mentor. The main driver for my writing is to force me to develop my magical thinking. I also want to encourage more beginners to READ! This is another commonality with the HE sector. If I had a pound for every time an academic complained to me that their students "don't do the reading", I'd be a wealthy man! I've also met a few students in the past that took pride in the fact that they didn't read! Marty |
DelMagic Special user 721 Posts |
Good thoughts Marty. I had a mother who was a voracious reader. She would be at the library every week or two getting a stack of books to read. My younger brother and I often went with her and we developed a love for reading also. Thankfully my children also became avid readers and it helped them greatly in school. Since there is so much more magic available in the written word, anyone who focuses mainly on video instruction is going to miss out on so much - and often the most important ideas. Also, when practicing items that you have only found by reading, you can be challenged to find solutions on your own to any issues that may arise when you work on the tricks. I think video instruction can lead to a lot more copying and reduced creativity.
John |
martydoesmagic Inner circle Essex, UK 1670 Posts |
My mother was also an avid reader (she was a primary school teacher). I struggled desperately as a child to learn to read (due to dyslexia). This struggle made me appreciate books more. I couldn't agree more with your observations. All the good stuff is hidden in books, and reading encourages creative problem solving rather than copycat magic.
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » A tangled web we weave... » » Sharing Secrets Online (2 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |