--- title: On being famous… description: I called the registrar’s office the other day to ask a question. The person on the phone was very helpful and quickly answered my question. In order to do so, he asked me for my name, which I told him. He started making odd “hrm” noises and repeating m […] url: https://canonical.com/blog/on-being-famous --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical "More about Canonical") 27 August 2010 # On being famous… [Design](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/design) [Ubuntu Desktop](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/ubuntu-desktop) --- Share the article I called the registrar's office the other day to ask a question. The person on the phone was very helpful and quickly answered my question. In order to do so, he asked me for my name, which I told him. He started making odd "hrm" noises and repeating my last name. After a bit, a light went on and he announced "I know who you are" which, considering that I am not a criminal or a rock-star (yet) seemed unlikely. Somewhat scary, but he knew quite a bit about me. Make and color of my car, particulars about family members, events I have attended and more. How did he know all of this? He's a fan of [my flickr page](http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwwii) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. In submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Notice](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy/contact) and [Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### What designers should know about semiotics](https://canonical.com/blog/what-designers-should-know-about-semiotics) What happens when you look at an apple? When you see it, you perceive the apple and assign meaning to it based on your language, experience, and personal preferences – such as... [Sophie Carroll](https://canonical.com/blog/author/sophiecarroll) 15 October 2026 [### Canonical releases Ubuntu 26.10 Stonking Stingray](https://canonical.com/blog/canonical-releases-ubuntu-26-10-stonking-stingray) The latest interim release of Ubuntu previews privacy conscious speech-to-text, enables post-quantum package signing, completes the rollout of Rust coreutils, and improves... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 15 October 2026 [### Ubuntu coming soon to Snapdragon X2 Series platforms, unlocking more Linux PCs for the agentic world](https://canonical.com/blog/ubuntu-coming-soon-to-qualcomm-snapdragon-x2-series-platforms) Canonical and Qualcomm Technologies announce upcoming native Ubuntu support for Qualcomm’s flagship laptop silicon, delivering multi-day battery life, 80 TOPS NPU acceleration,... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 23 September 2026 [### Grace on the currents: Stonking Stingray](https://canonical.com/blog/grace-on-the-currents-stonking-stingray) When the codename for Ubuntu 26.10 was announced, I suspect there was a measurable surge in users searching for the definition of “stonking” across search engines and the... [Aaron Prisk](https://canonical.com/blog/author/aaronprisk) 8 September 2026