Let's Use Real Names!

[GSchiemer]

This thought came to me today as I was exchanging posts with "save_the_expos" and "naesco." No offense to "save_the_expos," but why would anyone take advice at face value from this person? Based upon what? I, for one, find it difficult to engage in exchanges or to take advice from anyone hiding behind a wacky screen name. The old Fishnet forum on CompuServe had a rule requiring the use of real names when posting or replying to messages. I think it was a good rule and should be considered here. The use of real names adds credence to posts, promotes more civil exchanges, and will serve to strengthen and differentiate this forum. It also exposes members that may have hidden agendas, such as manufacturers and retailers, or it can serve to distinguish them.

Just a thought.

Greg Schiemer

 

[Anonymous]

to the best of my knowledge it also exposes a person to all sorts of cyber-problems, up to and including cyber-stalking. same is true with leaving your email open for someone to contact you directly, and then you make the mistake of emailing back, thus leading them directly to you. (unless you're proficient in the use of proxies.)

i have a big thing with anonymity, and i think that veracity of claims or reports can be teased out in other ways. simply having a person's first name isn't going to alleviate that issue, is it? what you really want is their full name AND location, and now you've stepped all over my privacy. there are way too many hackers out there alone for me to be agreeable to something like that.

also, having worked in the printing industry for a time i know that you don't have to be correct to get it in print. all you need is to be able to pay the printer. again, veracity isn't exactly proved, is it?

in my opinion, we should each be able to decide for ourselves, as you have, just how much personal information we want available to the outside world.

 

[reefNewbie]

If someone wanted to stalk you or find out where you live bad enough theres no stopping them...im a computer engineer and can tell you this is the truth. Not saying i agree either way just stating this fact.

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
I feel that the there is no need for real name in the Internet for the credit reason. If I want to give any credence to any of my post, I would have mentioned it if it is necessary. But I never have the need to, because this is a general forum, not a place devoted to research. Everything is pretty much taken with a grain of salt, and if there is a need for "backing" other people ususally do it for me without me saying "Do you know who I really am?" I worked the other ways too. Many mistakes are corrected by subsequential posting by others.

There are many incidence in which experts were insulted by newbies because they don't know the actual person. But the very same insulter could have done it even if real name is used. Who is this Knop or Sprug guy anyway??? You know what I mean?

I don't see any hidden agendas by almost any of the posts. Moderators are pretty good in locking or removing inappropriate posts in this regard. Besides, most of us know obvious commerical posts. How are you going to know Joe Sixpak own an acrylic shop???

One thing is that the use of real name may make exchange more civil, but I can see that it can work the other way too.

In all, I agree with Ms. Orange in that the privacy issue is more important than the other issue you mention. Again, my two cents worth.

 

[O P Ing]

... oh, if you really want to make you name know to the rest of us, you can always include it in your username, sig, or within the post.

 

[Anonymous]

I for one would never use my real name- the wild winds of the world are rife with thugs, brigands and hackers! Instead, I pay homage to the ancestors of the ancient world in my simple choice of a handle, Gaí, Ruaidri na Saide Buide macAeda in, King of Connacht, last heard singing:

Some Guiness spilled on the barroom floor
When the bar was closed for the night
A little mouse crawled out of his hole
And stood in the pale moonlight
He lapped up the frothy brew
And on his haunches sat
And 'err the night we heard him yell,
"Bring on the goddamn cat!"

signed, Fluffy Bongwater

 

[Anonymous]

Oops, sorry- thought I was in the sump....

 

[Vixyswillie]

I hear what you're saying, Greg. One problem, though, is that many people are reticent to reveal too much of "themselves" online. There is, after all, no shortage of crackpots who feed on the information we choose to share.

Secondly - and I think this is an important point - I don't believe that a person using a pseudonym is necessarily any less "credible" than someone who doesn't. Nor do I necessarily give greater credence to someone by virtue of the fact that they tell me their real name. If I've learned anything from all the personalities on this board, it's this: the content of what someone says is what determines their credibility - and my subsequent trust for what they have to say. And like any other acquaintance, I learn that over time - their real name notwithstanding.

Patrick Tiffany

 

[Expos Forever]

First off when I clicked this topic I thought it was someone asking that people use people use latin names as opposed to common names when discussing species to avoid confusion. Little did I know it was about my screen name! My SCREEN NAME for crying out loud!

No offense to "save_the_expos," but why would anyone take advice at face value from this person? Based upon what? I, for one, find it difficult to engage in exchanges or to take advice from anyone hiding behind a wacky screen name.

Who says I'm hiding? I'm not too hard to find I'm the only Expos fan in Montreal (baseball joke) If you knew my name was Erik, does that somehow make me more credible? I posted my location - you didn't. What are you trying to hide? Should I also post my phone number , address, SIN #, tax returns,etc... I have never presented myself as anything more than a newbie. Take my advice for what it's worth - if you disagree - say so. There must be a reason you have chosen to pick on my screen name as opposed to pointing out improper advice I have given.

The use of real names adds credence to posts, promotes more civil exchanges, and will serve to strengthen and differentiate this forum.

What in our exchange was not civil? IMO you came up with a silly scenario to back your argument (however valid the argument was in the first place) and I called you on it. Period. Here is the topic in question so people can decide for themselves.

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... 350#195350

In conclusion: you posted your real name and IMO this did not help your civility (or common sense) one bit.

Regards,Erik

 

[Anonymous]

My real name is Captain Liesure.

 

[jamesw]

Erik and Greg have both "uncovered" something that has been discussed on the internet for years. Screen names.

Unfortunately, as Fishnetters from the 90's will remember, no one was REQUIRED to use their real name to post. They told you that if you were not comfortable using your real name to just use a pseudonym. Remember that Greg? Ah the good ol days.

Many people use their screen name to help describe their interests, or just as a favorite nickname. I use jamesw but you will find that I sign my posts with my real name. That too me seems acceptable.

Another thing we find here is that it's pretty easy to spot someone with an agenda - internet users seem extremely savy at this and literally "jump" at the chance to expose a spammer, or a commercial poster using a fake screen-name. In other instances, we the reefs.org staff sometimes engage a "screen name abuser" privately to resolve any issues. It seems to work pretty well.

So my advice is that if you would like to know who you are "talking" with, simply ask them. It works! If the person isn't willing to introduce themselves, then it's fine to just walk away.

Cheers
JAMES WISEMAN

 

[Anonymous]

The name thing doesn't really matter that much, since Julian Spung, Eric Bornerman, and Scott Micheal don't reply to very many posts at all. so you post your question, listen to the replys, then make your own decision as to what to do.

Evil Kenevil
______________________

Reef Daredevil in a wheel chair. WHOHOO!!!! I always do the opposite of what the concensus says! :wink:

 

[Garry thomas]

Greg using nick names i think is a way of hiding, i always use my name i'm not ashamed :lol:

 

[Chucker]

StE, I don't think Greg intended any offense- your screen name just happened to be a convenient example for the point he was making.


Personally, I don't find screen names to be much of a help or hindrance. I have found that the poster's reputation and quality of advice tend to speak for themselves. I also tend to think that a fair number of regular visitors find that they learn fellow posters' real names as they establish friendships through the board, email exchange, IRC conversations, and in-person contact in many cases.

There are a relatively small amount of posters (the so-called "experts" in the hobby) on the grand scale of bulletin boards where their real name would cause a reader to react any differently than they would to any other person's real name. For most individuals, a real name wouldn't make any difference when interacting with another bulletin board user.

A final note to consider.... anyone can pick a name that isn't already taken when they register - there is no guarantee that a username like "Albert Thiel", for example, is really the Albert Thiel that many hobbyists have read about.

 

[texman]

Personally, I agree with Greg, in that anyone feeling that the Montreal Expos can be saved, has no credibility whatsoever. GO BLUE JAYS!

 

[Anemone]

A final note to consider.... anyone can pick a name that isn't already taken when they register - there is no guarantee that a username like "Albert Thiel", for example, is really the Albert Thiel that many hobbyists have read about.

Who is Albert Thiel? :lol:

Oh yeah, Louey, it's "Evel Knievel."

Kevin

 

[Len]

Welcome to the wonderful world of the world wide web (and alliteration).

I'm with Chucker on this one. Identities, real or fictional, need to earn credibility. It's irrational to suggest that people with real names are more credible then those with screen names based simply on this insignificant difference. I base a poster's credibilty solely on his history of advice. The user's name (aside from established association with his post history) plays absolutely no role in my evaluation. And from my experience, real names don't promote civility in discourse, if the scientific community is any indication

If you took a poll, I'm confident people would not be in favor of required real names as user names. While I use my real name, I also respect those who wish to remain anonymous.

Take all advice with suspicion, whether it be from JoeBlowfish, Leonard, or Greg Schimer

 

[Anonymous]

I use my real name because I felt silly with any screen name I considered. I hear what Greg is saying, and I can see the advantage to knowing who somebody is... I create a bulletin board for some of my classes and require my students to use real names so I know who they are, and it works fine for that.

On the other hand, the internet is a strange place- and I kind of like people to be able to choose their own names. In a way, it tells you more about them than their given name...

 

[King Jason]

How can you have more credit then King Jason...Everything I saw is right...the King is never wrong :wink:

Screen names give it a little more fun and personality. Besides, people have the same name, how can you have three John Smiths on the forum?

I will earn creditability by the things I say, and my advise. Not by my name…it’s just name.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

I say (as far as credibility) let a person's posts do the talking. Very easy to check on a member's history, then make up your mind if their advise is worth following.

Signed,
Someone who has never hidden his name when posting.