names on the forum

[Des]

Something that I have often pondered about, is names/nicknames/aliases on forums,

I like to call people by their name or surname, Brian, MrCrump, Ian, etc....

maybe I'm just nit picking but its annoying when you have someone who is "big fat low riding 6.9"

I am Des and call myself Des because that is who I am

granted you can only have so many Andrew's, Bob's, Michael's

Maybe the admin team can somehow encourage people to, if they so desire to change their nicknames to their first name or first name and surname initial.

[CraigS]

I agree that it can be confusing, particularly when the forum name IS a name, as opposed to a tiitle, and yet even that name is not their real name - make sense ? However, a number of people like to use the same name on a few forums, so I don't see any easy solution to that one - except for perhaps "signing" your post.

Craig

[crayford]

Well, I came in as Crayford for the obvious reason, but also because I was a bit tentative about wandering in as a woman. Crayford seemed a good alias.

I'm off to change my signature now, to include my proper whereabouts and my name. Won't change my username just yet, although if Kermit goes I might have to  .

I'm happy to be called Caroline by anyone who wishes to do so - now that I'm comfortable and welcome in here! I like Mr Crayford as Mr Crayford, because I feel a bit superior when he remains nameless . But you can call him Andrew.

[Des]

so I don't see any easy solution to that one - except for perhaps "signing" your post.

Craig

That's a good point, people can put their name and location if they are comfortable with that in their signature.

[Andrew280SEL]

I am Des and call myself Des because that is who I am

granted you can only have so many Andrew's, Bob's, Michael's

I agree Des.

Although as we have seen, people like 13B who have their name in their sig works really well, as we've seen raised in this thread.

I can certainly think of some 'names' you might be thinking of that are a little over the top. I hope I don't cross that line, after all my name is still there and I think it personalises me somewhat.

Of course, I have my first name in my forum name...only with 280SEL attached on the end.

[Brian Crump]

One of the contentious issues with the Internet is that there is no easy way to tell if someone is the person whom they claim to be. It is possible for a contributor to pretend to be someone he/she is not - mostly harmless but sometimes misleading and dangerous. For example, on a forum I would act only on advice from someone whom I knew or from someone whose track record had proven their knowledge and reliability. If Styria or PB gave advice I would believe even when my life depended on it. They have a track record of being trustworthy.
A contributor can easily construct a plausible fantasy and mislead without any difficulty. These are the dangerous posters - but, it is also a case of believer beware!!
Some forums use only real and verifiable names - some take it a step further and verify names against club membership lists!!! Hardly necessary here.
Apart from all this, I don't really care what people call themselves but I do prefer to know that the person I am dealing with is real, his/her location is real and that at least part of the name is real. For that reason I use my real name as does Miss O.
Regards,
BC

[CraigS]

So, on this basis, are you inclined to believe, or disbelieve M.O.T.S ?

[Brian Crump]

Personally I believe that for which I have evidence.
However,  Lewis Carrol once gave wise advice and recommended that one could  believe as many as 6 impossible things before  sitting down to lunch without upsetting the balance of truth in the world.
On the balance of probabilities, I DO believe M.O.T.S. and I as a necessary assumption, I do believe in the existence of M.O.T.S.
M.O.T.S. assures us that all will be revelealed. The great truths of religion are also revealed. Thus, I suspect (no evidence here) that M.O.T.S. is a Man Of The Cloth, as I explained in a previous post.
Of course, all knowedge, and thus all belief if it is to be more than mere superstition, is tentative. As more evidence comes to hand I may have to update a few truths. 
Regards,
BC
PS; Time for Port and Bed.

[WGB]

Worrying about "real"names seems a bit like nit picking to me.

WGB are the initials of my names and surnames.

It is usually well known to everyone in the English Speaking World that Bill is short for William and everyone I wish to know on this forum either knows or is welcome to know my name and address.

We do however have intruders and bots on this forum and I see no reason to give it all away on the first pass.

Bill

[oscar]

I liked the who are you thread.  But as far as handles, id's, nicknames, I just like a name that's easy to refer to when addressing someone whether it be by real name or nickname.  I originally was mb350 which I thought might get confused with the car when being addressed so I changed to oscar which was the name of a long lost dog.  I don't mind being called Simon, my real name, but I like the novelty of forum id's. 

[s class]

I'm with you Bill.  Most of the regular posters here have communicated with me off line, and they all know who I am and where I am.  But I'm not throwing it all out there, because this is actually a very public place.  Its easy to forget that and only pay attention to the 20 or so regulars inside our little group ,forgetting about the many guests looking in everyday - and they could be anybody. 

[OzBenzHead]

My two cents' worth:

Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever,
And we take them out and
Show ourselves
When everyone has gone.
Some are satin, some are steel,
Some are silk, and some are leather;
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on.

(Billy Joel song The Stranger)

[Des]

thanks for the comments guys, I do, after seeing your points raised agree with Bill, Ryan etc.. what has been said

as for MOTS well, personally it seems rather immature to hide and play kids games, "all will be revealed" etc


I just don't see the point to such things.

[John Hubertz]

Just as a mild but quite personal philosophy, I "sign" my life whenever I can.

Like most people with interesting personal lives, I have a nickname, a "street name" if you prefer, and that name is "Preach" or "Preacher John".

I learned from experience that the great risk is in fearing others - that the price of mistrust and suspicion is far greater then the potential vulnerability to a world that includes a few predators.

I also know that fear and shame or a lack of openness with friends or family can lead one to never be truly known by anyone.  I am as open as possible about who I am, where I am and what I believe in.  Like all people, some aspects of my life are not the choices that others prefer - but I would rather endure their criticism then live alone by being only partly known by most people.

I trust everyone - I pick up hitchhikers, can sleep peacefully with my windows down or my front door unlocked, and loan things to strangers.  I invite people to dinner if they look hungry.  If asked a question, even if it about something personal like my mental illness or addiction issues, I answer with honesty.

My children know me, and my issues.

My family knows me, and my issues.

My mirror knows me too - and it sure looks better now that I live openly and without fear.

Just a thought.

John Edward Charles Hubertz
2816 Palisade Drive
Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA  46806
tel:  260.447.2811

PS:  I like socks for Christmas.

[OzBenzHead]

JH: Well said!

I have lost - in the past - far more that mattered from being secretive (e.g. staying in my closet) than I've ever lost from being an 'open book'.

Whilst I respect others' rights to the privacy levels they choose, I'm not a particularly secretive person (though am good at keeping the secrets of others - of which I have zillions, having formerly been a counsellor for 25 years).   

I do use appropriate screen names online - but back them up with my real name and my location (where there is room for the latter - not always possible with the likes of a 255-character limit in forum signatures).

I also always pick up hitchhikers, invite strangers home for meals, let unknown people into my life, and it has cost me ... let's see ...

Over many decades such openness (including living largely in unlocked - even unlockable - houses) has cost me the grand sum of $20, one bottle of vodka, one small bag of smoking material, and one black eye.   Not a high price at all, really, and it sure beats living a paranoid, deadlocked, security-screened lifestyle.

If there's been one real glitch in all that, it's been a recent year of extremely unpleasant, unwelcome phone calls from a known individual (never cross a bitchy quean who has nothing better to do that annoy you!).  The consequence of that is a recently changed phone number to a "silent" (unlisted) one - that all friends are welcome to but which remains non-directory.  Others may also have the number on request - I'm just protecting it from one idiot.   My e-mail addresses (all 12 of them) are publicly accessible.

Life is too short (and too much fun) to be paranoid and secretive.

That's my style, my choice.  It is no better and no worse than anyone else's choice - it's just mine.

Gordon Balfour Haynes
124 Dalley St
Lismore NSW 2480
Australia