Screen names

[Lizbeth]

Is the rule of using your "real name" still in place? I have seen a few that are obviously not people names.

I always really like that we could see a persons name and I think it keeps people nicer.

[Matt in SV]

Lizbeth,

I agree it's important to keep things civil in any community, but at the same time there are privacy concerns: I think I would be much less likely to advertise that I was going to be in Burney Falls next week if someone nefarious could put two and two together and figure out that I would be away from home that entire weekend.

Then there's the problem of running into repeat names. Not to single anyone out, but just looking at today's login at the bottom of the homepage, you can see that even the names are running into similar twins:

• Martin D and Marty D both logged in,
• as did our friends Karen W and Karen L W.;
• RICK H. and Rick Hansen both paid a visit

My daughter picked up a T-shirt for me at the Shakespeare festival last year: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet." So if somebody wants to use a handle, like our newest member Shamrocker, I am totally OK with it, particularly if they sign a first name to keep things friendly!

Regards,

Matt

[Raya]

Hi Matt,

I would consider your screen name to be a name. I mean yes, "in SV" is probably not your last name, but to me it is still in the spirit of things.

Personally, I would have preferred a "handle," like I have on other websites, but the rules said to use a name, so I did. If those rules have changed, I would like to know about it (so thank you for asking Lizbeth).

[Donna D.]

I can certainly see both sides of the issue. But I sure would like to know "who" I'm talking to. Gender helps, use the signature line and put in a real name that identifies who you are... Someone like Matt in SV is fairly new to the forums, he's been a member for five months. Others who are long time members... like years... have a different view point, we've gotten to know one another a bit through the connection of being real people.

BTW: Donna D. is my real name, but my last name does not start with D and you won't find me in Portland, OR... close by, but people outside the area probably wouldn't recognize the city. So using a real name does not necessarily mean giving up your personal information. And even if another Donna D joins, it's doubtful she would have an avatar close to mine. We can all be individuals no matter how close the name may be.

YMMV

[Lizbeth]

I am one of those people who has been a member for years. I have no privacy concerns, I figure if someone on the net wants my info it's pretty easy to get.

Back in the old days here, *sigh*, one had to use a real person name here to be a member. Now that is not to say one had to use their every day in real life name. Some people use a nick name, a middle name or *gasp* even their real name! Mike the founder of the site felt it made people more personable. I agree.

I'm interested to see what the new powers that be have to say about it.

[Roy in TO]

I prefer the real name thing. Even more if it ties in with a handle, like Phil4500.
It makes it a lot easier at meets to put an online persona to a name and face. I see some members have even gone as far as choosing a different colour font to distinguish themselves.

[Raya]

I agree that names are nice. I can go either way, but I would like to know what the rules are, and to have them be consistent.

[Janet H]

We have occasionally had members ask to change their account names for privacy reasons and have usually obliged them. Recently we have been evaluating the current stipulation for a real name and so it is interesting to read these comments.

[Raya]

Thanks for the feedback, Janet

[Sam and Jess]

I think the privacy worries are valid, but real names, nicknames, or nonsense tags, I have to say, this is THE friendliest forum I've ever read.

We've also been researching cars lately and wow, the things people write to one another on some of those owner forums. I'm a fairly sarcastic person, so if I'm cringing... sheesh!

I'd guess, even more than the names people use, it's the "culture" of this forum that keeps people so respectful. It's nice.

--Jess

[Vickie B.]

I agree, Jess! This is a very warm, caring and civil forum!

[Tom U]

Originally Posted by Vickie B.

I agree, Jess! This is a very warm, caring and civil forum!

I'm with the majority- names are best. It is off-putting to communicate with DJ468... very robotic/digital.

BTW, I thought all forums had this community spirit .

Tom

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by Sam and Jess

I'd guess, even more than the names people use, it's the "culture" of this forum that keeps people so respectful. It's nice.

--Jess

I think that the members and moderators really drive the feel of the forum. Peer pressure and the expectation of civil behavior is a powerful motivator. The forum is friendly and members report problems quickly - it's self perpetuating

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Lizbeth

I am one of those people who has been a member for years. I have no privacy concerns, I figure if someone on the net wants my info it's pretty easy to get.

I agree.
I am a member of a culture that learned how to be anonymous for many years, thinking we were safer. Eighteen years ago our anonymity was even legislated "as a protection" by the US Congress. I have learned that nothing is further from the truth. We now have to fight to be recognized as real people.

Mike Sanders created this community to reflect what we had back when I was a child. We used to know our neighbors, and they used to know us. We acted civilly because of that. That is the root of what we have here on this website.

In my "Brick-and-mortar" world, I only really know a handfull of the people who live next to me. That fosters fear and suspicion. I am more comfortable in this internet community.

[Lizbeth]

Good post Fred. I could say so much more but will leave it at that.

[Andy R]

The real names are nice but there are some issues. For example we have the following members and it's very difficult to distinguish them from each other.

Aaron L
Aaron L.
Aaron R
aaronr
Adam B.
AdamB
Adam L
AdamL

This is just from the first page of the member list, the same slight variations happen through out the member database.

The biggest issue has been managing the new member moderation process.

I am still working on a solution but here is how it's shaping up. Members will be allowed to use any username they please but under their avatar it will have their first name and last initial. So that means we might have a user with the name 1999 Scamp and under his avatar it will says "John B".

This way we retain the real name concept but we don't have to police new member registrations. It also allows for easier identification of people because the user names will be more unique.

Current members will have a chance to change their login to a handle but will still need to show a real name. I hope to have this solution in place in the next couple of weeks.

[Roy in TO]

Sounds like a great concept Andy. The best of both minimizing the administration.

[Francesca Knowles]

Interesting thread, this one.

It's peculiar how the tradition of anonymity begun by pornographic websites has held on and become such a mainstream way of doing business.
Traditions arise from the strangest of roots...
Porn was the first industry to recognize the vast commercial potential of the Internet, and for obvious reasons "guaranteed its customers' anonymity" by allowing the use of fake names: that's the The Plain Brown Wrapper of the electronic supermarket.
Now-because "that's the way it's always been done" - everybody is behind a mask, free to say whatever they like without fear of being held responsible for their words or actions.
And many yield to the temptations naturally attached to such freedom and say things that they'd be mortified to have to admit to if they were ever called to account for them. Many people are attracted to that notion. AND it's a very good marketing tool, especially when combined with the baseless notion that the attachment of one's Name to one's Words can lead to some kind of terrible fate.
There isn't a single documented case of any harm coming to a person's self or property as a result of revealing one's actual name on the web.
Not that the facts matter. We prefer to be afraid, I guess.
I think anonymity very bad for public discourse- that is, if back-and-forth repartee between unidentifiable users can be described as such.
Anonymous content, which to this day will NOT be published by the smallest real newspaper in The United States, is the expected "format" of forums like this one.
I suppose it doesn't matter much in FGRV's kind of a setting except for the lapses into rudeness anonymity allows. Whatever keeps folks logging on, right?

But no matter the setting, it matters a lot to me.

Francesca Keep Knowles

P.S.
I'm listed in the phone book, too!

............................F.K.K.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I'm listed in the phone book, too!

Verizon gets permission to stop delivering white pages

Yeah, but will we be able to find you if we don't have the book to look in?

Companies now must grant customers only one free call a month to get phone number information.

[Andy R]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I suppose it doesn't matter much in FGRV's kind of a setting except for the lapses into rudeness anonymity allows.

We actually have rules addressing "rudeness" so if you see any posts that you think are rude, please report them (even if they are by someone using their real name). Our team strives to make sure the community is enjoyable no matter what name the rose goes by...