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Jim Rhoades
15-Aug-2006, 10:11
I first read the first thread and did not post. I will now, with some more information. Kirk, here and on photo net I use my real name. On APUG I use a pseudonym because I goofed when I signed up and have been logged as a nick name (Photobum) that would confuse if I changed now.

Now I wish that I had used a pseudonym all along. Why? Click here. www.zabasearch.com
With this search engine it would be easy to check names, address, phone, dob and yes, SS numbers and a background check.

Care to come home and find your 900 pound safe missing? How about a scam artist with a whole new identity? Yours.

The AT&T search that gives home phone, address and a map is bad enough. This zabasearch goes way beyond that. They say you can remove your info by sending a e-mail. Check this out yourself. You may not like what you can find.

Kirk Gittings
15-Aug-2006, 10:38
I understand your point. those services have been out there for many years. But in all honesty my yellow pages ad gives you all you ever needed to know about me and I have had that for 25+ years. I for one have a very public life. As I run a very busy business out of my home, which my clients visit, I personally have no choice but to have a very public presence in the art community and on the web. I also have big dogs, an alarm system and watchful neighbors. Having said that, everything is a calculated risk and i refuse to live my life constantly glancing over my shoulder. I appreciate people, who do not have my necesities, yet still are up front with their identities on this forum. One example:

I have made a number of friends, who I value very much, through this forum. Everyone of them uses their own name here. That, I believe, is not an accident. There is something about honest upfront communication that lends itself to developing relationships.

Ron Marshall
15-Aug-2006, 10:50
There has been a risk of identity theft or credit fraud long before the internet and the digital era. Someone recently charged a flight from Australia to Kuwait on one of my credit cards. I am not any more wary of using my cards than previously, and I cannot do anything further to enhance their security, as I have always been very cautious in that respect.

Lazybones
15-Aug-2006, 10:50
I am not honest, nor am I upfront.

Michael Graves
15-Aug-2006, 15:01
I'm with Kirk on this one. I can either stick my head in the sand and hope nobody kicks my ass, or I can go on with my life. Like him, my profession puts my name in the public eye; albeit a much smaller public than his, I'm sure. It all boils down to one thing. Bad things happen to good people. Very likely something bad will eventually happen to me. Maybe it'll come from posting my name on this page. Maybe it'll come because I rejected a story for Lamoille Lamentations. But most likely, it'll be some random event that found me in the way. I'll keep my real name. But thanks for pointing out the website. I'll send them a request to remove my name so they can join the ever-lengthening group of businesses and organizations ignoring me.

David A. Goldfarb
15-Aug-2006, 15:18
I've experienced credit card fraud on two occasions.

In one case it was probably someone who snatched my credit card number via e-mail--the electronic equivalent of fishing credit card receipts out of the trash. I'd made an international purchase just before the incident, and sent the number in a single e-mail. The purchase went okay. The credit card company cancelled the fraudulent charges, so it didn't cost me any money, but was somewhat inconvenient, since it took several weeks to get a new card. This was maybe 5 years ago. I don't send my card number like that anymore, but I still make many CC purchases online.

More recently I had an incident where many small charges appeared on my card over a period of weeks. When I noticed it and reported the fraudulent charges, the CC company cancelled the charges and sent me a new card in a matter of days. It seemed to be part of a wider ring of fraud where the thieves hacked into the database of a large retailer and captured hundreds of card numbers. There was no way I could protect myself against this sort of fraud, really, other than using a credit card that doesn't hold me responsible for fraudulent charges, as I do, and it worked perfectly.

In any case, neither of these instances has anything to do with whether I use my real name on internet forums, as I've done since 1992 or so, and will continue to do.

Michael Graves
15-Aug-2006, 16:35
David, are you the same Goldfarb that used to publish articles in Peterson's Photographic?

David A. Goldfarb
15-Aug-2006, 17:00
David, are you the same Goldfarb that used to publish articles in Peterson's Photographic?

No. Are you thinking of Norm Goldberg who wrote technical articles for _Popular Photography_?

Michael Graves
15-Aug-2006, 17:16
Could be. They say that the first thing to go is your....Hmmm. What was it, I wonder?

Jeffrey Sipress
15-Aug-2006, 18:37
Gladly, I am not that paranoid.

JW Dewdney
15-Aug-2006, 18:53
I really wish someone could furnish a GOOD reason TO actually use your real name. All we've been hearing thus far are taunts to those who don't.

David A. Goldfarb
15-Aug-2006, 19:00
Do you use a pseudonym when interacting with people normally? How about with people you speak to frequently? If you found out that someone you were conversing with frequently was using a pseudonym, wouldn't you find that a little odd, probably paranoid, and rather rude?

Nick_3536
15-Aug-2006, 19:16
Do you use a pseudonym when interacting with people normally?


I know lots of people that go by nicknames. I went to school with a kid who everybody teachers included called Pluto. The fact we couldn't pronounce his real name was part of it. But even when you can pronounce a persons legal name how does that seem friendlier then calling them by the name they actually like?

Kirk Gittings
15-Aug-2006, 19:29
JW,


I have made a number of friends, who I value very much, through this forum. Everyone of them uses their own name here. That, I believe, is not an accident. There is something about honest upfront communication that lends itself to developing relationships.

Rory_5244
16-Aug-2006, 09:24
So, basically:

Pseudonym user = dishonest person; high likelihood of fraudulent behaviour in public life; deserving of suspicion by other forum members; morally misguided etc.

Real name user = model citizen; righteous in thought and in deed etc.

Strong conclusions! Where's the cohort study? Did you used a parametric paired t-test? What were your confidence intervals, and what was your p-value? What was your null hypothesis? Huh? You mean you just determined causality based on your, um, intuition? I see.

Marko
16-Aug-2006, 10:00
OK, some of us prefer to use their full legal name because they have a commercial interest invested in it and want to further their brand. That's as good a reason as any other as long as it is clearly stated.

However, that is business, that has nothing to do with personal integrity, honesty and all those nice traits that marketing departments everywhere try so hard to associate with their products. "Home-made", "Home-style", "Hearty", "Down to Earth", etc. I'd rather not make any comments on that since George already did it with a vengeance, and so much better than I could ever hope to. ;)

This is NOT to say that personal integrity, honesty, et al cannot go along with a buisness name and interest, quite to the contrary - the best businesses are those that manage to inlcude these qualities. But the two can and often do exist independently.

On the other hand, there are those of us for whom photography in general is just a hobby, and we are here in pursuit of our private interests. We mostly have no benefit from building brand-recognition tied up to our names here. Very often quite to the contrary - we have our names already tied to our businesses and would prefer to keep the hobby separate, as Dr. Pablo has already nicely stated. Therefore, we use pseudonyms here.

I have yet to see an honest reason for this being dishonest and somehow unworthy of trust, as long as we're not hiding behind pseudonyms to wreak havoc of some sort or the other. The kind some adults using their full personal brand names have done here on numerous occassions.

As a matter of fact, just about any reason for using just about any name here should be good enough if used with honest intentions and that's pretty easy to tell.

As for the stale, old "got nothing to hide" argument so often thrown around when all the other arguments fail, there's always good, old "need to know" reason to counter it.

There. :)

Marko
16-Aug-2006, 10:13
Do you use a pseudonym when interacting with people normally? How about with people you speak to frequently? If you found out that someone you were conversing with frequently was using a pseudonym, wouldn't you find that a little odd, probably paranoid, and rather rude?

Pseudonyms or usernames have been around from the moment the first computer network was put to use. Everybody had to have a username to access the network.

Those of us who've been using computers on a daily basis for some time take it for granted. The kids who grew up with them even more so. If you find these pseudonyms odd, you should see what the kids are coming up with! As a matter of fact, it is all this hostility towards pseudonyms and all this insistence on full legal names that I find a little odd, and in some instances even rude.

Both respect and manners are in fact two-way streets. It is my stated desire to keep my christened name private and use a nickname, pseudonym, handle, username, or what have you instead. Those who refuse to acknowledge my reasons and respect my choice should not expect to receive any more in return, full name or not.

To conclude, those of you who are so averse to pseudonyms are missing out on some great literature and other works of art, not even to mention movies or music.

BrianShaw
16-Aug-2006, 10:58
Strong conclusions! Where's the cohort study? Did you used a parametric paired t-test? What were your confidence intervals, and what was your p-value? What was your null hypothesis? Huh? You mean you just determined causality based on your, um, intuition? I see.

Statistics lie and statisticians lie with statistics... you've heard this before, no doubt.

But I believe a multivariate analysis is much more warranted in this situation. With a surname like "5244", however, why should anyone care what statistical tests you propose. Please supply a curriculm vitae to support your comment.

;) :D :rolleyes:

BrianShaw
16-Aug-2006, 11:11
As a matter of fact, just about any reason for using just about any name here should be good enough if used with honest intentions and that's pretty easy to tell.

For many people (the famous, aside) it is impossible to tell if the full name they are using online is their own or just a "more acceptable" psuedonym. Take me, for instance. Google my name and you will find thousands of "me". Narrow it down to 'California' and you'll find hundreds of "me". Narrow it even further to 'Los Angeles' you'll find a dozen of "me". Narrowed even further to a radius of 20 miles from my home address and you'll find 3 or "me". And this is all based on the assumption that the name I use and the city I gave in my online profiles is really true. Maybe I just have a 'thing' for Laker #24; maybe I'm really him; maybe I'm a 13 year old girl looking to find a generous older gentleman friend. This thread has given me an identity crisis. Now I wish I was famous... the famous people with prominent identities not only know their real name, but they are sure which one they are!

raucousimages
16-Aug-2006, 13:34
I posted before my wife had an internet stalker which was real scary, never knowing what she was going to do next. I had a "real" stalker to deal with once. He was easy, one bad confrontation and I threw him down two flights of stairs as my roommate called the police. He didn't want to play anymore. The internet can be more dangerous. people can mess with every aspect of your life and even go after your freinds and family. I have no problem with members useing a pseudonym, anymore I think it is prudent. Remmber that cute 13 year old girl from Santa Monica chatting to your daughter on your account could be a 50 year old unemployed steel worker Pitsburg. Do you realy went to give him all of your info?

Rory_5244
16-Aug-2006, 13:42
"BrianShaw":

Multivariate analysis is only more suitable for dependent variables, and only when they cannot be combined. Statistics mislead only when the methodology of a trial, or case in review, is not understood, or unknown or unlooked for confounders intervene. All statistical calculation should stand up to peer review.

My CV is relevant only to my employers.

I find your comments offensive and discriminatory which, of course, tells me more about you than your name ever will.

Bobf
16-Aug-2006, 14:20
I really wish someone could furnish a GOOD reason TO actually use your real name. All we've been hearing thus far are taunts to those who don't.
Indeed: who was it that were supposed to be the nice, polite ones again? Lol.

I see this fixation as seriously odd. An inability to realise that the world has moved on, as have social norms. A bit like expecting all the men in an office to wear a suit and tie and all women to wear dresses or skirts. Very weird. Very 1980.

What is important is how a person is, not what token they use to identify themselves, or the colour of their skin, or which God they worship, or the size of their bank balance or of their inside leg measurement... Well, I could go on almost indefinitely (and have been known to do so if not forcibly restrained (or bribed with bars of Fruit and Nut chocolate)...).

The point is that it is human nature to divide the world in to "them" and "us" because it makes "us" feel better. Some feel the need to divide the world into ever smaller subsections until "us" becomes such a small subset of humanity that they finally find peace. The fact that this subset eventually consists of one person - themselves - invariably escapes their notice...

I think I referred to WillieShake last time, well here's a bit of GOrwell who also had a take on this subject: "Four legs good, two legs bad". Wish I could separate the world so easily, but exceptions keep popping up to every rule I think I have discovered - annoying that.

Cheers,

BrianShaw
16-Aug-2006, 14:27
I find your comments offensive and discriminatory which, of course, tells me more about you than your name ever will.
Obviously my attempt at marking my post as a humorous response (please note the "smileys") was not clear enough and you were rubbed the wrong way. My apologies.

David A. Goldfarb
16-Aug-2006, 15:13
Pseudonyms or usernames have been around from the moment the first computer network was put to use. Everybody had to have a username to access the network.

Of course, but as long as I've been using computer networks (about 15 years), I've been signing my name in my e-mails and e-mail forum postings, and so have virtually all the people I correspond with professionally, just the way one would when writing a letter on paper and sending it by postal mail.

Of course there are creative reasons for using a pseudonym in publication, etc. This is not one of them.

When you meet someone, you shake hands, say hello, and introduce yourself. That's just civilized behavior. Being the same person online as you are offline is taking responsibility for your words. Adopting a false personna is an abandonment of that responsibility.

JW Dewdney
16-Aug-2006, 15:23
When you meet someone, you shake hands, say hello, and introduce yourself. That's just civilized behavior. Being the same person online as you are offline is taking responsibility for your words. Adopting a false personna is an abandonment of that responsibility.

David - your language betrays you. Why are you thinking of it as a 'false personna'? What's in a name? Given, legal family names could have the same issues. Could David Goldfarb be considered a 'false personna'? What about the fact of using your own, legal, given name creating a false sense of security? Should we assume that people will act with any more integrity? Doubtful. At least, if we use nicknames, we aren't under any such illusions. What if someone uses a made up name that 'sounds' official? What then? Why don't you just think of them as 'nicknames'... you'll feel better. I don't really see HOW you'll ever convince everyone. I think it's a bit rude and invasive to make such a request. And I'd say that ultimately the problem is your own, so maybe try not get yourself worked up about something which doesn't ultimately matter.

Marko
16-Aug-2006, 15:31
Of course, but as long as I've been using computer networks (about 15 years), I've been signing my name in my e-mails and e-mail forum postings, and so have virtually all the people I correspond with professionally, just the way one would when writing a letter on paper and sending it by postal mail.

When you meet someone, you shake hands, say hello, and introduce yourself. That's just civilized behavior. Being the same person online as you are offline is taking responsibility for your words. Adopting a false personna is an abandonment of that responsibility.

David, my point is the following: whatever you decide to do, it is your choice. I may not necessarily agree with your conclusion, but I will respect it as a result of a reasonable thought process of an adult at his right mind. Therefore, I will not question it nor will I try to cajole you into doing things my way.

That's just common courtesy which I routinely extend to anybody on the forum and expect the same in return. Not much to ask, is it?

As for why I disagre with your reasoning: online conversation is definitelly not the same as face-to-face cum handshake meeting of two individuals or a private mail correspondence. It is more like sending an open postcard or, even more aptly, a radio broadcast. I may want you to know my name, but not necessarily thousands of others listening in. Nor would I necessarily want to shake hands with some of them even if I knew they were there and who they are. Again, if you don't mind, you're free do to what you please, just don't make me follow suit.

Lastly, like I said before, if you think you need to know my legal identity, there is an email address attached to my profile. Use it to make your case and if I agree, you'll have your curiosity satisfied.

I think it's fair enough. If you disagree, well, we're still both entitled to our opinion. ;)

Terence McDonagh
16-Aug-2006, 16:16
I tend to use my real name, despite my concerns about identity theft. However, I make no judgement of those who don't. Many of us use computer systems where we must log on with a "screen name", "nickname," etc. I do so to the point where it seems natural for people to refer to me by these appellations over the computer. Working in construction, plenty of people go by nicknames, many of which have nothing to do with their "given" names. Who cares? Is the person upfront and honest? As much as anyone who goes by their "given" name is. Use of a nickname is not indicative of skullduggery.

Having lived with a women who was subjected to both an online stalker and identity theft, I can fully understand why some people have concerns. These concerns are very valid. Go look at your credit card company's advice about identity protection. Or that of many public safety organizations' suggestions about online protection. It's hardly a trivial issue. And it's only getting worse.

That said, I TRY not to let it get to me.

Rory_5244
16-Aug-2006, 22:14
Hi BrianShaw,

Yes, I misinterpreted your post, and I apologise in turn.

schneideriticus
16-Aug-2006, 22:27
Firstly I want to say that I've refrained from posting recently because I picked such a stupid pseudonym! (I was tired and frustrated from a recent case of "Schneideritis"...such is my excuse...)

However this topic gets my blood boiling so I'll try to keep this as brief as I can!

In my former job I was a relatively well known musician and in that profession I used my legal name (which is quite distinctive - I'm very likely the only person in the world with that name) and I believed that using my real name in the phone book and in every aspect of my life was the honest and proper thing to do - however, as a result of having my home address easily discovered I was subjected to two home invasions (one of them armed - both of them insane!) one of which very nearly resulted in the serious injury of my then one year old daughter - as well as numerous creepy phone-calls, thousands of dollars of stolen equipment, people contacting my wife while I was on tour etc. etc.

All of this was the result of people knowing who I "really" was and how to contact me - I agree totally with everyone who's said that it makes absolutely no difference if I call myself bingo23 (apologize if there's anyone here called that!) or George Formby or Peter Hunter or anything else...surely you can tell by what I say wether I'm an "honest", forthright or trustworthy person...

My other point is that it is generally accepted to be good etiquette to use the customs of the place you're in at the time - like pronouncing place names or peoples nuimes like the locals or the person does themselves - even if it's not the way your culture pronounces the words - like in Australia we would say "Looey" Armstrong but it's better manners to say "Lewis" - not that I'm saying pseudonyms on the internet are more polite than real names - just that it's a long accepted convention of the internet and that people's reasons for using one are no one elses damn business! In my opinion.

As for people saying that their public persona as a proffessional photographer is well known and they've never had problems you should try having your head in full page newspaper advertisements every day of the week for years on end and see how many invasions of privacy you get! Sorry for making this so long but I find it extremely offensive to be described as "dishonest" by someone I've never met and I refuse to put my family anymore at risk to satisfy someone else's fascination for "real" names - as it these is I feel quite uncomfortable about posting anything here again - a lot of forums reach this point where they have to decide wether they're going to be a kind of private club for the earliest members and restrict or forbid new members or are they going to welcome people and accept the standards and etiquette of the internet as it is today...

The internet is NOTHING like real life - you have NO IDEA who you're talking to and your comments will be found by anyone who's covertly looking for you - not just by the small group of people who are interested in what you're interested in...anyhow that's more than enough! I still wish I'd picked a better psuedonym!

Jesse Deane-Freeman
c/o PO Box 302
Mt. Barker
S.A. 5251
Australia

jdeanfreeman@optusnet.com.au

Ed K.
17-Aug-2006, 00:25
Hmmm, the concept of snobbery comes to mind again. Using one's full name makes one better than someone else, more legitimate, more professional in a non-professional / non-commercial forum? The " I am better than you because " type argument is offensive to me. Better or worse because you've been or not been published, do or do not work from home, are a beginner or some expert? Who says that any person is fundamentally better than another?

Also, my companies have dbas. When I post, I'm not posting here for the commercial benefit of my companies or to state their positions. Are corporations considered more honest and reputable for their actions or because they bear the full name of their current leading officer?

I thought that this was "for fun and for free; free exchange; free spirit".

For those that demand a real name, are you saying that those of us who do not post our real name are dishonest, "petty", or some of the other things, that we are bad people doing bad things by sharing our various experience and points of views here with you? If so, then you should be happy that you slandered a non-trademarked psuedonym, as otherwise, publishing libelous statements could put your character into question, no?

If one wishes to know a real name, and one has good intentions and needs, or one is curious about some mystery person, why not start by simply asking them in an email from this site?

It's alright to disagree with someone, or with what they do. It's alright to debate with people. But to characterize people, a specific group of people as somehow inferior, incompetent or dishonest is not a good thing to do, and something that I find offensive.

If I am not welcome here for using my first name and last initial, I'll leave and ask that my posts, which have all been with the best intentions, be removed. I personally want no part of any elitist group.

Rory_5244
17-Aug-2006, 14:58
yup

QT Luong
17-Aug-2006, 15:53
The official policy of this forum is that aliases are allowed, although our personal preference is for real names.

If you are going to use an alias (or use digital, vote to support Bin Laden, etc...), there will be always be some other people who will hold some opinion of you because of your choice. Since in choosing to use an alias, the opinion of those people did not count, why should you ever care about it ?

JW Dewdney
17-Aug-2006, 16:07
The official policy of this forum is that aliases are allowed, although our personal preference is for real names.

If you are going to use an alias (or use digital, vote to support Bin Laden, etc...), there will be always be some other people who will hold some opinion of you because of your choice. Since in choosing to use an alias, the opinion of those people did not count, why should you ever care about it ?


QT - I don't even think the people who are using aliases care about it. It's a small (very small) but very vocal group of people who DON'T use an alias that have their panties in a big knot! And they're putting pressure on the alias people.

QT Luong
17-Aug-2006, 16:26
QT - I don't even think the people who are using aliases care about it. It's a small (very small) but very vocal group of people who DON'T use an alias that have their panties in a big knot! And they're putting pressure on the alias people.

"It" in my post meant "the opinion of the non-alias foks". I don't see that anybody got panties in knots. I just see some people explaining why *personally* they have a higher opinion of those who use names, because the subject was brought out as the subject of two threads. I am not sure why the alias people should feel that to be a pressure on them.

Marko
17-Aug-2006, 16:47
The official policy of this forum is that aliases are allowed, although our personal preference is for real names.

If you are going to use an alias (or use digital, vote to support Bin Laden, etc...), there will be always be some other people who will hold some opinion of you because of your choice. Since in choosing to use an alias, the opinion of those people did not count, why should you ever care about it ?

Speaking for myself, I care becasue I respect the participants of this board and I respect their opinion. If I didn't, I wouldn't participate myself.

I don't think it is unreasonable to expect the same in return. And this whole discussion started because some of the "full legal name" members expressed their contempt for the rest of us and branded anybody who does different dishonest.

Now, it's not that I'm heart broken because somebody doesn't agree with me, but I do take exception to being called dishonest.

Ed K.
17-Aug-2006, 16:56
Indeed, personal opinions regarding the opinions of others are, well, personal choices.

It's when the "real name" people start calling the non-real name people petty, or accusing them of hiding, or somehow being bad or dishonest - that's different, that's when it crosses the line. Sure, they are entitled to their opinions and choices, but to start putting people down and doing it in writing doesn't seem all that appealing to me - and that's of course an opinion. I am not passing judgement on them, saying that members of either side are are bad or anything like that. In other words, the person and their character is independent of the choice for an alias or not. A disagreement with an opinion should not carry over into condemnation of the person who does not agree in general.

Another question does pop up however. What constitutes a pseudonym? When I was slammed as "hiding behind a pseudonym" previously, I was using my real first name and last initial. That's odd. Here, the founder ( and so many, many thanks to you QT for being that founder ) uses the first two initials on the display and a last name, in effect, a pseudonym even though it is easy to learn the whole name. Thus, I'm confused about this. How does it go?

Jorge Gasteazoro
17-Aug-2006, 17:09
Does it really matter? In the end you dont really know who you are "talking" to even if a "real name" is used. A good example are those who use 2 or 3 "real names" like some in this and other forums. In the end, if you make a "friendship" with someone who is using a pseudonym that person will eventually reveal his real name to you either on a PM or an e mail. For the others, what do you care what they call themselves?.....

JW Dewdney
17-Aug-2006, 17:14
Does it really matter? In the end you dont really know who you are "talking" to even if a "real name" is used. A good example are those who use 2 or 3 "real names" like some in this and other forums. In the end, if you make a "friendship" with someone who is using a pseudonym that person will eventually reveal his real name to you either on a PM or an e mail. For the others, what do you care what they call themselves?.....

I think you have some excellent points, Jorge. I was trying to express something similar a few pages back. But I think what DOES matter is that we all want to get along and be liked by others - and it sucks when people are 'belittled' because of their choice of 'nom-de-plume' - especially when their intents have never been anything but decent and generous. I'm not aware of anyone using a made up real name... except for Goldfarb and Gittings, of course... come on - can't you be more creative that that?? (just KIDDING, guys!!!)

QT Luong
17-Aug-2006, 17:15
Well, if you are using an alias, you are hiding something - your real name.

When I use my first name Quang-Tuan, people of non-vietnamese background, especially in the US, always start calling me Quang (or, more often, Quan) which I dislike. I've even tried Q-Tuan, and still people would call me "Q", whereas with QT, at least they call me QT :-) The curious thing is that for all their ills, I didn't have this problem with the French.

JW Dewdney
17-Aug-2006, 17:17
Well, if you are using an alias, you are hiding something - your real name.

When I use my first name Quang-Tuan, people of non-vietnamese background, especially in the US, always start calling me Quang, which I dislike. I've even tried Q-Tuan, and still people would call me "Q", whereas with QT, at least they call me QT :-)

And if you're using your 'real name' you're hiding your alias.

robc
17-Aug-2006, 17:17
483

Marko
17-Aug-2006, 17:28
Well, if you are using an alias, you are hiding something - your real name.

And I lock my house too. If you knock, I'll let you in, but certainly not the bum from the corner. I think of it more as being selective than hiding something.

Jorge Gasteazoro
17-Aug-2006, 17:34
I think you have some excellent points, Jorge. I was trying to express something similar a few pages back. But I think what DOES matter is that we all want to get along and be liked by others - and it sucks when people are 'belittled' because of their choice of 'nom-de-plume' - especially when their intents have never been anything but decent and generous. I'm not aware of anyone using a made up real name... except for Goldfarb and Gittings, of course... come on - can't you be more creative that that?? (just KIDDING, guys!!!)

Atherton used Paddy Quinn and I think he has a few others on reserve. I seem to recall there was another guy on this forum who used 2 or 3 different names but I cant recall who he was.

OTOH getting along and being liked is over rated IMO.... :)

Capocheny
17-Aug-2006, 18:02
483

Too funny! :)

.

Frankly, my wife, family, and friends call me "Capocheny" far more often than they do my real name. For them, it's a term of endearment AND function seeing as it relates to my love of cappuccino coffee.

I'm in full agreement with Jorge when he says, "if you make a "friendship" with someone who is using a pseudonym that person will eventually reveal his real name to you either on a PM or an e mail."

I've communicated with some really great people from this forum via email and have always signed my real first name. So, it's a simple thing, if you'd like to know someone's real name... send them an email. :)

Life is far too short to get hung up on mundane stuff like this especially when there are far more important matters to discuss....

Cheers

Wayne
24-Aug-2006, 16:33
Atherton used Paddy Quinn and I think he has a few others on reserve. I seem to recall there was another guy on this forum who used 2 or 3 different names but I cant recall who he was.

OTOH getting along and being liked is over rated IMO.... :)


Yes, it sure puts those threads where Tim and/or Paddy or one of their alter egos were involved into a new light, doesnt it? So much for any credibilty from "Tim Atherton", or "Paddy Quinn" or whoever he really is, and so much for full names being an indicator if credibility.


Wayne

Patrick Quinn
24-Aug-2006, 17:25
Atherton used Paddy Quinn and I think he has a few others on reserve. I seem to recall there was another guy on this forum who used 2 or 3 different names but I cant recall who he was.

OTOH getting along and being liked is over rated IMO....

Yes, it sure puts those threads where Tim and/or Paddy or one of their alter egos were involved into a new light, doesnt it? So much for any credibilty from "Tim Atherton", or "Paddy Quinn" or whoever he really is, and so much for full names being an indicator if credibility.


Wayne

actually, above is incorrect. (who are the other 3861 Waynes?)

Ralph Barker
24-Aug-2006, 17:48
IP addresses often tell an interesting story.

Artur Zeidler
24-Aug-2006, 18:36
IP addresses often tell an interesting story.

Not necessarily. I know at least 4 members of this list in the same organisation as I am (I know two of them are online now because we have just been talking about the list being up again). Our IP addresses are probably similar or, at times, the same. In addition, when we are working on secure projects, our communications often have roving and/or proxy server IP's, as well as piggyback IP's, so communications such as this are often piggybacked on another existing users IP address etc. It's easy to make assumptions, but as my old mentor used to say, assumptions are the mother of all f**k up's



CSE trackback zulu 01:35:59

Ralph Barker
24-Aug-2006, 20:06
Not necessarily. I know at least 4 members of this list in the same organisation as I am (I know two of them are online now because we have just been talking about the list being up again). Our IP addresses are probably similar or, at times, the same. In addition, when we are working on secure projects, our communications often have roving and/or proxy server IP's, as well as piggyback IP's, so communications such as this are often piggybacked on another existing users IP address etc. It's easy to make assumptions, but as my old mentor used to say, assumptions are the mother of all f**k up's
CSE trackback zulu 01:35:59

True, but IP addresses, and the use of anonymizers are interesiting, nonetheless. Can we assume that Tim and Patrick are the other two users with whom you frequently communicate, perhaps at the cerebral level, Artur?

Henry Ambrose
24-Aug-2006, 20:33
Wow, multiple names by one person on a single forum - now thats really greasy.

JW Dewdney
24-Aug-2006, 23:24
actually, above is incorrect. (who are the other 3861 Waynes?)

Actually - you've been misinformed. There are only 3860.

Paul Coppin
2-Sep-2006, 09:35
Using you real name can have unintended consequences, or at the very least, interesting confusions. The internet allowed me to determine that there are at least two or three other people on this planet with the same name as me (so much for my long held sense of uniqueness :( )
One of the gentlemen has been arrested in Europe as a spy, having had some interesting initial difficulty getting his butt out of the sling for being, well, your basic british wanker.

So now I think, oh great, whenever I go to that part of Europe, I have 50/50 chance of having my luggage ripped apart, and perhaps having to spend a few hours with Lady Finger wishing that idiot had stayed home. The thought crosses my mind that using my real name on the web brings up the possibility that I will be confused with the village idiot, and somehow suffer somehow because of it. Using a pseudonym removes that spurious connection, although there may very well be another village idiot out there using the same pseudonym.

BrianShaw
2-Sep-2006, 10:31
Using you real name can have unintended consequences, or at the very least, interesting confusions.
Indeed... there's a guy who lives about 6 miles down the road who has the same name as do I. His credit and luck with women is quite different. There was one week that a bill collector kept calling and repeating "You owe $1600, pay up... now... or else". This was followed (same week) by the woman who left a message "I just want you to know that I lost our baby (click)". My wife didn't know what to think. I had to explain that this guy was the bain of my existance ever since I was first listed in the telephone book. Some day I should try to meet him... he sounds like a fun-loving kind of guy ;)

Paul Coppin
2-Sep-2006, 11:26
Oh, you're not that Brian Shaw? LOL! :D

Dickie Vaara
4-Sep-2006, 22:46
"There is nothing new under the sun." This phrase is specifically discussed in the Old Testament of the Bible, a good deal of which was written about 2000 years ago, and frankly still holds true. The world has not changed much in that time, only grown in population. The number of slime balls, liars, whores, thiefs and murderers, slick politicians, and crooked cops grows in direct proportion to the population.....period!

With the advent of the web, e-mails, and fax machines......the world we live in has certainly been made smaller, and EACH of us has become more accessible as a direct result of that technology. Factor in that sector of the "less-than-desirable" gene pool, and we are back to square one: as strong as the belief is, that people are "basically good", and admittedly I share that belief, there is always someone who will do everything in their power to screw you to the wall, and do it repeatedly, think nothing of it, and sleep well at night.

The name I use for this site is a modification of my real name, and I am comfortable with that. I would have no qualms using my complete name. I signed in to join a forum that caters to my new love, large format photography. But like a gentleman has earlier written here, if I think my security is in jeopardy, I will quickly forget this website ever existed.

Thanks for making this site available to us...I appreciate the knowledge base of those who have come before us who are willing to share their wisdom and insight to make us all better artists.