For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By Andrew Sinclair
#1271999
Silvaire wrote:I'd urge anybody revealing their identity to an unknown group to consider the possibilities. The results of a reaction by a disturbed individual could potentially change your life, no exaggeration and based on experience.
:clap:
#1272000
I would have no problems putting my name to any of my posts, but I can understand many reasons that people choose not to.

My username is pretty unique and known in varied circles and across the world. A friend from the kite world recently asked me how I was getting on with a PA speaker project!

There is also another forumite on here with (I believe) the same name as me, and pretty much the same geographical location.
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By jollyrog
#1272002
I am a well known international film star and am constantly suffering unwanted female attention.

If they knew I was a pilot too, my life would be hell.
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By SteveN
#1272004
vahgatsi wrote:Since I have always used my own (sur)name in these forums, I agree with Andy.

If you don't have the courage of your convictions, if you don't stand behind what you say, why say it?

Often when you meet someone at an airfield/flying club it would be nice to put a face to a name.
I find the anonymity of people on these forums unnecessary and occasionally frustrating and finally, I do not agree that discussions would be any less lively. We have lively enough discussions at the flying club when we all know each other well.

I am who I am (as per my signature below) and not ashamed of it or any views I choose to express.


If you go into an airfield restaurant or club how would having real names help you identify forumites? People don't wear name badges. That is why the "Flyer lanyard" was produced by Ian and many of us have them.

More generally using real names on the internet carries identity fraud risks as you are publishing to the WORLD your personal activities not just other pilots. Add G-INFO to the mix and If you are an aircraft owner your name and address is a few clicks away courtesy of CAA. It is also one reason why the LAA forum is now a desert.

That many not be important to you but is to some including me.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1272007
I'm not important enough to be anonymous.

And I mostly stand by everything I say, at least in those 5 minutes, though some things are said in jest or deliberately tongue in cheek!

I wore a name badge on my Flyer lanyard at Friedrichshafen. Still no one recognised me! :D (not 100% true, but not many did!)

It's only in the past few months I've got to meet kanga, as whenever I go to any bash where he should be, I've asked if anyone knows who "kanga" is, only to be met with blank looks.

Though if you go into Blackbushe and ask if they've seen "Iceman", everyone knows who you mean! ;-) In fact, if you ask for him under his real name, the response is usually, "You mean Iceman?" :D

I've known Pete L for a number of years and still can't remember his surname...
Last edited by Paul_Sengupta on Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:57 pm, edited 3 times in total.
By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1272011
I have mulled this over many times in the years I've been on the forum, and on balance, I would not want anonymity to end.

There are many times when I wished I, and others posted under their real names, particularly when we've had the very occasional troll who has thought it amusing to post under multiple handles and wind everyone up. I really don't find that amusing.

However I know that very many frank tales / admissions of mistakes or wrong doing that appear on this forum, would not be told, if there was a possibility of the poster being identified, and as a consequence, readers would not learn from the experience of others - and people could quite easily die.

I have a professional life - and a private life. I prefer to keep the two very separate. I suspect many other forumites may have similar views.
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By Bob Bevan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1272012
Does this mean I have to start using my real name of Crouching Tiger?
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By Flintstone
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1272019
Silvaire wrote:I'd urge anybody revealing their identity to an unknown group to consider the possibilities. The results of a reaction by a disturbed individual could potentially change your life, no exaggeration and based on experience.


Look, I told you I was sorry. You just can't let it go, can you? :D




Lefty wrote:I have a professional life - and a private life. I prefer to keep the two very separate.


Let me guess, in your professional life you're known as Righty?
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By Keef
#1272021
There are a number of folks on the Forum who would not post if they were required to use their real names, for a variety of valid reasons. Some have given their reasons above. Others are quite happy to use their real names - nothing says they can't.

The server software identifies most cases when someone tries to use a second username, so with a couple of exceptions (who we allow to think they haven't been detected), duplicate names are zapped.

I suspect more people know me as Keef (the name my mother called me from about 1945 until she died) than by my real name. I don't hide my real name, and several forumites have found my "work" e-mail address by a process of sleuthing that didn't challenge their little grey cells too much.

I don't think it's broken, and see no pressing need to fix it.
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By Human Factor
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1272022
There are a number of people on the forum who know my identity. Understandable really given the subjects I usually post on. However, I have no wish to identify myself publicly for the simple reason that one can be selectively quoted and I would not wish a "selective quote" to be subsequently attributed to me by name, rather than "nom de guerre". I am aware of legal ramifications of posting on internet forums.

Should anonymity on this forum end, I will stop posting. End of.
By PeteM
#1272039
Anonymity in itself is not a problem. The basic problem is people taking advantage of it to stroke their own egos. If there was a measure of restraint and good manners this thread would probably not exist.

instead a serious egotist struts forth his opinion - which being an egotist is of course the only possible explanation, and innocent people are damaged. The biggest problem is that the people who do these things are the least resistant to the ideas of good manners or personal responsibility.

Look at the completely moribund LAA forum if you want full identification. Much better to ensure that blowhards are 'outted' and subjected to the level of ridicule they deserve.
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By Keef
#1272046
Was your nose always that long, Marj?