Time for a vote

[Homemade 911]

I like my handle...I also agree with Eade & Company, in that using your real name is a lot more forthcoming, and would probably short circuit a fair amount of BS that hiding behind an alias generally allows.

That said: From now on I will sign off of my posts with my real name - I sorta do that now, just not consistently...

Cheers
R/Thom Kuby

[rodrv6]

I've got my name, location, and even my car's chassis number in my signature. If we want to convert to our real names rather than screen names, I have no problem at all with that.

[37yrold911]

I have something to hide.


Besides how can you be sure a name is really the person's real name?

[Tom F.]

I have an unusual last name. As a lawyer, I would like to keep a low profile on the Internet, as far as my personal life goes. I used my full name on the Brickboard Volvo hobbyists' site. Now, whenever potential clients do a search on my name, they can learn that I fixed my own Volvo ten years ago. Even though some people would find it interesting or even amusing, it's not what I want to emphasize. So, I vote for leaving things as they are.

Tom F.

[72targa]

Agreed, and I guess I'm having trouble with what issues the supposed anonymity brings up...??? Can't somebody just make up a name, like "tom smith", and just use that...? So I use a handle....I'm not sure how using my own name is going to stop me from flaming someone.

Mine grew out of my ebay "name". I'm pretty much hiding in plain sight...when I sell something or buy something on ebay, all the early 911 guys know who it is.

I just don't get it.... more and more I just end up communicating with member friends away from this board.

Eric Sigvard Linden aka Soterik on: Ebay, Rennlist, Pelican, 912Registry, The Diesel Board, VW Vortex, Samba, and probably a few others...oh, and for "now" the Early S Registry.

Eric:

I hope you stay on as you are a true wealth of info and an entertaining commentator. What drove me to even broach this subject was the recent mini-flurry of spammers listing horrid web addresses in Off-Topic. They get pulled quickly but I would really like to figure out how to reduce or actually eliminate that type of activity on this site. Probably naive on my part. I appreciate hearing your and the other opinions on this topic.

[Macroni]

I have an unusual last name. As a lawyer, I would like to keep a low profile on the Internet, as far as my personal life goes. I used my full name on the Brickboard Volvo hobbyists' site. Now, whenever potential clients do a search on my name, they can learn that I fixed my own Volvo ten years ago. Even though some people would find it interesting or even amusing, it's not what I want to emphasize. So, I vote for leaving things as they are.

Tom F.

Same here. I used my name w/ no issue until it started to come up in business meetings. Then I changed it.

[steven0401]

RGruppe forum uses real names. Something friendlier and sometimes more civil (except of course Bob Tilton).

[berettafan]

well, no. i just don't see the drama of real name vs. screen names.

some folks have a lot invested into their forum names and it's nice to know who is who from one forum to the other. in addition, a recent breakdown on Pelican has shown that the less personal information you put on the net the better.

Any of the regular posters here would be welcomed into my home with open arms and a hot meal on zero notice. that is to say i feel a comfort level with so many folks whom i have NEVER met and clearly the screen name thing does not get in the way of this.

[sweetE]

Since this is a Porsche related form, I want to relate to my Porsche

[sithot]

Agreed, and I guess I'm having trouble with what issues the supposed anonymity brings up...??? Can't somebody just make up a name, like "tom smith", and just use that...? So I use a handle....I'm not sure how using my own name is going to stop me from flaming someone.

Per Eric's commentary, whether I use my name or not isn't going to temper my commentary.
Internet search engines can find you one way or the other and I'm not sure that using real names is a great idea unless you are totally oblivious to the power that they "potentially" hold in unscrupulous hands. This isn't a "1984" scare tactic on my part. It's a fact.

I know a lot of folks here and none of them come looking for me using my "Sierra Hotel" handle.

I am Tom. Tom I am.

Best,

Tom