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Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

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Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#221

Post by john_w_t_b »

cupcake-unicorn wrote: post #163
vinhboy wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I especially like what you said about making your facebook 100% public to rid yourself of the illusion of privacy. I agree. If I am going to put something online, I expect it to be in the public domain. I do however try to keep all my online identities, although all real, separate. For example, I don't link my reddit account on my facebook. It's like having different groups of friends, you don't want to force them to…

Or delete your Facebook, and make an account just for following pages. I did it a year ago and I never looked back.

Yes I did this too. Facebook logon is much more convenient when your real identity is not linked to it.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#223

Post by diminoten »

cupcake-unicorn wrote: post #163
vinhboy wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I especially like what you said about making your facebook 100% public to rid yourself of the illusion of privacy. I agree. If I am going to put something online, I expect it to be in the public domain. I do however try to keep all my online identities, although all real, separate. For example, I don't link my reddit account on my facebook. It's like having different groups of friends, you don't want to force them to…

Or delete your Facebook, and make an account just for following pages. I did it a year ago and I never looked back.

I'd delete Facebook if it weren't so damn useful...

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#224

Post by patio11 »

After having said something out-of-school ~10 years ago as "patio11" on a forum and having someone track that down via not-so-difficult Googling (since I use "patio11" approximately everywhere), I resolved to eliminate the ambiguity and assume that anything I post under any patio11 account goes on my permanent record. Ironically, while it certainly didn't feel like it at the time, this was probably a net win for everyone, since I'm a much more pleasant person to be around on the Internet these days and my Internet reputation has been frequently useful professionally.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#225

Post by Dru89 »

I use the same pseudonym that I use almost everywhere. On many sites it's directly linked with my first name.

I think it's basically the same as my real identity, but I wanted to keep my entire Internet "trail" easy to follow. Searching my username almost solely comes up with links for me.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#226

Post by blowski »

loup-vaillant wrote: post #155
simonsarris wrote: post #70

Yes, and for almost[1] all other things on the internet for that matter. "We should try to be happy, if only to set an example." -Jacques Prévert I try to be as open and plainly honest as possible, and I think using my real name keeps me from being inflammatory, and I think it also keeps other from doing the same to me (at least a little). Put another way, I think using real names makes an atmosphere of more empathy…

An alternative could be to stick to a given nickname in related communities. HN, r/programming, and one's tech blog could form such a cluster. Sure, it's not your "real" name, but it will get a reputation regardless. Pseudonym or real name, people will shun you if you displease them too much. Simply remembering that may be just as effective as keeping one nice. To make that even more effective, one could even make a…

This is what I do. I'm 'blowski' on here, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, email, etc. It's a handle which stuck years ago. So although it's not my real name, it's pretty easy to identify me by it. My profile page also lists my real name and job.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#227

Post by sk00byd00 »

devindotcom wrote: post #48
flatline wrote: post #25

For some reason I'm extremely hesitant to post things under my real name. I don't really care if people know my name on an individual basis (and it's not like I'm a high profile poster anyway), but I am squeamish about it generally, and feel too self-conscious to post anything if my name is associated directly with it. I've tried blogging under my real name and always went back and deleted everything, it caused me to…

I think the future will be one where we're split on this - not as a society, but individually. You will have your public persona and your private persona. I have to be public because I'm in news, but not everything I do has to be associated with my real name, and I take advantage of that when I feel like it. That ability and that habit will only become safer and more accepted over time.

In the future everyone will be anonymous for fifteen minutes -- Banksy

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#228

Post by brickmort »

simonsarris wrote: post #70

Yes, and for almost[1] all other things on the internet for that matter. "We should try to be happy, if only to set an example." -Jacques Prévert I try to be as open and plainly honest as possible, and I think using my real name keeps me from being inflammatory, and I think it also keeps other from doing the same to me (at least a little). Put another way, I think using real names makes an atmosphere of more empathy…

"the illusion of privacy"

damn, that's good.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#229

Post by popeye »

Mz wrote: post #217
popeye wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When the world stops punishing people for having opinions, I'll stop using pseudonyms. Until then, I'm not going to martyr myself.

I wasn't asking you to martyr yourself. I am an extremely controversial figure. As I said elsewhere in this discussion, I kind of have a foot in each camp. I think about such issues a fair amount. I doubt you really want my backstory. Peace.

Didn't mean to imply that you were saying that. I was just responding to your comment about "owning it". If you're a popular and controversial figure you probably have some unique insights on this, so thanks for sharing.

Re: Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

#230

Post by Mz »

popeye wrote: post #229
Mz wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wasn't asking you to martyr yourself. I am an extremely controversial figure. As I said elsewhere in this discussion, I kind of have a foot in each camp. I think about such issues a fair amount. I doubt you really want my backstory. Peace.

Didn't mean to imply that you were saying that. I was just responding to your comment about "owning it". If you're a popular and controversial figure you probably have some unique insights on this, so thanks for sharing.

Oh, I didn't say I was "popular." But the lynchmobs have died down. Yes, I possibly have a unique position from which to develop my opinions on the topic.
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