Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Poll: Do you use your real identity on HN?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 307 posts

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

#131

Post by hosay123 »

Jun8 wrote: post #125

I'm very surprised to see so many people using aliases. Using an alias on HN is self-defeating, if you cannot stand behind your comments personally, why even make them. Not only that but I also never delete a comment

> if you cannot stand behind your comments personally, why even make them

Experimentation?

> Not only that but I also never delete a comment

I delete regularly, particularly if on re-reading the comment I realize I'm a total idiot, or being unnecessarily rude or whatever. I guess if you're unwilling to experiment with new opinions you might never need to delete them..

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

#132

Post by Kaivo »

No, I never like using my real name for things other than contacting people I've physically met or have been in contact with for several years.

I have a nickname I've been using for over seven years. I consider it to be my virtual self but as honest as my real self. I feel that real names are too "official" when used. I fear things I do, things I say, would stick to my person and would cause more harm than good in my professional life. When I tinker things and post them, I'm not doing them as finished and clean as I would do in a work place, it's less official, just to have fun and figure things out, and I don't want that to serve as a proof of how I work, because that's not how I work.

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

#134

Post by JohnLBevan »

conrey wrote: post #84
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…

This indeed - I'm not always the best or least inflammatory, but I own what I say and want to have that reflect on me.

Same philosophy here. I do use privacy settings in FB and G+ just to avoid spamming folk - I'll post things to public which I think anyone who follows/finds me may like, then use privacy for "audience targeting" as sharepoint folk would call it.

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

#138

Post by Jun8 »

hosay123 wrote: post #131
Jun8 wrote: post #125

I'm very surprised to see so many people using aliases. Using an alias on HN is self-defeating, if you cannot stand behind your comments personally, why even make them. Not only that but I also never delete a comment

> if you cannot stand behind your comments personally, why even make them Experimentation? > Not only that but I also never delete a comment I delete regularly, particularly if on re-reading the comment I realize I'm a total idiot, or being unnecessarily rude or whatever. I guess if you're unwilling to experiment with new opinions you might never need to delete them..

On the contrary, I make my share of idiotic or ride comments. However, I feel that those comments, too, are part of my presence on HN, if some one cares to look (I don't think anybody does but I routinely go back and reread my lowest and highest rated comments.
Post reply on HN