141–150 of 166 posts
This seems pretty obvious to me. When you are working to build a positive reputation online you use your real name. When you are taking part in things you don't want associated with your reputation you use an alias. You don't want to never use your real name. You want to be googleable, but you want it to be mostly positive.
I do not want to be Googleable.
When I got on the intertubes, oh-so-many years ago - the rules were simple: the ONLY piece of information you could freely give on public forums, or IRC, was your nick. Now, the only piece of information you are supposed to withhold is your credit card number. I'll say this about the new ways: I'm extremely glad that I didn't have my teenage years documented and archived. Dodged that bullet!
When I joined the internet, there was Usenet. And Usenet etiquette (at least for de.* which is what I had to restrain myself to due to the general lack of English) required you to provide a real name, so that's what I've done. This made me much less reluctant to use my real name later on. However, just as my real name, my pseudonym also stuck and I try to get it whenever I sign up for a service. That way I'm twitter.…
HN is about the only place I don't use my real name these days, and I wish I could change my profile here so it was. If you're a professional and try to be nice online, I doubt it'll hurt you with anyone you care to be associated.
You are incredibly short-sighted if you believe that. Imagine if you have been or are being stalked or harassed or your children or spouse is. Victims of abuse.
Other people who are hurt by using their real names:
http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Who_is_harmed_by_a_%22Rea...
I do believe that access to anonymity is very important- it allows the oppressed, etc to speak up. But as a person in a generally privileged position, I find that leading a fully public life makes me more accountable, think harder, etc. I have all the upside with little to none of the downside. So it's a simple decision for me.
I've been very outspoken about local political affairs, and I have strong opinions on things. Sometimes I've said things that have gotten me into trouble, but I make it a point to constructively engage the criticism I receive. I've always placed a high premium on having the space to speak up for what I believe is right, and I am headstrong and naive enough to declare that I wouldn't want to work for or with anybody who thinks that's an outright problem. It's not in my nature to be secretive. It would end badly for both of us.
Do I have absolutely nothing to hide? Meh. I don't want to make such a bold claim. I'm sure I've said and written some embarrassing stuff.
I can think of a few things I'd like to say from the cover of anonymity, but these are usually fun little sideproject-y type ideas, far down my priority list. I'd prefer to work on things publicly that get me into interesting circumstances as a person.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sociological studies bla, bla - TL;DR: You are more civil when people recognize you. You are more likely to act in the "interest of the group" when you sign stuff with your real name. At least that's the state of the research to my best knowledge.
please do not confuse correlation and causation. i see the correlation, obviously, but i do not see the causation. in fact causation could be the other way around. those who behave well are more likely to sign with their real name.
[0] https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/12420
I use my real name here and in a few other online communities. The choice wasn't intentional. I'm just really self-critical about the dorkiness and unoriginality of any usernames I'm able to come up with. (Pop culture, video game, and sci-fi references tend not to age gracefully beyond a certain period in one's life.) HN has been my first major experiment with RealName™. It's gone fairly well so far. People who want…
I first tried using my real name back when blogging started (around the same time as Journaling file system buzz on Linux). It was difficult to switch gears from attention seeking. I "lurk more" when using my real name since I try to use communities where other people are more insightful than me. Also I noticed a common pattern of "20 questions" when I was using aliases about innocuous Questions Answered Frequently t…
Those are the best kinds of communities! Maybe that's part of the reason why I use my real name here: this community keeps me honest (and on my toes). I'm not sure whom to attribute it to, but the old quote applies: "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room."
Let's just say that, on HN, I never feel as though I'm in the wrong room. :)
I use my real name everywhere online. The reasons why are pretty straightforward: 1. It reminds me to be civil and think before I post. 2. It makes it easier for other people reach out to me based on things I've posted (I have a fairly unique name). Pseudonyms are relatively easy to 'decode'. If I wrote something particularly dumb, offensive, or stupid, and someone wanted to pin that on me, I'm sure they could given…
1. It reminds me to be civil and think before I post. That sounds very much like "I don't kill people because I'd get caught". Why can't you be civil (whatever that means) and think just because?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I felt the same way about nicknames, but at some point I realized that I had a digital trail attached to my online-name that was a mile wide. I figured I might as well just start using my real name (which is rather unique already). Also, I find your story of rules interesting. When I was first introduced to the internet (when I was about 7 years old, in school), the one "rule" I remember being told to us over and ove…
Wow, you must be very young, i.e. 10-12, or have very perceptive teachers. I feel that teachers and other authority figures still don't get it , especially those above 40 who aren't in a Internet/computer-heavy field. And even young folks in the tech field still don't realize it (basically everyone who uses something like SnapChat too enthusiastically)
I use my real name everywhere online. The reasons why are pretty straightforward: 1. It reminds me to be civil and think before I post. 2. It makes it easier for other people reach out to me based on things I've posted (I have a fairly unique name). Pseudonyms are relatively easy to 'decode'. If I wrote something particularly dumb, offensive, or stupid, and someone wanted to pin that on me, I'm sure they could given…
This may be true but it inevitably makes you dishonest. There are things that you believe or feel about certain things that you will never post. These omissions equate to a lack of honesty (you are not voicing your full opinions)
The internet is one of the last places where people can say what they feel. Sure some are jerks about things but these people are just being honest. They really are jerks. They might hold it all inside when offline but this is because of sensitivity conditioning and political correctness. These things only hide the true problems of our society. Do you think that because racism is repressed by PC and an agenda of a few in places of power to impose swift public embarrassment and isolation those honest enough to express their opinion that it does not exist?
If anything, this exacerbates the problem. It is funny that many want to legalize drugs so that those with drug problems can come forward and receive help without being demonized, yet those same people just want people dealing with hatred and bigotry problems just to keep it inside until it eats them (and their lineage) alive.
>2. It makes it easier for other people reach out to me based on things I've posted (I have a fairly unique name).
This simply is not true. What forum or internet based messaging means today does not have email, twitter, Facebook ETC. where anyone who just read your info can contact you?