Hiding behind your screen name

[Curt Bowen]

Curt,
First of all, let me say that I like your magazine.

Now, I checked out your profile and saw a cartoon character. Now look at your quote above. Lead the way Curt, lead the way. You should swap your (all beit cute) cartoon pic of a diver with your real pic.

Did I mention I like your magazine? I really do...

With all due respects....I'm just having a little fun with you.

Dive safe and often!

Thanks about the magazine, The little photo for my avitar is my little baby girl in her baby sidemount gear.

 

[theskull]

Curt,

I do admire the picture you have posted of yourself.

I don't post my name because it is a plain old vanilla name, and my screen name is more memorable. Also, in spite of my awesome exploits as a diver (LOL) only a handful of people know me by name anyway, and those folks also know my screen name. When I answer a PM or an e-mail from the board I always sign it with my name as well as my screen name so the person who cared enough about my opinion to communicate WITH me will know me if we meet at a dive site, and so we can have a more personal communique.

theskull
(and if you knew the origin of that nickname, I'd have to deny it anyway)

 

[headhunter]

Hey Curt,

It's the Internet and that's just how people do it. I think people enjoy the fun of creating a "screen name". I view this as the modern version of the CB craze we saw back in the '70s when people had "handles".

There is also the issue of safety for some. For instance, it allows parents to feel safer about their kids interacting with strangers online. I don't know how many kids we actually have online here, but this allows that them to use "screen names" and feel comfortable, since the adults do it too.

Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. As a smoke screen it makes it easy for people to flame others and talk about things they know nothing about anonymously.

I agree that it adds credibility to one's posts to have an actual name on it. I always put my first name on my posts, but have felt more comfortable leaving it at that. Maybe that just comes from living in Los Angeles and always erring on the side of caution. I guess some would call it paranoia.

I've met people on the board and they have much more information about me. When I think about it, I guess I don't really care all that much.

Christian

 

[Curt Bowen]

So far, I like your answers and can understand many of your reasons for not posting your name. I myself have never run into a problem with a freak.

 

[CBulla]

Personally, this is the only board I use anything remotely like my real name as an alias. In days gone by and even some other boards, people have known me by Atom Bum, NiteDragon, STARCRUNCH, Lone Alchemy, Nyt (said night) Alchemy, and even Gawain de Barri around SCA and Medieval Fair circles. Situation dictates what I use now though, especially since I still hear some of those names hollered out when i'm out and run into people from days gone by.

Sometimes the alias is just something for newer 'net' people feel like 'i-net' users.. sometimes its a whole different persona.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Say, maybe you're not really Curt Bowen after all... but a JT Barker sockpuppet! This sounds a lot like a thread he started on the deco stop a while back.

How would we know... hmmmmm?

 

[Damselfish]

Because there's just way too many crazies in the world ...

 

[Snowbear]

I myself have never run into a problem with a freak.

Most of the time, wackos target women.

 

[DennisS]

I don't use my name online because of the marketers and advertisers. I get enough junk mail and spam. Its just a matter of time before they start harvesting names, crosslinking them with addresses and phone numbers and sending more junk based on your marketing profile.

 

[armyscuba]

Well for an expert in Operational Security..Let Me See...Hi My name is ________ I live at _________ I work during the hours of ___________ and I'm diving all Weekend or I'm on vacation for the Next two weeks...why don't You come by and break into my house and rob me. Hey,,,If you like to post Your name then do it..but there are some of us out here who chose to do so for a reason. I don't hide from anything..I just take precautions regarding personal safety. Don't be neive..this is exactly how not so nice people got alot of information about Your life. Take it from Me. I live it....counterintelligence is a very real issue that everyone takes for granted everyday.