When registering, could you consider using a real, or real-ish name? Sometimes talking to the ‘phantom bandit’ really gets in the way of me expressing myself. I’m sure this affects others, too.
Seriously, a lot of communication is mediated by the person you’re speaking with. Real or real-ish (or at least appropriate) names seem to help.
On a self improvement forum, for instance, it’s a lot easier to talk to someone named Richard, or even someone named “The Self Improvement Maestro”… something related to the topic at hand.
Chatting with the “Dark Demon 666” or “loserboy”, doesn’t really make for as productive a time.
If anybody wants to change their names after they register, just let me know. I’ll probably change my own soon, so it’s more than just a first initial and last name. It’s not so bad, but I could make it better.
Futurist is actually pretty good for this forum, as far as monikers go.
Just imagine that you’re physically across the table from someone… and you’re using their name as you speak.
Do it add to the conversation or detract?
If it’s a name that’s conducive to chatting, so be it.
Futurist reminds me of those guys from Wired Magazine. I can’t remember the one, but one changed their name to be ‘future like’.
There is one example of a writer I can remember… a “transhumanist”? He wrote a lot about the future and liked “upgrading himself”.
Anyway, he changed his name to FM-2030, if I remember correctly. For the discussions he likely involved himself him, no doubt this name actually helped.
So “Futurist”, if you like that… go on ahead! And welcome!
I got the handle “Noblelady” or “Noble” for short b/c my name is Donna, and that’s one of the meanings
I kind of like it because its not only a name but also an aspiration…but hey…
call me anything but late to the party!
I Think it is a great idea! I prefer to have all my identities the same, since it just makes more sense to me. Plus, if I ever meet anyone on the forum in person, they don’t have to refer to me as my nick. But that’s just me…
May I ask why? Do you think someone will try to you your name against you? What can someone do with your real first name on the internet? Or real pictures for that matter? I am just curious, and I respect all who prefer to use pseudonyms. One of the reasons I use my real name is that Im too lazy to remember a whole bunch of nicks!
I’d like to say there’s some real significance and depth to my choosing it, but honestly, when I picked this handle while registering on LS, I looked around my room to arbitrarily find something to use. I happened to have a plaque from my frat and my operations management book in front me at the time. My book was turned to some formulations that made heavy use of the standard deviation (which takes on the greek symbol for sigma as a variable), and Sigma is the last greek letter in the name of my business frat. And thats how my name came to be =)
I find unique nicknames can help me remember where/when/etc I might ahve known someone from. If they call me by the name I used in High School it can narrow down where we met. After 50+ years the memory starts to fade (at least for me) [or fills up] and I need all the hints I can get.
Plus I also to keep my identity private unless I feel comfortable enough to introduce myself. And there is the real issue of ID theft. The internet is far too public.
I’ve used Countesszero for many years now. It’s only because I am a Countess and I demand recognition. I prefer not to use my real name in most situations because of the work that I do and people I meet.
My online identity has been ilsa for about ten years now. I prefer to be known as that in order to maintain a certain degree of privacy when the situation warrants it. There are too many stalkers out there, and I have been stalked before. But I don’t really mind if anyone here knows my first name. Call me ilsa or Kristen- I’ll answer to both names.
hahahaha
i have been using my name for years and i’ll be damned if i can get anyone to stalk me!!!
and you know whats funny, my name is a fourletter word and people STILL shorten it.
atleast my friends and family do.
they joke about the sound of it, i just tell them
" I AM THE LAW (LOR)"
we’re newenglanders…
If somebody starts to stalk me online, I’ll hack the shit out of his computer .
First I’ll start by deleting 1 file out of 100 on his whole computer, it’ll be so corrupt that he won’t even be able to start it. If he really pisses me off, I’ll make his computer catch fire once I calculate the hours when he sleeps by over clocking it and that will fry his computer’s chips, his computer room will smell like burnt rubber. HAHAHA, i would also turn off his computer fans, it’ll take only an hour before parts starts to break.
I would probably start by sending him pop ups that say “Stop stalking me online or ill defend myself by breaking your computer in online self defense!”. If he is just annoying, I’ll scare him by opening and closing his CD drive.
this is actually my altar ego’s alias’s alias. and i’m not willing to come out of my closet just yet. you just never know who’s decided to google you and what they’ll find, and I prefer to feel free to fully be open about my experiences.
SteveO is about as real as I tend to get. However, my online identity is well known and is the name of my company. I don’t use it anymore as too many people know the company and would easily be able to identify me.
It’s strange to think, but by using my name I actually conceal my identity better than using my online identity.
