Forum Nicknames - I still don't get it?

[Mike Phillips]

Forum Nicknames - I still don't get it?


My oldest article on the Internet dates back to 1994 - look at the header attributes for time, date and location.

How to polish paint by Hand


As I type on Monday, April 26th, 2021 - that's 27 years I've been on the Internet that I can prove. Actually longer as I remember writing how-to information back to 1993.


Point being, I've been on the Internet as long as most and in a lot of cases longer than most. And I still don't get why people use nicknames?



People don't do it on Facebook?

[Dr Oldz]

One thing I wish I would have done differently when joining here.

[Desertnate]

At the time I joined, it was more for personal security reasons more than anything else which are no longer quite as important today. In some ways I still prefer the anonymity, but a few folks on here have bit more personal information on me. I have abandoned Facebook almost entirely for many reasons, but security was always one of the main reasons I rarely participated, even with all the settings locked down.

I do wonder if it allows people to be more open/honest/blunt in some cases for the betterment of the community in some scenarios.

Example: A member has a business with relation ship certain vendors/manufacturers, or they are an employee of a business with those relationships. The anonymity may let them be for more honest about the products being discussed without worrying about the straining relationships with the vendor or an employer.

[TTQ B4U]

Privacy. Also, it's common in Forums. Several I'm still active in have threads dedicated to people needing new names. I've been online since it went public and way back in the early 90's it was list-serves via email and I still use some of my earlier email addresses and nicknames.

[dwaleke]

Mike,

Does the forum allow members to change their screen name?

Perhaps members may want to change to their real name.

Historically the screen name was a short version of your name that was easier to type while logging in. With today's technology no one types their screen name to login any longer.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

Does the forum allow members to change their screen name?

Perhaps members may want to change to their real name.

Yes, the way you do this is PM me and I can make the change.

I'd say PM a Moderator but I'm really the only person "working" on the forum until there's a problem on the forum like a Spammer and someone "Reports" the person and when this happens the "Reported" post is sent to a number of Admins and then it's kind of whoever gets to the problem first.

I never mind changing a nickname to a real name and sometimes people like to change from one nickname to a new nickname.

[Azure]

I suppose privacy would be the top reason, although it seems like it's easy to dig in and find out this info given how many social internet sites and apps they have these days. Most of my nicknames are related to my car. Azure blue was the blue color Ford used on 2003-04 Mustang Mach 1's, so I chose Azure for a screen name here. I was kinda late getting to on the forums and nicknames were prevalent on practically every site I signed up on, so I went with it. I still really like the forums and the way everything is setup, though it seems like forums are losing users year over year. It's so much easier to follow along, search for topics, and contribute positively on the forums.

[Eldorado2k]

What about the guys who put their cars up for sale and do this?




Btw, half the time their stupidity can’t help but show up just a couple of pics later when they suddenly forget to protect their precious lives and do this. Doh! Lol.



How do these people live in such fear? Do they attempt to hide their vehicles license plate from the hundreds if not thousands of other cars they see on the roads everyday? What the heck are these people afraid of anyways? Smh.


IMO these license plate thumb people take the cake. They’re usually the people who advertise their car for sale, yet are afraid to give you their address when you call and want to come check out the car... I’ve come across several people like that.

[Eldorado2k]

Oh and another thing... For the past 20yrs, everywhere I’ve ever been on the internet the name Eldorado is already taken. I think that’s a load of bull... I demand to know who this so called original Eldorado guy is because I sure as heck have never come across a single one of them ever. I wish I could have a face to face to see who the rightful owner of my name really is because I’m confident I’d be given the rights. Even here on this forum there’s supposedly an “Eldorado”

Ok rant over. But if that so called Eldorado guy reads this, I’m calling you out. Show yourself. Lol.

[Lance Mark]

Mike, until you brought it up to me in another thread recently, I'd never considered it. In the many online communities I've been a part of this has been a common practice.

Unlike Azure, I've been into forums as long as I've been into computers and gaming.....30 years.

I've always chosen to be anonymous with rare exceptions. On a motorcycle forum, I recently suggested that Sons of Anarchy was like a modern Shakespearian tragedy and I was threatened with a 'tune' from a tough guy MC member. Other members have joked that he's scouring SE Michigan looking for me. Now I've met folks inside of these communities and have made some lasting friendships, but by and large, the folks have always known me by a handle and not my real name.

Real or perceived, my consistent policy to stay as anonymous as I can on the internet gives me a degree of comfort. I don't use my real name on social media like FB, Twitter, etc. I'm not all over social media and in fact see those channels much like public swimming pools. Mostly good, clean stuff....mixed with some urine, snot, and fecal matter.

That doesn't change this though:

Honesty and kindness are the best guideposts in life. I hope my posts never give you a reason to think I believe differently.