EO User names, non de plume's, or nicknames

Bonz

someone was pleased to meet you?


well i'l be.............:-P



lol.

Gooday Bonz,
I've been called lots of things over my lifetime, but rarely do I answer to anything except my own name. There are the odd exception of course; like when a really close mate calls you something other than a "christian" name... But I wouldn't let someone else get away with that..... Not unless they were bigger and stronger.... lol...!

Yes, so I guess names are important, especially when used in context.... (:
regards

Hi Bonz

I like to refer to a person by name not a tag or user name. My user name is my ham callsign. Its recognisable world wide as I have been very successful in contests and was Australian HF Champion for a few years. I am not hiding in any way. This is a communications medium and as such I feel that it is most appropriate. Several hams have sent me PM's after recognising the callsign. From overseas hams as well as Australian ones.

I don't mind nicknames. That's an Aussie tradition. I always had one but it is too short for a user name.

But some user names are down right ridiculous. They show a characteristic that should be hidden not promulgated on the WW stage. Maybe even an ego problem somewhere. They can give an insight into a not-so-good social characteristic of the user. But be careful it may be a front as well. Not what I would call an honest and balanced approach to meeting people. These ones I give a miss.

For what its worth I always sign off with my real name, Phil, so that people can "talk" to me if they wish and not a computer name.

Phil

Hey Bonz,
A bit off topic but you sure are an oldie.
I don't think any of the EO Names you have mentioned are still members of Exploroz. (Oh, you left out Pesty)
Roachie does still "appear" as a visitor now and again but the others have drifted off to other interests.

Most of those folk I have met on gatherings. Gee they were the good times before more liberal moderation rules were implemented and turned people off.

(Gee, now I'm probably going to get moderated)

See Ya!
Bill.

Hey Bonz check out Thread 68808, re: putting faces to names, there was a bit of interest in that, only trouble was some of the Faces were Scarey lol lol.

Cheers

With peoples paranoia about their identity, I doubt if it will ever happen.
I think, as you have done, Bonz (VIC), the State of residence would be an excellent idea, although some forums have location in the displayed profile & the majority choose not to put it, I can't understand why not, I doubt if anybody could track them down & stab them!

Hi Bonz,

My last Name is Wilkinson and as Oz tradition dictates Its shortened to Wilko. Everyone calls me it even at work. My old sticks started calling me it when I was a pup. I dont mind what people call me as long as its not late for dinner ( I love a good feed) I Like the quotes that people put on their profile.

Cheers Wilko

Yup! Hiding behind a nom de plume (or is it plume de ma tante?)
Just trying to stay one step ahead of the feds!
S'pose I could change it to "Hatrick"; I fit that demograph now....
cheers
Gerry

Hi Bonz

Thanks for putting this up as a new post.

Nicknames etc - I don't think it matters whether we use them as handles on EO etc.

Its harmless as long as we don't hide behind them so we can use them to 'attack the man' if you get my drift.

A bit like people in vehicles giving you the finger or mouthing obscenities thinking they're anonymous - they wouldn't dare do it to your face or outside the vehicle.

Just my thoughts

G'day Bonz

Like Phil, I always sign off a post with my real name, but in general, I think nicknames on here are appropriate. It lets you identify with the poster immediately.

I think most people on here are genuine, you soon sort out the idiots... and a nickname helps you do that easily, because they are unique.
I mean, how many Dave's would be on here? Only one Bushwhacker though... lol

Interesting thoughts, though

Cheers, Dave

Hi Bonz,
This post arose from a comment in a prvious post that someone was "Hiding" behind a tag, handle or whatever you call it, the same comment also seemed to imply that the user of that tag was not a member of this site & that his comments were therefore not as valid.

I find that implication somewhat offensive, if that is what was meant, i hope it was just a poor choice of words.

I dont care if you use a nickmame, tag, handle or if you are a member or not EVERYONE is intitled to their opinion, like it or not.

The quote might not be exact but it goes somthing like this:

"I do not agree with what you say, however, I will defend to the death your right to say it"

Cheers Colin.

Hi Bonz,
I don't think it matters what you call yourself . We use those E.O names at home. It's a joke.
At work ,in the early days mainly, we had a few crazy..... Lead foots working with us. They used to make fun of us for taking off 5 to stay alive.
We were also not real keen on keeping up with technology and a mobile never set foot inside this house until we were forced to for work.
We only got the computer when we joined E.O. So because we're a little bit slow ( compared to many other people) we call ourselves Ma & Pa.
You remember the T.V. show. Ma & Pa Kettle? It's caused some funny situations in public.
I changed from Sally to Ma when I found that there were other Sally's' on the E.O. Forum
Take care,safe travels Ma or Sally.

G'day Bonz

Interesting thread

Like you say, it is the quality of the contribution that matters, not whether someone is a member or not, or uses a nickname, etc.

I have noticed that, in the cases where non-members get a serve, it is not uncommon for it to be linked to a situation where they have posted something that challenges what that particular member has said.

Cheers
Andrew

I dont mind whether its a real name or a nickname (or tag or handle or whatever you want to call it). For many a nickname is like a real name anyway.

But what I do mind is when there is NO name - I'm less likely to respond to those posts.

I really liked a response to one such post recently. The response started "I didn't quite catch your name..." priceless!

One thing that I find a bit disappointing is when members on here don't fill in a bit more of their profile. You can still be anonymous but let others know at least what state you are from, what sort of vehicle, rig that you have. With that kind of info available it makes responding to some questions a bit easier.

Cheers,

Val

Bonz I think there are two parts to this question. Firstly there are a few that use their anonymity to hide behind when making a response that they otherwise wouldn't face to face. Any reply by people that don't have the decency to put their name to it at the end I initially treat with a grain of salt until that person builds up a history. Simply put it's harder to trust someone that wont identify themselves whether they are hiding something or not.
Secondly I like to respond to questions by addressing people by their name. A bit difficult when they call themselves RedGQ or the like.
Another forum I frequent insists on people having a real signature including Christian name, model of car & a general location. This assists responders by being to answer questions more specifically recommending solutions for their vehicle or where they come from. Far less flaming on that site too.
Cheers Craig...............
JK Wrangler
100 Cruiser.
NE Vic.

Really what difference does it make and at what point is the name acceptable as a form of identification on an internet forum?

You can use your first name, nick name, false name etc on here and it still is no way to honestly identify who we are really talking to and really why should we need to know who that person is? Can hide behind a nick name just as much as a handle so why not just ask for full name, country, state, town?

You'd be surprised but there are plenty of people out there who build up profiles of people on the internet as a 'hobby' or some even for more sinister reasons. Most people actually do it semi-consciously.

It is quite easy to make links about a person's profile from even just one forum to the point that you can find a LOT of personal information out about them. Probably the most obvious is facebook, but through a forum it would be not too difficult to make a connection of some individuals from this site to that one. That is just one example.

I purposely try to stay fairly anonymous as I value my privacy and to some degree it comes with my profession. (straight away you now have another small piece of info that builds a picture that aids in identifying me). If anyone wanted to search all the posts I've ever written there would be a lot of small bits of info that you could probably work out a decent profile of me. I can just about bet some bored people might now even try this just to see what they come up with.

Paranoid, maybe. Cautious, yes.

If it's that important to you so that my opinion is more 'valued', call me Bloggsy.

We started using kidsandall cause when we travelled we took the kitchen sink and the kids and all. I usually sign off with my name, just respect my dad taught me I guess. We were stopped a number of times on our trip by people who would see kidsandall on the car and stop to chat, but was nice to have someone yell out from the other side of campin cape york, "Is that you Josh.
I do it cause I respect peoples right to know who they are talking to, but I don't mind talking to someone with a nickname but hate people logging on as "visitor".

Josh (short for Joshua but only my mother calls me that)

Hi Bonz
I started off as whitey 1Whitey on books changed to Notso 1Notso on books
so changed toNotso perfik

Allways sign of Mi mssis mi mad dog n me
NOt hiding anything

Ken and Pam White Maddy the dog WA

a "visitor" and "member" may think they may be able to "hide" but everyone who uses the forum, visitor or member has to submit an e-mail address so there goes any chance of thinking you could hide, in this day and age it is as good as a street address and can be traced very simply to the person ......
Big Brother is watching and really who cares, only those that do have something to hide .....
Cheers
"Bob"
hahhaha
By the way Bonz, good thread, interesting to read the various comments

What difference does it make? I could sign off every post saying my name was Alfred E Newman and people would not not know if it was my real name?
You could register and join as a member using a false name, and noone would know any different, its a forum here, not a stasi interrogation.
Phone salespeople always introduce themselves at the start of the call, but who remembers their name by the end?
It's the anonymity that a forum in general provides that some people hide behind, not the name that is posted.
It's all about having a bit of integrity and only posting on here what you would be prepared to say to someones face (even if they are 7 foot and angry).
Lets not rush to judge, and take posts on their merit not by the title at the beginning.

Cheers Tanka.

Hi Bonz and others,

When I joined EO way back when, I was still doing 4wd tours hence the name Tourboy.
But I always sign off with my name.
Don't judge me for having worked with sir Kev.....

Hi Bonz

If find many of the nom de plumes descriptive and memorable. They are very individual identity tags. If we were just using real names, the number of Daves, Johns and Phils etc would be too confusing. I use the same name on a number of travel related forums so there is no doubt as to who is posting, so as such, it is my name.

Using these nom de plumes also maintains our privacy in a very public place - the internet.

Real names can be shared by MM, on meeting in person, or of the forum as friendships are made.

Motherhen

Hi All

I think what really should matter over any name etc is that, that someone is asking a question that is important to them and they feel that they are asking the experts and will receive the help and advice to point them in the correct direction. We can usually tell in the first sentence if the person is genuine.

Me, my real name and nick name are very unique and there is no one in this country with the same name/s so tracking me down would be very easy so that's why I have another name for forums, which is different everywhere I go. But as someone has said our email address is there so finding me would be no problem for someone to act as me, a friend of mine had to get a new email account etc as someone was acting as them, having hacked into their email account. So yes you could say that everyone on here is trustworthy and I have no doubt 99% are but there is always that 1% that we don't know. And as Motherhen said "the internet is a very public dormain".

I'm a regular visitor and have been for quite a few years and have learned lots from all the theads.

Cheers Boags (I don't drink it anymore but love the name!)

Extract from the original post..... By- Member - Bruce T (SA)


"Interesting to see olcoolone that you don't sign your name, nor are you a member."


Bruce I've been on this forum for over 4 years and many know who I am and have meet me and socialise regularly with including many old EOers.... Pesty (had tea with him tonight), Roachie, Muddy and Muddy Doe (had tea with them tonight), Stuart SA (had tea with him tonight too), Willem, Mick O, Sir Kevin, Dave B, Luke and the Borgs, Brew69 and many more..... hope this is enough people to make me a REAL person.

I've even been on more then a few EO gatherings.

I use to be a member and about 2 years ago I didn't worry about renewing it, I didn't know I had to be a member to be creditable.

Why do I have to be a member?

I've always had this user name and unlike many who changers their's on a regular basis and why do I have to sign my name?

Bruce I take it your a relatively new kid on the block?

I'm happy for people to know who I am, hence my full identifier.

Don't mind nicknames either but I have a real pref. for posters to sign off with their first name.

On account of some of the nicknames are a bit silly, and I hate responding along the lines of 'dear silly nickname'. So i generally don't.

Cheers.

Hey, Bonz, I used to call myself JohnR (Vic) then there were other wannabees, another JohnR, then one from SA and one from NSW . I felt I had to differentiate to include my car Kath, but then my good wife got called Kath :-P

That was all a few years ago and some old stagers still remember JohnR (Vic) but then the new readers would say "Who was that again?" so I add the state Victoria. One way or another people have got to know me and some of my activities. No need to know all of them ;-))

Well, when most EO'ers reply to me, they write BBA, which was my call-sign on Highway 1 for 20 yrs.

The name was given to me by "friends" "mates" because if there was an ounce of water anywhere, I would be 'bogged' up to my axles, even in a drought, there I was, sunk deep in mud, that time, pulled out by council grader, cost a slab of VB. What I thought was a hard surface, I crawled into my bunk and woke up next morning, opened door and ground was next to first step, buggerboggedagain.

CarlMc, Taree

Hi Bonz,

I don't mind whether you run by a handle, nickname, first or last name, you can't hide from the fact of if you are a tosser or a top bloke, this is made up from what you do (and type in this medium) rather than what your name or handle is.

For me, Bonz will always be the scallywag who had his fair share of helping in the Qld flag that toured the globe a few years back. No amount of hiding behind your screen name can hold me back from getting to know your real name and phone number (I happen to know a certain Cane Toad caller LOL!!!). But it's OK with me if you prefer to be anonymous, we will just keep your anonymity to ourselves ;-))

best regards as always,
Trevor.

PS say hello to your girlfriend "Lucy" down there, I hope his droopy is giving him as much trouble as it always was hehehe.

All in jest, as it always is when spoken by me.

Gday
My name was given to me by my children , Little Wes and little Ben , both well into their thirties , didnt want to be disrespectful , so have had my name for quite some time.. I dont mind if you call me by my given name or my "nic" name .
Murray ...Muzbry

I just find it easier to remember my own name

Hello.... I'm Brian and I'm from the Gold Coast. I do have a last name, but I don't particularly use it anywhere unless I have to. I am a self employed fridgie, and I answer my business phone with "Hello, Brian speaking". I'm not hiding anything, it's just that I like to be informal and friendly and honest and personal. Nothing to hide.

I have been on EO since 2003, although I lapsed membership a couple of years back and couldn't have my old number back when I re-signed. Learned a great deal of info from this site over the years. Given plenty too.

I don't participate much anymore, but unlike many others who dislike the moderation, I don't care about it. I have been moderated, but it's their web site, and they can do it any way they like. I'm not so self absorbed that I get upset that my writings are removed from the page. My beef is with others who read a post the wrong way and immediately give a serve to the poster. This happens on all forums, not just here, but it happens. Hence when I voice an opinion, I sign off with "just my opinion"..... or "if you don't agree, don't tell me, I ain't listening". (A recent member who has gone "missing" is a fellow from the NT. A wealth of "local" info, he leads an interesting life, a man who lives a very different life than we do, and it's a life of his choosing. Yet there are those among us who constantly criticized his way of life, or his family heritage.... people who (In My Humble Opinion) had little or no idea of what they were talking about. he had much to contribute, but a bunch of people have driven him away it seems....) When I skim through the forum thread list, when I see something that interests me, or I think I may have some helpful info, I check how many replies are already there. If there aren't any, I will participate, if there are lots, I move on.

Anyways.... I'm a member, I'm Brian, I'm from the Gold Coast, I drink Zarraffa's coffee, and I support Conways Kids, IMHO a very worthy charity.

Just my opinion, if you don't agree, I ain't listening...... ;-)) LOL......

An interesting discussion, and made me think that regardless of what name you use on here, whether it is an obvious non de plume, or a name that has all the appearances of a ‘normal’ name how would you know whether that is the real person’s name or not.

I don’t think using a non- de plume is hiding behind anything, you might argue this if the same person kept on changing their non de plume, but I’ve always judged posts whether they are from regulars or from non-frequent posters on its content. Much the same way you would if you were talking to someone, whether you know them or not.

But in the case of ‘The Landy’ let me assure it is real and if you see it out and about give it/me a wave!


Cheers, (Baz) The Landy

My name is in my user name and I always sign with my real name

As per the photo below is why the rest of the screen name :-)

Cheers Tony

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