Real Names

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by robert_schulte

Hello Franek,
where have you been?
For all those, who don't know the case of Rabe Anton, could you please explain in short, why he can't post with his real name?
Best wishes
Robert

I wouldn't like to comment on whether the USA is "a wild country" to live in (but compared to southwest England it probably is!) but as I understood it, Rabe had reasons related to his profession for not using his real name online.

[veltro]

I agree with Ruy that once the posts are signed with one's own name, the "login id" is of secondary relevance.

As in my case, my nickname has often became a part of my real name.

I do respect liberty, even more individual rights, but when one has to deal with others about "serious" matters (and I do believe history and research are both damn serious topics), a clear identity should be a must.

IMHO, of course...

[Matzos]

My question, whats in a name?
I see TOCH as a place where we can ask questions and hopefully obtain answers to them.
If the site was to change it's rules, what's to say that the name you submitted was your true name.
I for one would not leave the site if the rules were changed.
My nickname is used on a number of boards, but I will can change it if required to do so.

Matzos
aka
Mick Gladwin

[Pawel Burchard]

And how do we verify one's is really a realname?

[CJE]

"CJE" are my initials, part usuername, part real name (most of my friends call me CJE), reflecting my hesitating position on this subject.
Will leave it to the communauty to decide.

[Kjetil Aakra]

I think this site would benefit considerably from making real names mandatory, with exceptions possible where needed, of course.

I regard this as a very serious and professional forum, but I must admit it detracts somewhat from this impression when you see posts made by someone having the strangest nicknames, especially as these post often are veyr good and informative.

There are many whortwhile and excellent threads here and many knowøledgeable persons share the fruits of their research - why not do so and disucss under your full name?

A possible solution would be to allow nicknames, but with a strong suggestion to use your real name and at the very least ask posters to add it as a signature at the end of the post.

Just my opinion,

Kjetil Aakra!

[JG53_Volto]

Originally Posted by Kjetil Aakra

A possible solution would be to allow nicknames, but with a strong suggestion to use your real name and at the very least ask posters to add it as a signature at the end of the post.

I agree 100%

Alessandro

[Red Baroness]

I'm on the fence regarding this.

I prefer to use my nickname, as it was given to me by a very good friend whose uncle served with Rommel in the DAK, and it's a badge of honour for me to use it.

But I always include my real name in the signature line, out of courtesy and politeness to all the members of this board, so you know who to curse at when I mess up. *laughs*

I think one can put a limit on signatures, so they do not get out of hand , a character limit, and a limit on images to be used - a specific pixel size and whatnot. That is what I do on the forum I manage for my comic strip.

Regards,

[DrunkEwok]

I'll admit I used my nickname for this forum out of habit. It originated from the shop I am currently stationed at in Belgium from some inside jokes, so it does have some meaning. If I could change it to my real name I would, but instead of bugging the admin over it, I figure I would just put my name at the end of what I post. I am genuinely interested in history and I had not intentions of creating issues in the forums over nicknames. Even though I do not think I am the cause, having a non-history related nickname that is different in its self I'm sure creates questions in some people's minds.

i think on a professional and mature level that I have seen here int he forums real names are a good idea and would create a better social/co-researcher realtionship among everyone. At the sametime for personal security reasons I do not feel should be required to use them. It's just your first name but it is a personal opinion, and belief in self security.

[Richard T. Eger]

This may bowl over many that know me, but I do support the use of pseudonyms on TOCH!. The reason for this turn of events is the recent dialog regarding Ed West first deciding to wait until an eBay auction was over to list the auction, then, under the weight of relentless badgering, changing his mind and going back to the way he used to do it. Poor "Nemo" was mercilessly attacked by people who, indeed, gave their names. Now, what if "Nemo" just happened to be one of our brethren who happened to support the initial change? Would he then be castigated by all as a pariah? What if he were an author? Would we start a boycott of his books?

No, I'm afraid this forum needs to allow the use of pseudonyms so that those that just happen to disagree with the disagreeable majority might be able to do so without being castrated by that majority. It wasn't a kindly discussion, but a public lynching.

Regards,
Richard