Poll: Should posters on this board be anonymous?

Too funny!

 

I think you were confused. Just to be sure, I checked the user status of "me again". S/he does not have moderator or administrator privileges and therefore could not have edited a message. It's very possible that one of the admins edited a message if, for example, a diploma mill spam had been posted with a phone number. (We routinely remove contact info from posted spams so as not to provide additional advertising.)

Other than that, it's unlikely any of the admins would have edited a message.

 

Good morning!

I noticed that post as well. Perhaps the simple explanation is that "me again" just put the "edited by" note at the end of the post (see below).

By the way, I think there have been some very interesting points in this thread. When I first viewed alt.education.distance nearly two years ago, it seemed clear that only those who posted with their real names would be taken seriously. Also, one was expected to reveal credentials or affiliations when posting about programs. As a result, I post using my real name.

I do have reservations about using my real name on the Internet. First, I had never experienced spam until I posted on AED. Now, I receive spam (some with viruses attached) almost daily. Second, the only online disagreements I have had came with anonymous posters, both of which used more than one screen name. Although I have only had two such disagreements, it can be disconcerting to take abuse from anonymous posters while you are openly using your own name and credentials.

J. Ayers


[Note: This message has been edited by J. Ayers]

 

Actually, the author of the "Dr. Maybelle Jones" posts has identified himself, and is one of this forum's most respected members -- and one of its 1000+ message posters.

Having everyone using real names would be wonderful, but I see a few difficulties:

1. In some cases, the use of a real name may be professionally imprudent. E.g. the Max Jackson situation.

2. What's to stop someone from using a plausible but fake name? Unless you require a credit card number it's nearly impossible to be sure that someone is using his/her real name. And even then ...

OTOH, perhaps people should be required to register with a credit card! Then the moderators would know the real person behind the name. And also they could fine posters for violating the rules. Something like:

• 
  Factwatcher-style post: $1000
  "Dr. Maybelle Jones" joke: $100
  Implying that Michigan State is a degree mill: $10
  Teasing Frenchy about his former mill credentials: $1

 

Is that a 10 dollar bonus or penalty?

 

In a parrallel thread me agin came up with the most valid reason for allowing anonymous posters:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by me again:
Biography
....
By Florida state law, it is illegal for anyone to post my photo, address or phone number since I‘m a law enforcement officer. With all due respect, I wish to invoke this without disclosing my identity. ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actually that makes a lot of sense and IS A VERY IMPORTANT reason to allow anoymous postings. Some people do have valid reasons why their personnal information MUST be kept privet (sp?).




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M. C. (Mike) Albrecht, PE

 

He/she says he/she cannot have his/her photo, address or phone number posted. Fine. Doesn't say anything about name. We have other police officers on the board who use their names -- most notably Bruce.

 

The laws vary from state to state and rules vary from agency to agency. Also, circumstances will vary from occupation to occupation also.

A patrol officer may not be endangered by revealing his identity. However, a narcotics officer would be foolish to do so. While they are both cops, the rules that they play by are entirely different. (Note: I’m not in narcotics. Never have been, never will be and never want to be).

Bruce has chosen to identify himself and that is fine and dandy with me! I don’t know what state he’s from and I don’t know what his agency policies are either.

Folks, this is just an internet forum (although it is an extremely interesting one).

 

I'm not sure what your point is, considering when I worked in the Drug Unit, I had an assumed identity, complete with a real driver's license under the false name. Revealing my true name on a message board (as I have here) really wouldn't matter much. I also tend to think that crackheads, heroin junkies, and their respective dealers aren't likely to be interested in DL.


Bruce

 

Yep.

That’s too bad because they should be!

Would you care to use your last name as well?

For those people who want to use their first and last names, great! People like John Bear get instant name recognition and well warranted publicity.

I’ve read many interesting opinions on the pros and cons of using real names on the world wide web. I side with the cons (no pun intended). I choose to use a handle and not my real name. Judge me by the content of my postings and not by my user name.

Bruce, what are your thoughts on this?

 

Bruce does use his last name, both here and in the newsgroups (where he has even listed the names of his police department and unit). In fact, his last name is listed above in this very thread!

 

I was unaware of that. Good for him.

 

As I've stated more than once, my real name is Bruce Tait. I forget why I didn't register my last name, probably because it's easier to just type one name when I log in.

I've also stated I really don't care if someone wants to maintain anonymnity, so long as they don't use it for mischief. However, I do believe that advice & suggestions given by an anonymous poster aren't likely to carry much weight in a lot of people's eyes.

It all comes down to what you're comfortable with. I've been using my real name on the 'net for quite a few years, and have never had a problem besides the usual Viagra & penis enlargement junk ads flooding my mailbox on occasion.


Bruce

 

I would add to that--as I've done before--that the personal experiences of an anonymous poster do not constitute evidence, even anecdotally. Post anonymously all you want. Just don't expect anyone to give weight to your personal experiences, or even to take you seriously.

Rich Douglas, who takes a cop with a gun and a penis enlargement ad very seriously.

 

I initially discovered this forum by accident, but stayed because I had read John Bear’s book and found some of the topics to be informative as well as interesting. I have learned quite a bit, both from anonymous posters and from people who have used real or fictitious names (who‘s to know???).

As far as me being taken seriously: Who cares? People look at the quality of all postings and make snap judgments about them, regardless of the user name that is attached to it. Based upon our experience, we perceive if it is shallow or if it is of substance. If I really wanted to receive credit, then I’d write a book or would submit an article. I’d get royalties too. Hey, royalties don’t come by posting on an internet forum, do they?

My badge has lost its luster and it no longer weights 10 pounds, as it did on the day it was pinned on me. However, I do have a war story, in reference to your comment:

A guy was arrested and brought into the jail, but before he could be allowed inside the secure part of the facility, he had to be thoroughly searched by a jailer (apparently, the arresting officer didn‘t search him very well at the scene).. The jailer began patting him down and when he patted the groin area, he felt something hard and, of course, he was suddenly alarmed.

With the prisoner’s hands still cuffed behind his back, the jailer undid his belt and lowered his pants and his drawers and, lo and behold, the prisoner had a suction-device that was attached to his, uhhh, you-know-what and it was in the process of “sucking.” It was battery operated and the electrical cord ran around the backside of the prisoner’s body where the jailer found the battery pack.

True story. More like a horror story for the jailer because he had to remove it.

 

P.S. -- Rich, I read your writings on John Bear's website and found them to be well written and informative. I am impressed!

 

What about military people with sensitive jobs? I'll admit there aren't many on this board, but I would prefer not to have my name plastered all over the site. If I substituted "Joe Bloggs" for my pen name, would that make me any more or less credible? Therefore, I resent your comment about credibility and anonymity.

I don't know if you keep up with Air Force news anymore, but press releases on our folks after 9/11 don't even release surnames.

 

That all depends who Joe Bloggs is.



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Quinn

 

Look, this isn't very hard. Unverifiable evidence isn't credible. Therefore, an anonymous poster's personal experiences are not credible evidence. Simply saying one has done or seen something doesn't make it so.

An anonymous poster can have a credible argument or point of view. The person's statements can often stand on their own, separate from his/her identity. But when that person tries to offer personal experience or observation, that's when he/she is not credible.

I will repeat what others have said, every regular poster I know of with substantial contributions to this forum uses his/her real name. Bill, Bruce, Russ, Russell, John, Nicole, Kristin, Steve, Jonathan, Jason, Tom, Tom, Gus, Larry, and many more. How many anonymous posters have stuck around? And how many trolls and hustlers have used anonymity to begin flame wars, tout bad schools, etc.? Being anonymous doesn't make one a mis-behaving poster, but being open about who one is ensures against it.

I couldn't care less whether or not any particular individual uses his/her real identity. But there is no compelling reason to pay attention to anyone who does not.

Rich Douglas

 

I don't know if that name has any other meaning, but "Joe Bloggs" is used by the Princeton Review to describe the average SAT-taker and the kinds of traps the ETS sets for him on the test. (This is covered in an excellent book exposing the really evil business practices of the ETS: None of the Above by David Owen.)

Rich Douglas