Who are you?

yes

28 (47.5%)

no

31 (52.5%)

Total Members Voted: 59

Voting closed: September 17, 2019, 02:33:06 pm

[Jeremy Roussak]

In the (almost certainly vain) hope that it might improve levels of courtesy on the site, I am considering introducing a requirement that anyone who posts on any forum at LuLa must reveal his or her true name in the post, either as his or her forum name or in the signature. There is, I gather, at least anecdotal evidence that obnoxious behaviour is reduced when anonymity is withdrawn.

This referendum is strictly advisory.

Jeremy

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Voted no, for the "forced" part. Prefer free will.

Besides, plenty of us post obnoxious* things under our full real names.

* as per the opposing side's views, I suppose

[KLaban]

Yes please.

Personally I'd love to see more contributors posting under their *true names. I remember that Michael was keen to see this requirement introduced but eventually concluded it would be all but unworkable.

Jeremy, good luck, you'll need it.

*I don't doubt there are those here who would question my *true name despite the fact that I always link to my work, my website, my email and post under the name on my birth certificate. But we know there are those here who enjoy nothing more than being obnoxious argumentative.

;-)   

[Rob C]

I hope anyone seeking further identity clarification just clicks on the website address beneath all my posts: my name pops up right there under the girl.

No pun etc., but wasn't that easy?

:-)

[nirpat89]

Voted no.

While I already use my real name, I feel there is no correlation between anonymity and obnoxiousness. 

[Chris Kern]

There is, I gather, at least anecdotal evidence that obnoxious behaviour is reduced when anonymity is withdrawn.

Agreed, emphatically.

Also, I would recommend that anyone posting provide at least a (verified; it isn't difficult) country identification, or some more precise location information, so—for example—responders don't wind up providing information about commercial U.S. services to U.K. subscribers.

Time to get rid of Internet "handles."  This isn't 1980, anymore.

[fdisilvestro]

I prefer when members use their real names, but I don't see how you are going to enforce something like this, unless you use some kind of reliable validation system, which would probably scare away members.

If you force people to write a name, you will end up with a bunch of "John Doe"

[faberryman]

I prefer when members use their real names, but I don't see how you are going to enforce something like this, unless you use some kind of reliable validation system, which would probably scare away members.

If you force people to write a name, you will end up with a bunch of "John Doe"

Eliminating political discussions would eliminate most of the obnoxious behavior.

[digitaldog]

Eliminating political discussions would eliminate most of the obnoxious behavior.

+1

[D Fuller]

Eliminating political discussions would eliminate most of the obnoxious behavior.

+2

[James Clark]

+2

The vast majority of us that have fun in the political discussions manage to leave it there and interact constructively in other forums without animosity. 

[alainbriot]

Agreed.  Using our real name is basic courteous behavior.  I don't see why I would use another name except to hide who I am.

[stamper]

Jeremy I think you are dodging the issue. Just ban the repeat offenders and be done with it.

[bns]

Rules do no effectively improove behaviour.

cheers,
Boudewijn Swanenburg

[jeremyrh]

I would have agreed with you except that on a forum I participated in once a number of people used my name to try to create trouble with my employer, posted photos of my family etc.

[jeremyrh]

The vast majority of us that have fun in the political discussions manage to leave it there and interact constructively in other forums without animosity.

This. And indeed in real life (well, e-mail exchanges etc)

[Rob C]

There is not always just sweetness and light in the use of real names.

It's sometimes just another marketing device that can become very annoying. I have lost any interest in reading anything anyone has to say who has tied up their identity with some specific camera brand or commercial deal they are constantly selling.

To be frank: I just don't believe anything they have to say. If those people are good enough photographers to have become "brand ambassadors" or the like, you can bet your ass they could do exactly the same with any other capable camera: they just become shills and, consequently, lose their credibility. If there is a readership need for such information, then it might make sense to start a new deparment in LuLa devoted to brand/services marketeers; then, such stuff can be confined to those who seek it.

If we want to find out more about someone, we need only look at their website. And if they don't have one, why not? You can have them for free these days.

Rob

[David Sutton]

I've heard that "handles" dates back to the horrors of CB radio in the 1970s. Personally I'd rather feel that I was talking to an actual person rather than a Mr/Ms Pentaxlover.
But I haven't lodged a vote. Probably too jaded from trying to aid people on a local forum I help administrate. They can't log in because they've forgotten their "handle". So I set them with their real name and a threat if they change it.
As to real names minimising obnoxiousness, I doubt it. I'd go with stopping politics. For the reason that we are entering a time where our collective ruling classes are defective in the functioning of mental processes such as reasoning. Read: "going insane". Witness a party recently who lost some election in the US, and rather than admit they reaped what they sowed, blamed the Russians. The lot who won are no better. Don't even mention the UK. It could be simple mendaciousness. No matter, the political climate is suffering from global warming and is not a safe place for humans.

[Rob C]

I've heard that "handles" dates back to the horrors of CB radio in the 1970s. Personally I'd rather feel that I was talking to an actual person rather than a Mr/Ms Pentaxlover.
But I haven't lodged a vote. Probably too jaded from trying to aid people on a local forum I help administrate. They can't log in because they've forgotten their "handle". So I set them with their real name and a threat if they change it.
As to real names minimising obnoxiousness, I doubt it. I'd go with stopping politics. For the reason that we are entering a time where our collective ruling classes are defective in the functioning of mental processes such as reasoning. Read: "going insane". Witness a party recently who lost some election in the US, and rather than admit they reaped what they sowed, blamed the Russians. The lot who won are no better. Don't even mention the UK. It could be simple mendaciousness. No matter, the political climate is suffering from global warming and is not a safe place for humans.

Indeed, it is not a safe place, but isn't that perhaps a good reason for hiding behind Rubber Duck?

[vjbelle]

About the only thing this will accomplish is fewer postings. 

Get rid of politics in any form.

Victor