Just to go off topic for a second, but I do agree with some of what Bill has said. I don't think anyone on this board should have total anonymity and shouldn't be expecting it. The fact that they are posting in a public forum (in that you don't have to subscribe to read what others have written), I believe they lose the right to hide behind a username. Although, in the few months that I've been constantly hanging around here, I haven't found that anyone really does this and people's "real" names get mixed in with their "fictional" names all over the place. It's just a case of connecting the two. And there's always the "introduction" threads...

Andrew

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"Who knows where thoughts come from? Sometimes, they just appear."


Buffy/Angel collector?
http://www.buffycards.co.uk

How do we know Andrew is your real name?


(Kidding, of course. Cease all agro-mail, por favor.)

So, Bill Mullins what is your real name.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TheUberBob:
I don't think Lynne should be made a moderator until she can spell the word "auction" correctly.

/QUOTE]

So, ok, let's try this again!!!
***
:snort: I spell it perfectly correctly... ...surely you can take a stab as to why I spell it that way?
***
Anyway, wow..that was fun, do I win a prize for being the first moderator to make an oppps ))

I'd like to post a few comments on the idea that using a handles lessens a person's value...
*handles* have been around a long time..CB's...instant messengers...pre-Internet online programs.
A properly used handle is as powerful an identifier as a name. I'm a big beleiver is keeping the same email address and handles and such and use my handle in as many places as I can, even non card related places cause it's me. It gives people instant clue as to what i"m about. I'm not hiding....just crowing my hobbies. My email address is available on my profile whether I was a mdoerator or a standard member, but I wouldn't assume that we who use them are instantly someone to be suspicious of.

Handles go WAY back - only they used to be called (and, in some fields, still are called )pseudonyms. 'Boz' is a well known example - Charles Dickens.

Bill, I can understand your concern, and (indeed) in certain areas I actually agree with it; however:

quote:

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On other forums (fora??) that I'm active on, the trouble makers _always_ have a handle, and those who use their real name are generally the most responsible members

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I am a member of a number of different forae(?) where EVERYONE posts under handle, or Nom; not for purposes of deception or for anonymity, but because it's fun to adopt a different character sometimes! On one in particular, pretty much everyone takes their name from something or someone mentioned in the books of the author on which teh forum is based - I use the same nom or handle there as I do here. (in fact, I use the same handle, or very slight variations of it, everwhere that I am required to have an online identy - even on eBay!)
I don't think all the mods (and I am biast here, obviously) should have to change their identities to their real names just because they have become moderators - most if not all of them have been posting here for a good couple of years, and their real names are generally known - plus, they were invited to become moderators by Harris, regardless of whether they used their real names or a handle or whatever. If Moderators with handles as their id's can be trusted enough by the owner of this board, then surely everyone else should have no real fears?

Please, if anyone has any serious issues with moderators, post them - I'm pretty sure I speak for all my fellow mods when I say that we want to make this happen as smoothly as possible, and we don't want to needlessly worry, or cause concern to, anyone on the board, whether regular poster or quiet observer (a better term than 'lurker'!)

Au Res.,
Paul

Sometimes, one pack is not enough...
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~paulbines

quote:

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Originally posted by wolfman-golf:
So, Bill Mullins what is your real name.

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Woolfie....Your wisecracks seem to give me at least one chuckle every day!

This conversation has been pretty positive and constructive and I'm still mulling it over (it's one of the topics in the Moderator's Forum to prove there are actually worthwhile things being discussed there ). Thanks

Visit Non-Sport Update at www.nonsportupdate.com

Hey! I know you are talking about me in the private forum! Am I paranoid, or is just me?

Marriage is the process of finding out what kind of man your wife would have preferred.
http://www.geocities.com/race51fan/
http://www.geocities.com/space_cards/

As posted in the CSI thread under news and rumors

quote:

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Oh, and apologies Tialessa, I somehow managed to (with all these new fangled priviledges I have) to totally type over your original message! I have completely reinstated it, I *hope* without any mistakes or changes... sorry! - xSABx

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FC

Well I saw no difference between what I originally typed & what Sarah accidently deleted/edited.

Mistakes happen & if I'd noticed something I would have redone my original message.

Lessa
http://members.fortunecity.com/smithsonian/

quote:

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Originally posted by Flaming Carrot:
As posted in the CSI thread under news and rumors

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I had a feeling you might end up as one of my critics, FC...

You wanna give me a break as it's my first day?

--
xSaBx :: Mistress of Stuff ::

'I swear I am completely unimpressed by clever answers'
REMEMBER: Take out the 'removemefirst' from my e-mail address to reply...

Mistakes were made, words were said, punches were thrown. At the end of it we're only human.


OK, only the first happened, but the fact remains we are only human.

I remember when Harris first mentioned the moderators I posted the following in this topic:

quote:

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There are obviously politics in play both on and off the boards. Any future Moderators with affiliations/"allegiance" to people shouldn't let this affect what they're doing. They should be fair at all times.

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Now, I'm gonna review this statement and say that it's only fair that posters are fair to the moderators. We all may have our own "allegiances" but you can't hold someone responsible for a choice that someone else has made.

-----
"Who knows where thoughts come from? Sometimes, they just appear."


Buffy/Angel collector?
http://www.buffycards.co.uk

BCW:

quote:

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I don't think anyone on this board should have total anonymity

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There's no practical way to prevent it, short of mailing your photo ID to Harris. Anyone can sign up under any name they want. I understand why people like handles and usernames; I just think that providing your real name as well gives you credibility.

wolfman-golf:

quote:

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So, Bill Mullins what is your real name.

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Bond. James Bond.

Actually, it is William David Mullins, son of William David Mullins, grandson of William David Mullins. The Bedford County TN courthouse burned in the 1800s, so I don't know much about my people before that.


On Spelling: "It's a damn poor mind that can only think one way to spell a word." Andrew Jackson (also attributed to Ben Franklin, and Mark Twain)

quote:

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I understand why people like handles and usernames; I just think that providing your real name as well gives you credibility.

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Fair point - but that IS what the Profile is there for! You can enter your real name, email addy, other interests etc. in there, and anyone can access it just by clicking oon your posting 'handle' in any message you've posted.

I'm not being picky, I promise - it's just that some of the newer people on the board might not be aware of the PRofile system!
Au REs.,
Paul

Sometimes, one pack is not enough...
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~paulbines

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Mullins:
There's no practical way to prevent it, short of mailing your photo ID to Harris. Anyone can sign up under any name they want. I understand why people like handles and usernames; I just think that providing your real name as well gives you credibility.

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So, are you doubting my Elf status?

Marriage is the process of finding out what kind of man your wife would have preferred.
http://www.geocities.com/race51fan/
http://www.geocities.com/space_cards/

quote:

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So, are you doubting my Elf status?

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How could anyone - it's obvious you're in a perfect state of elf.
Au Res.,
Paul (Sorry, I like puns. I blame the National Elf Service)

Sometimes, one pack is not enough...
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~paulbines

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility.

@@@ ScottEvil

"I am a WATCHER, part of a secret society of men and women who observe and record but never interfere, we know the truth about immortals ....... In the end there can be only one !"

quote:

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Originally posted by MiniMe:
With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility.

@@@ ScottEvil

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Power Corrupts! And Moderate Power corrupts Moderatly!

Never give up - NEVER surrender