# Why does everyone use a pseudonym



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I'm wondering why everyone used a false name on this site. I belong to several other forums and by far the most friendly and enjoyable are the ones where everyone uses a real name so you know who you are talking to. It's also really great when you go to a symposium and meet these people and you don't have to be introduced by HI, I'm so and so but I go by the name of Rabid Squirrel on the web. Well then I have 2 names I have to try and remember and I have enough trouble with one. Anyway just wondering. It's a pet peeve of mine.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*for me it's a privacy issue .... sorta*

I don't want my full name on the site. So I chose a name that would not be that easily traceable. However anyone who is adept could find out plenty if they wanted to. I used to sign my posts with "bill" but not always any longer. BTW, hello john. Nice to meet ya!:yes:, bill


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

im robert


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

What you see is what you get. 
When I originally signed up to WWT I wanted a false name, but I messed up so now it shows my real name. But I'm not worried about it.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

What pseudonym?


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

fred hargis said:


> what pseudonym?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I'm not too concerned what members call themselves. My username is what I do...sort of appropriate. I take more exception to profiles that are incomplete, or non existant. It's nice to know where somebody is located, or what their real job is, their hobbies...in general a bit of background. If they are retired...FROM WHAT??









 







.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

But my last name is really G

:laughing:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Leo G said:


> But my last name is really G
> 
> :laughing:


So, what did you use for your first name...your astrological sign?:laughing::laughing:










 







.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

I just picked a name out of the a WY phone book for my screen name. My real name is Rabid Squirrel.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Leo G said:


> But my last name is really G
> 
> :laughing:


Related to Kenny?

I have some issues with privacy so I'm inclined not to use my real name on the web. Especially since there is only one other guy with the same name in the US making activity more traceable. When I joined it seemed there were many more aliases than real names.


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

Gene Howe said:


> I just picked a name out of the a WY phone book for my screen name. My real name is Rabid Squirrel.


 
Your not serious, there's 2 of us?

:laughing:


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

John, when I signed up, I didn't think about it and went with RusDemka, and people thought my name was Rus lol. And I can see were this could get confusing and the fact that there are not 1, not 2 but 3 other people with the same first and last name as me. Actualy its Wierd but one of them is married and his wifes name is the same as my wife, what are the odds of that ever happening again. My screen name is Rus for Russian, and Demcka is my name in slang Russian, kinda like Bob for Robert. 
Most people don't put too much thought into their screen names for privacy reasons..

If we meet in person, My name is Dema, short for Dmitriy :thumbsup:

Yes I live in the US and I am a citizen incase the CIA is reading this hahaha


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I'll admit I often have trouble using my real name because there are so many John Lucas's. I hate it when I sign up for some new service and they ask for my name and then tell me I can't use it because it's already taken. So then I make up a fake name and of course can never remember it (or the password) so I can never use that service again.


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

When I signed up my full name was taken so I just used my first initial and sign my posts with John.

John


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

"Why does everyone use a pseudonym"

Whew, I thought medicare was leaving me out of something.*:laughing: *I thought that was a new type of belt for a hernia or something*.
*


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Anonymity would be one of the first things that come to mind, then nicknames, like mine OldMacNut means "Former Mactard".


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

oldmacnut said:


> Anonymity would be one of the first things that come to mind, then nicknames, like mine OldMacNut means "Former Mactard".


Lol. What's a mactard?
Just stick with macnut


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

Dominick said:


> Lol. What's a mactard?
> Just stick with macnut



A Mactard is one of those fanatics who claims that anything and everything that comes out of an Apple Store is superior than anything else on the market, even if the features are less and the cost is higher than the PC or Phone equivalent. 

When I was a film editor my studio was full of Mac Pro's. Clients wanted Blu Ray, Good old Steve Jobs said it'll never happen, so I switched to Adobe software for Authoring Blu Ray, I was published a few times for workflows in editing in Final Cut Studio then Authoring in Encore, I then switched to PC's and started editing using Premiere Pro as hardware was cheaper. My shop PC is an old editing rig, Core i7 960, 16gb memory, dual video cards, 10TB of storage, 2 30" monitors.

I now hate Apple and the fanatics with a passion. I use Linux, have Android Devices, and love having options.

/rant

So, old mac nut = former mac nut.

I am a major nerd, have a media server with 20TB storage that feeds each Plasma in the house running XBMC and the shop computer, GB wired network, you can access and control any TV or HTPC in the house with my Xoom, Galaxy Tab, or one of the numerous spare Android phones, also use a few older Android phones as web cams in the house, and in the shop for security reasons. I can come out to the shop, have a smoke, and watch what is going on in the house, change a movie or tv show for kids, etc.

Shop PC has every issue of Wood, Fine Woodworking, Shop Notes, every episode of New Yankee workshop, this old house, and other wood related shows, PDF, Manuals for tools, etc.

I am the Nerdy Woodworker by all means. lol


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## Theobroma (Nov 19, 2011)

I use a pseudonym because the internet is a scary place full of scary people. The first forum I ever signed up for was for a rock band fan site. Naturally, I picked a goofy name based on the band. In hindsight, I'm very glad I did that because as I spent more time there, I saw many cases of people who, because cause of the inherent anonymity granted by the internet, were vicious, cruel and rabidly tireless in their pursuit of their prey. One poor guy had been chased all over the internet by a troll who followed him to that site. He harassed him in his posts and even posted very personal information about the guy including his name, address and phone number all because years earlier, he offended the troll on a message board and had gone under his real name.

This site does a pretty good job of troll control, but it still might not be enough if someone takes offense to a comment from another and decides it merits revenge. As I said, the internet is a scary place full of scary people.

Besides, I really like chocolate. (Go o o o o gle "theobroma cacao" if you don't understand that line)


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

john lucas said:


> I'm wondering why everyone used a false name on this site. I belong to several other forums and by far the most friendly and enjoyable are the ones where everyone uses a real name so you know who you are talking to. It's also really great when you go to a symposium and meet these people and you don't have to be introduced by HI, I'm so and so but I go by the name of Rabid Squirrel on the web. Well then I have 2 names I have to try and remember and I have enough trouble with one. Anyway just wondering. It's a pet peeve of mine.


Not everyone does.

George


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> Not everyone does.
> 
> George


I didn't think that was your real name
Who would of thought? Lol


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## cuerodoc (Jan 27, 2012)

Hmm, interesting thread. My moniker is just a combination of where I am and what my current career is (barring stuff their President does--oops, try to stay apolitical). :laughing:
+1 on seeing where members are from, but understand the privacy needs.
BTW, I'm Dave.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

john lucas said:


> I'll admit I often have trouble using my real name because there are so many John Lucas's. I hate it when I sign up for some new service and they ask for my name and then tell me I can't use it because it's already taken. So then I make up a fake name and of course can never remember it (or the password) so I can never use that service again.


I know what you mean. I sometimes use a pseudonym which is the name of the dialect of my birth county in the UK. It happens this is the work "tyke" which has other meanings and can be already taken.

When I came to sign up I almost went with the pseudonym, but decided to use a fake real name "Dave Paine". 

My real birth name is David, but shhh, don't tell anybody. 

I appreciate the security aspect, and since I used my name, I decided not to give the small town in which I reside. This has a population of a few thousand, so I am the only one with my name.

It is a big challenge to keep track of all the names on various accounts and especially passwords. :thumbdown:


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## ghost5 (Aug 19, 2012)

I am on several sites and only one has my real name. I have used ghost in some form since there was an internet. Used to be ghost5 on all sited but that is hard to get. Now the one I use most of the time is ghost followed by a date that is an historical joke to some folks I know. My own site is even called Following Ghost :yes:

But since you asked my name is Tommy. Not Tom or Thomas just Tommy. Well, it is Thomas but no one calls me that. :icon_smile::icon_smile:


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

A long time ago, back when I was in high school, I played a lot of online games. My original character's name was "Itchytoe". That name has followed me through several other games. Since I normally play with my friends, even when I don't have any characters named "Itchytoe" I still get called "Itchy" more than whatever my character's name is at the time because everyone I play with knows me as "Itchy". Yes, everyone I play with knows my name is Matt, but nobody uses it unless we're absolutely sure everyone that can hear us talk, or read our chat messages, knows our real names. Itchytoe has stuck with me since the 90's so I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. Most of my forum names are Itchytoe, or some variation of it. Anytime I need a username, I use Itchytoe because it's easy to remember. Strangely, I've been called Itchy for so long, I actually answer to it now.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Now we need to find out why itchy brother is itchy brother? 
I'm kind of worried to find out. Lol


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Interesting thread. I'm on forums and other things that required a user name so I use the same one to keep things easy. 

More people refer to me as Richard which is my name and in my signature then they do by the user name. Well almost.:laughing: Either way you should be able to determine that my name is Richard Brown. That is a very common name and likely taken whenever I try to use it. Hence why I used the user name.


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## pvechart (Dec 14, 2011)

P is for Paul...I agree with John I like to address people by a real name or nick-name instead of just a bunch of letters put together, but I will call you whatever you want. I try to end my threads with my name...my 2 cents worth.

Paul


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

when i was 42 i set up a yahoo account and didnt know what to use so i ended up with my name and was 42 and born 1960 hence robert421960 and have used it on everything i do


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Leo G said:


> But my last name is really G
> 
> :laughing:


Hey Leo, are you related to
Kenny?

Dave


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

robert421960 said:


> when i was 42 i set up a yahoo account and didnt know what to use so i ended up with my name and was 42 and born 1960 hence robert421960 and have used it on everything i do


I was hoping that was part of you SS #. Laughing.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Dominick said:


> I was hoping that was part of you SS #. Laughing.


good try:no::no:


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

oldmacnut said:


> A Mactard is one of those fanatics who claims that anything and everything that comes out of an Apple Store is superior than anything else on the market, even if the features are less and the cost is higher than the PC or Phone equivalent.
> 
> When I was a film editor my studio was full of Mac Pro's. Clients wanted Blu Ray, Good old Steve Jobs said it'll never happen, so I switched to Adobe software for Authoring Blu Ray, I was published a few times for workflows in editing in Final Cut Studio then Authoring in Encore, I then switched to PC's and started editing using Premiere Pro as hardware was cheaper. My shop PC is an old editing rig, Core i7 960, 16gb memory, dual video cards, 10TB of storage, 2 30" monitors.
> 
> ...


Wow! TMI! TMI! Overload! Ach! Bad Chucky! Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again....um......Please?


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

I use a pseudonym for the same reason as many others. My real name(s) were taken meaning real first, nick first, real second, real last and combinations. Even the AAW could not get it straight (there is another real name person in my state); tired of getting only two issues per year I finally gave up, even after giving them my unique (?) member number.
So I am N.C. Paladin. For those who remember there was a western on TV way back and the guy had a knight on his calling card. 

PS I could outdraw Matt Dillon 2 out of 3 Saturday nights.:yes:


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

HandToolGuy said:


> Wow! TMI! TMI! Overload! Ach! Bad Chucky! Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again....um......Please?
















.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

NCPaladin said:


> I use a pseudonym for the same reason as many others. My real name(s) were taken meaning real first, nick first, real second, real last and combinations. Even the AAW could not get it straight (there is another real name person in my state); tired of getting only two issues per year I finally gave up, even after giving them my unique (?) member number.
> So I am N.C. Paladin. For those who remember there was a western on TV way back and the guy had a knight on his calling card.
> 
> PS I could outdraw Matt Dillon 2 out of 3 Saturday nights.:yes:


You do not have to have a long memory. I still see that show almost daily.

George


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## Al B Cuttn Wud (Oct 14, 2007)

My name used to be Al and the coholics but gave up drinking for cutting wood....Al B Cuttn Wud. When I signed up I just wanted to use a handle name. I never thought about not using my real name because it's all over Facebook anyway....... I don't think people are that concerned with posting their real names, it's just that most sites that require logging in ask for a user name and normally folks don't put their real name for the user name.


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

When I joined, it seemed that most of the members used names and icons that seemed to say more about what they do or what they are interested in than who they are. I was the new guy so I just did the same thing. I soon found out that at that time this website was dealing with a troll infestation, so a pseudonym was probably a good idea at that moment. BUT, this site has some hard working Mods who rounded up the trolls and banished the who could not be housebroken. And now we are starting to see members more willing to put their names out there. I say God Bless our hardworking Mods for restoring order and making this a fun place to hang out again.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

jdixon said:


> When I signed up my full name was taken so I just used my first initial and sign my posts with John.
> 
> John


 Same for me.


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## ownerbuilder2012 (Sep 17, 2012)

I think pseudonyms has something to do with what the owner of the name does. MY pseudonym tells what I love to do the most, owner building!


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## Catalina (Jun 11, 2010)

my name is Gene Felton, but when I signed up a few years ago "Gene" and a couple different versions of it was taken. Back in high school (21 yrs ago ,lol) my dad helped me fix up a 1969 2 dr pontiac catalina, I was the quite kid that had the cool old "Catalina" and have used that as my user name for about everything when my name is taken. I still have it and started a full restoration on it about 6 yrs ago and work on it off and on but sadly it is currently under about a 1/4 of wood dust in the shop!


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Mine is for ease of use or better yet, so I dont forget, lol. The first forum I ever joined was an Ohio fishing forum and I happened to be an avid bass fisherman at the time. BassBlaster seemed fitting and I never expected to be meeting people from the site so using my real name wasnt an issue. Now, many years later, I am a member of multiple forums and having a different user name for all of them gets confusing so I use BassBlaster everywhere. Its just easier that way, at least for me. So, if your ever on OGF, Tinboats, WoodBarter, IAP, XDforums, or a host of others and see a post from BassBlaster, say hi, its me!!:thumbsup:

Oh, my name is Dennis


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

I've used J Thomas on several different sites. My first name is Jon but the Thomas was my fathers middle name.
It maintains a degree of privacy I guess. Same goes for photos.. sure there are a few of them floating around out there but none have my full correct name attached.
Lotta folks said "hey.. why aren't you on facebook" Well after looking at it a bit I decided I didn't need to be notified every time someones kid farted or swap senseless jokes & photos. Meh... Don't get me started on the privacy issues.. that's another whole mess I'm glad I'm not involved with!
..Jon..


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## Hwood (Oct 21, 2011)

Hwood has been a nickname of mine for years and I tend to use it as a username as much as I can. If someone calls out Hwood in a store I will look so I say I am Hwood.. but Mom calls me Eric.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

After 2000 posts you bring this up now?! :laughing:

Seriously, I use my real name on several forums, including this one, but generally speaking, I don't do that. Privacy is harder and harder to maintain with today's technology. Why make it any easier for people to invade yours?

That said, I think this place is mostly civil because of how well it's moderated, as are all the forums I participate in, rather than "real name versus pseudonym". That's just my take on it, though.


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## Big Mack (Jan 23, 2011)

I have been called Big Mack for so long,that I have forgotten my real name.Lets see,oh I remember [email protected];Mack:thumbsup:


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## JTTHECLOCKMAN (Dec 31, 2011)

I think on most those sites where they require real names that the people make up real names. Not hard to do. I also think if you are going to meet someone at some meeting you will use your real name and then only one name to remember. I see nothing wrong with using sign-on names and in fact I prefer those over real names. Like I said who knows who name is real anyway. Use your first name for a signature than we know who we are talking to. Don't want to know your last name. Too many idiots on the web these days. My real name is out there due to some sites but won't sign-on with it.


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

This is a really interesting thread. I have no idea what it has to do with turning, but that's neither here nor there :blink:.

"Phaedrus" is the author and main character's alter ego in _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_ by Robert Pirsig (Phaedrus was also a Greek philosopher that I know nothing about.). In the book, he's grappling with defining "quality" and the divide between classical (rational) and romantic ways of thinking--all the while reflecting on loosing his mind obsessing over the same dilemma. I was reading this and subsequently _Shop Class as Soulcraft_ by Matthew Crawford at about the same time that I decided to dive head-first into woodworking and start learning as much as I could. I have a great deal of respect for craftsmanship and quality. These two books helped me frame some of those thoughts as I was getting started. 

I have _Shop Class as Soulcraft_ in audiobook format as well. I have recently taken to re-listening to it while working in the garage. It makes a few references to _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_, but mostly follows the author's path working summers in the trades an electrician's assistant to higher education and the "thought-work" job that he thought that he wanted, then back to opening a shop and working on motorcycles. The book speaks reverently about skilled trades and discusses their demise in the past decades. 

Long story short, both books helped be arrange some thoughts that were already in my head. They reminded me that I'm not the only thinking person that doesn't mind grease under the finger nails, a few ever-present callouses, and the satisfaction of being the, "...master of my own stuff," as Crawford says, and being able to maintain and repair my tools, appliances, vehicles, etc.


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh man, Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance is such a wonderful book.... I loved that book but had not thought about it for years.

I had never heard of the other book, but I am going to try to find a copy.

Thank You, Phaedrus.

And BTW, you should use the power of DA GOOGLE to see who Phaedrus was in history. That us pretty interesting too.

EDIT: googled Phaedrus, then came back and added last paragraph.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

How do you know mine is a pseudonymm?


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## PhilipCollier (Jan 2, 2012)

Whats funny is I almost always use "Varigon" (an old gaming name when I used to play Everquest online) when i set up forum accounts or make a user name. This time however i used my name. Not sure why.


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