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Nicknames. | by karl-henrik | 2006-12-13 04:44:10 |
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Paranoia, in some cases. | by krikkert | 2006-12-13 05:02:16 |
| Count me among... |
by jdelphiki |
2006-12-13 06:02:25 |
...the paranoid, I guess.
I know that there isn't much that can be done without the additional types of info you referred to, but then again, there IS quite a lot that can be learned of someone by knowing their name and the general geographic area in which they live.
There is also the concern over spam and online data mining. I avoid most of that by hanging out on sites that I'm pretty sure won't be trying to use whatever info they can find out about me for whatever nefarious purpose they want.
Interestingly, I do use my real name on the numerous writing sites where I submit my stories and try to get published. A nickname there doesn't make as much sense because then, my writing wouldn't be associated with me. Unless, of course, I'm using a pen name. But even that gets messy (that would make it a "fountain" pen name, I suppose) because anyone could claim my writing as their own and I would have a much harder time proving that I'm some pen name/nickname than proving that I'm me.
Another reason for using nicknames? Being anonymous on a board can, for some people, give them the ability to say things that they otherwise might not want associated with their true selves. Lots of reasons why they might think that way. Some folks might want to create an alter-ego for themselves...kind of an experiment in being someone else. Some might simply like the idea that they can say what they want without anyone having that baggage hung on to their name. Some might like the layer of insulation that they get by using a nickname...the ability to dump it all and start over if they get tired of "being" that character or if they somehow mess it up for themselves.
For me, the latter is somewhat relevant. If I someday lose my cool, get angry and drama-queen my way out the door, I can always come back with a new nick and a new personna. How many UFies out here today started as someone else, but have benefitted by having a second chance (or third, fourth...) to come back and start over? It's a lot harder to do that if your original nick was your own name.
One final reason...a lot less analytical. Some people like the idea of coming up with a creative name for themselves. By now, most people who've read the books have figured out who jdelphiki is, but since it's kind of an obscure reference, it's been fun for me to see which of the UFies have bean able to figure it out. |
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