Full Version: User Names
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#7]
21 Apr 2006
To: gt350ed [#6] 22 Apr 2006
Ed,
Let me know when you get that going. I'll be one of your first members. :-)
Note: I changed my previous post, to update the number of Sawmill Creek forum members, from 5,000 to 7,600.
During March, there was a point where over 500 people were online, at the same time.
Yeoww!
EDITED: 21 Apr 2006 by DGL
From: anon (ANONYMOUS) [#8]
21 Apr 2006
To: ALL
Even though I've been criticized for posting anonymously, I feel I've been more upfront than others that use public forums.
I could have made up a pausible name and even filled out an acceptable profile. I've spent more time than I should have trying to figure out how to explain my compulsion to hide my identity. The best conclusion I have been able to come up with is this:
We've all been in public places and you heard something that just isn't right but you don't want publicly announce your opinions and possibility hurt someone's feelings. What do you do? You go to those closest to you and whisper your thoughts to see if they've had a similiar experience. Maybe you're not physically whispering but you get my drift. Well, guess what folks, there's no whispering here but I still wanted to share this with those that I'm closest to in this industry.
Will I do it again? No way. I've spent my life speaking my mind and I'm not about to stop at this point.
Another thought - with ease of acquiring free email addresses or just using a bogus one, it would be very difficult to 100% identify all posters. Even if this went to a pay site, there are still those with an axe to grind that would find a way around it.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9]
22 Apr 2006
To: anon (ANONYMOUS) [#8] 22 Apr 2006
I agree, if there's a will, there's a way and if a person wants to hide their true identity, there are any number of ways.
That's why I'm choosing not to draw a hard line on the user name issue.
From: anon (ANONYMOUS) [#10]
22 Apr 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9] 22 Apr 2006
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11]
22 Apr 2006
To: anon (ANONYMOUS) [#10] Unread
I can't blame you for the cautious tack you took, but as you can see, there's more of a stir over your anonymous status, than the message you delivered. :-)
In any case, regular or not, I'm happy you're a forum member and I truly appreciated your input, in the LU thread.
All the best,
From: spudislander (WILLM) [#12]
22 Apr 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11] 22 Apr 2006
Hi David,
I don't do a lot of posting anymore for many reasons, the main one being very busy. I have had some repercussions from my posts in the past though. Earlier (several years ago) I posted about a negative experience I had with an engraving supply company. The results were that it had a negative and financial impact on my business. On another forum (DSSI) I had made some posts regarding sub ink hype, this time as an anonymous poster. B-) Guess what - I was cut off by one supplier and threatened by another. :-(
Wonder how they knew it was me?? >.<
Bottom line is, that after 7+ years on these forums, I can completely understand why somebody would want to remain anonymous when posting a negative experience. From my experiences I would even be cautious about that.
Will
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#13]
22 Apr 2006
To: spudislander (WILLM) [#12] 26 Apr 2006
Will,
I'm sorry to hear that you're the "Poster Boy" for forum backlash. >.<
I would think there's less chance of backlash, if a person posts under their own name; especially if they're publicly vocal about the backlash to their post(s).
Getting everything out in the open, can be a deterent to backlash.
EDITED: 22 Apr 2006 by DGL
From: spudislander (WILLM) [#14]
26 Apr 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#13] 26 Apr 2006
Hi David,
I'm not trying to make this about my personal experience - it's water long passed under the bridge. It wasn't public (forum) backlash that affected me. It was the private/commercial response from certain trade suppliers that affected me to a certain degree. It made me question my participation in forums. I don't think there is a simple answer nor do I expect one. The only point I am attempting to make is - there can be serious ramifications and consequences to public posts regarding suppliers.
i.e.
I post questioning the claims and sales hype of a product from a specific supplier. That supplier takes offense to my open (skeptical) questioning of their product and as a result will no longer SELL to me other products that I have come to rely on from them as a sole supplier of those products.
What is my next course of action?
-Bring their actions to light on the forum?
-Withdraw my original posting and kiss up?
It is a situation that is regrettable with no easy solution.
So to avoid the above situation (or something similar) I can completely understand why the original poster in this thread wished to remain anonymous while recanting their experiences to the rest of us. I would prefer to hear from an anonymous source than to not hear at all.
?
Will
EDITED: 26 Apr 2006 by WILLM
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#15]
26 Apr 2006
To: spudislander (WILLM) [#14] 27 Apr 2006
I agree that hearing a person's experience, albeit anonymously, is better than not hearing it at all, although, as a forum host, I have to uphold our policy of only allowing first-hand, factual accounts, in the event of a dispute between members.
In this instance, there was no dispute; just a personal opinion, that was upheld by another forum member, who wasn't taking sides; just adding his own opinion, under his actual name.
Putting myself in your shoes, I think, by now, you know how I would have reacted to a supplier exacting revenge for a comment I made on the forum.
Firstly, I would have never posted anonymously.
Secondly, I would have brought the "retaliation" to the attention of the forum members, allowing them to decide for themselves, if they'd want to do business with such a highly-vindictive source.
The outcome may have been the same, but I would have gone down fighting, with the distinct possibility of letting the offended supplier, put themselves in a bad light.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16]
26 Apr 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#15] 26 Apr 2006
The other alternative is to have the real names go into a protectd database that only the moderators have access to. That will protect the individual posting, and have a communication line available to the moderators if something seems strange.
Opinions?
From: basehorawards [#17]
26 Apr 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16] 26 Apr 2006
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#18]
26 Apr 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16] 26 Apr 2006
That's exactly what I have in mind, as part of the signup procedure for our subscription site.
Users will be allowed to use whatever screen name they please, but the admin. will have actual names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, which won't be passed along to third parties.
Nothing more than would be asked in a subscription to a trade magazine or in signing up for a trade show.
From: bluepaw [#19]
26 Apr 2006
To: ALL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#20]
26 Apr 2006
To: bluepaw [#19] 26 Apr 2006
I haven't learned that lesson yet. :-)
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#21]
26 Apr 2006
To: bluepaw [#19] 26 Apr 2006
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#22]
26 Apr 2006
To: bluepaw [#19] 26 Apr 2006
I totaly dissagree!!!!!
:)
Just havin fun with ya......
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#23]
26 Apr 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#18] 26 Apr 2006
A funny side note about real names and trade magazines. Back in 1991 I placed an ad in a video equipment trade magazine and my brother dicided to test out the literature request. He filled in the "bingo card" (you know, the little card with lots of numbers for all the ads in a magazine) and gave his name as Sopan Aropa (get it? Soap-on-a-rope). He received our literature just fine, and since we didn't do mailing lists that should have been the end of it.
But apparently the magazine added his name to their mailing lists, because 15 years later "Sopan" is now receiving half a dozen free trade magazines and an average of 10 brochures a month. :O
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#24]
26 Apr 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#23] 26 Apr 2006
From: bluepaw [#25]
26 Apr 2006
To: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#22] 26 Apr 2006
Ok, I will continue to be controversial.
Bill
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#26]
26 Apr 2006
To: bluepaw [#25] 26 Apr 2006