Why are we required to fill in the "Name" field in our Profile now?

Posted March 11, 2011 · March 11, 2011

I just tried to reply to a post and was notified by the forum that I had to fill in the NAME field in my profile to be able to post. I was wondering when that change went in and why it's required?

Honestly, I will never post my real name on any public forum and it should never be a requirement, IMO.

SilvrT · March 11, 2011

My "other" name is Anon Ymous ... you're welcome to use it too...

Black Owl · March 11, 2011

I just tried to reply to a post and was notified by the forum that I had to fill in the NAME field in my profile to be able to post. .

Okay. Now I'm really confused. Is this not a post telling us that you can not post???

friesman · March 11, 2011

just testing to see if it wants my name when I post

Nope, it didnt ask me for my name when I posted this. Maybe you didnt have a field filled in when you registered, or you werent logged in when you tried to post.

BuddyRich · March 11, 2011

Don made some changes to the database yesterday. Having the "Name Field" required is a good idea. You can use what ever you want.

Freebird · March 11, 2011

Yes, I made the name field and the city a requirement. If you don't want to include your real name, just choose a nickname. It just makes it much easier to get to know folks if you can refer to them as Bob, Don, Tom, Tex, Sleepy....whatever instead of having to refer to somebody as midnightridingbiker233380 or something like that. If you don't feel comfortable including your real name, just use a nickname that you are OK with.

Sleeperhawk · March 11, 2011

It just makes it much easier to get to know folks if you can refer to them as Bob, Don, Tom, Tex, Sleepy....whatever instead of having to refer to somebody as midnightridingbiker233380 or something like that.

Hey now, I resemble that remark

Monty · March 11, 2011

It's all Big Tom's fault!

capn eddie · March 11, 2011

maybe he don't want to use his real name because he has parking tickets that haven't been paid yet. we can just call him hey you.

dingy · March 11, 2011

More likely Witness Protection Program.

Gary

Yammer Dan · March 11, 2011

Hey now, I resemble that remark

Go back to bed Sleepy.....:rotfl:

skydoc_17 · March 11, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.

I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.

But like I said, "That's Just Me".

Earl

BuckShot · March 11, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.
I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.
But like I said, "That's Just Me".
Earl

I also like the family atmosphere. Just my

friesman · March 11, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.
I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.
But like I said, "That's Just Me".
Earl

WELL SAID Earl,

thats why i always try to rmember to sign my name at the bottom of a post and always try to use a persons given name when chatting back to them. It just feels more personal that way. The world has become to impersonal in my view and its just one thing I try to do to make it less impersonal.

And about not putting info on the net, if someone wants your info its easy to get, so putting you first name on a post isnt going to make a difference anyway.

Brian

rumboogy · March 11, 2011

Seriously though...I am not saying we should supply SSN#'s or anything like that, but a first name at the very least shouldn't be a big deal (unless your name is goobernuts or something).

Really, if you want to remain anonymous (TRULY ANONYMOUS)...the internet is probably not the place to be...maybe Montana or Wyoming, but not the internet.

Posted March 11, 2011 · March 11, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.
I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.
But like I said, "That's Just Me".
Earl

Well put and you did change my outlook on this, and I can tell you that don't happen often at all..

But I do not want what my Mother called me 6 3/4 days a week even though I did deserve it..:whistling:

Edited March 11, 2011 by scarylarry

BIG TOM · March 11, 2011

It's all Big Tom's fault!

GUILTY as charged.........

kevin-vic-b.c. · March 12, 2011

but I am trying to hide so knowone knows who I am or where I am..... for some reason it is not working..... not sure why.

BIG TOM · March 12, 2011

but I am trying to hide so knowone knows who I am or where I am..... for some reason it is not working..... not sure why.

Well, you are doing a good job as long as you don't GOOGLE yourself.......

Posted March 12, 2011 · March 12, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.
I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.
But like I said, "That's Just Me".
Earl

Before everyone starts judging me, they should maybe familiarize themselves with the way that the internet and specifically search engines work. Nothing is private if it's visible online and there are all sorts of bad people, annoying websites and many other organizations that gather this information and use it. Once that information is out there, it can never be taken back. This has nothing to do with me trying to do or say things without accountability. I administer several websites and I have always been perfectly willing to deal with people up front via PRIVATE CHANNELS. In public though, I always use a handle or other persona.

I already get way too many phone calls from companies bugging me for everything from cleaning my ducts to moving my phone service. I have, over the last couple of decades, managed to keep my internet "foot print" a lot smaller though.

Call me eccentric... but IMO, nobody has a right to track where I have been or what I do by just running searches on the internet. It's a matter of principle for me. And it also protects me and anyone close to me from fraud, identity theft and many other nasty things that can happen. If anyone thinks that just because they have nothing to hide and that they are upright individuals, will protect them on the internet, then they are naive.

Wanna test how powerful the search engine are these days? Make a fake thread here and put a fake unique name in the title. Then, the next day, google that fake name and I bet you that the thread you made will be on the front page of the google results.

As for staying truly anonymous.... not gonna happen unless you are a computer expert. Most of us can find out who someone else is within a half an hour if they know where to look. Using forum handles just makes it harder for the random searches to harvest data on you.

Posted March 12, 2011 · March 12, 2011

Yes, I made the name field and the city a requirement. If you don't want to include your real name, just choose a nickname. It just makes it much easier to get to know folks if you can refer to them as Bob, Don, Tom, Tex, Sleepy....whatever instead of having to refer to somebody as midnightridingbiker233380 or something like that. If you don't feel comfortable including your real name, just use a nickname that you are OK with.

Thanks for the reply. I figured it was something like that and I just reused my forum handle as my name.

Yammer Dan · March 12, 2011

I grew up in a time where you looked a man in the eye, identified yourself, shook his hand, and stated your business. I guess I'm funny that way. The internet has afforded the opportunity for people to say things without any accountability. I have NEVER been afraid to tell someone my name. Most times when I post, I try to direct my comments to the person that has asked the question or made the comment, unless I can't figure out what their name is, or what the heck kind of bike they ride! AND I always sign every post, because I want the person that I gave the information to, to be able to ask another question at a later date, and KNOW who they were talking to. I can appreciate the fact that there are members on this forum that are in Law Enforcement, who wouldn't want 10,000 members knowing where they live, but ALL of the LEO members I have met are at least willing to post their first names.
I am not saying that I will never chat with a member that doesn't identify himself, BUT one of the main reasons I subscribe to this forum is the "Feeling of Family" that is afforded to every member on this site. I have members of my OWN family that I don't care too much for, BUT, I still know their names. I would think that it would be really hard to continue the family atmosphere here on VR.ORG without being able to call my brothers and sisters by their names. I figure that if my name was good enough for my MOTHER to call me by, then it's good enough for the members of this site to call me by.
But like I said, "That's Just Me".
Earl

WHAT EARL SAID!!! I always want folks to know who they are dealing with. I always told convicts when they wanted my name so they could come and kill me when they got out that I would write name & address down so they could find someone to read it to them!!

KarlS · March 12, 2011

Before everyone starts judging me, they should maybe familiarize themselves with the way that the internet and specifically search engines work. Nothing is private if it's visible online and there are all sorts of bad people, annoying websites and many other organizations that gather this information and use it. Once that information is out there, it can never be taken back. This has nothing to do with me trying to do or say things without accountability. I administer several websites and I have always been perfectly willing to deal with people up front via PRIVATE CHANNELS. In public though, I always use a handle or other persona.

I already get way too many phone calls from companies bugging me for everything from cleaning my ducts to moving my phone service. I have, over the last couple of decades, managed to keep my internet "foot print" a lot smaller though.

Call me eccentric... but IMO, nobody has a right to track where I have been or what I do by just running searches on the internet. It's a matter of principle for me. And it also protects me and anyone close to me from fraud, identity theft and many other nasty things that can happen. If anyone thinks that just because they have nothing to hide and that they are upright individuals, will protect them on the internet, then they are naive.

Wanna test how powerful the search engine are these days? Make a fake thread here and put a fake unique name in the title. Then, the next day, google that fake name and I bet you that the thread you made will be on the front page of the google results.

As for staying truly anonymous.... not gonna happen unless you are a computer expert. Most of us can find out who someone else is within a half an hour if they know where to look. Using forum handles just makes it harder for the random searches to harvest data on you.

WOW. I use ic23b on just about every forum and/or anything on the internet that I use or comment on. So after reading what you wrote I googled ic23b. Came up with 7,400 hits and has everything I have ever posted or commented on and everywhere I use ic23b. Internet and privacy just doesn't go hand in hand.

Flyinfool · March 12, 2011

Ha!

I googled my screen name and you had to go thru a lot of pages before there was one that was actually me. I seem to have a pretty popular handle.

Posted March 12, 2011 · March 12, 2011

over 5 million hits on mine...

I hope they have alot of time on their hands

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