[Not really moderating] To the new users who use pseudonyms

[Volker Pittlik]

Hello,

can someone please explain me what exactly of:

...To use your real name (that one written in your passport) is desired...

you don't understand?

I'm really tired to find a half dozen new pseudonyms in the member list every day! You didn't read the registration form or the "Readme" posting, did you? Although you have confirmed that you did.

So far I send an email to each one and asked kindly to change his username. Only very few people react (thanks to them). The accounts of the others were deleted and some even re-registered five minutes later. This way confirming again that they use their real name! They are in the banlist now.

I'm not disposed to waste my time with this crap. Therefore I have change the registration form and the "Readme" posting again, and this time was the last time.

If you have registered in the last days and use a pseudonym you are requested to change it to your real name for the last time. If you don't do so until tomorrow 12 o'clock GMT your accounts will be deleted.

Volker

[Tord Romstad]

Hello,

can someone please explain me what exactly of:

...To use your real name (that one written in your passport) is desired...

you don't understand?

Hi Volker,

Wouldn't it be a good idea to use a stronger word than "desired"? Perhaps my understanding of English is not good enough, but the way I read the quoted sentence above, using your real name is not an absolute requirement. I suggest that you replace "desired" with "required".

Tord

[Volker Pittlik]

...

Wouldn't it be a good idea to use a stronger word than "desired"? Perhaps my understanding of English is not good enough, but the way I read the quoted sentence above, using your real name is not an absolute requirement. I suggest that you replace "desired" with "required".

Tord

Yes. Maybe some native English speakers can make suggestions too.

Regards

Volker

[Pierre Muzac]

Requested is allright or perhaps " Obligatory"

Pierre Muzac

[Peter Fendrich]

Hi Volker,
I don't want to make a big issue of this but I have a question.

How can you really know if people are using their real name?
What's the difference between for instance using the name George Bush or the pseudonyme bushy?
Even if you know that bushy can't be a real name you can never know if "George Bush" is his real name can you?
How do you know that my real name is Peter Fendrich?
Don't say you trust me!
/Peter

[Volker Pittlik]

Hi Volker,
I don't want to make a big issue of this but I have a question.

How can you really know if people are using their real name?
What's the difference between for instance using the name George Bush or the pseudonyme bushy?
Even if you know that bushy can't be a real name you can never know if "George Bush" is his real name can you?
How do you know that my real name is Peter Fendrich?
Don't say you trust me!
/Peter

I have no proof at all. If someone don't want to use his real name and register as "Peter Miller" and then participates here in a normal way I have no problem at all. Take "F. Huber" as an example. Everyone knows it is a pseudonym, but his messages are on-topic and he is a member in a good standing here.

But he is (maybe) the only exception. More than 95% of messages from a pseudonym are utter nonsense. And they also quickly attract their friends.


I've tired everything:

No confirmation at all => a whole army of spam bots registered within hours.

Confirmation by the user => dozens of "Assmans", "PigSuckers", "IwantToTradePrograms" -idiots occured as a plague.

Confirmation by me => same as before, but with more work for me.

I've send mails to them asking to change their username. Most of them don't react at all. There is an "Info" forum for new users. There is a "Readme" posting and a registration form. On top of both there is written underlined or bold that the real name is required. Result: two new pseudonym registrations since then. I'm simply bored of this.

Maybe I should add to the "Readme" that the ability to read is also required here.

Volker

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Hi Volker,
Maybe you should restrict the registration for a while....
meaning forms of registration to be sent to you and manualy operated!
A fixed number of registrations for a period of time is a good idea too
Cheers,
Dr.Wael Deeb

[Volker Pittlik]

Hi Volker,
Maybe you should restrict the registration for a while....
meaning forms of registration to be sent to you and manualy operated!
A fixed number of registrations for a period of time is a good idea too
Cheers,
Dr.Wael Deeb

I leave the idea of artificial shortening to other forums. Unfortunately these forums miss users, postings and substance. Manual acceptance of registrations generates the most work for me. I don't see any benefit in it.

Volker

[eric_oldre]

Hi Volker,
I don't want to make a big issue of this but I have a question.

How can you really know if people are using their real name?
What's the difference between for instance using the name George Bush or the pseudonyme bushy?
Even if you know that bushy can't be a real name you can never know if "George Bush" is his real name can you?
How do you know that my real name is Peter Fendrich?
Don't say you trust me!
/Peter

I have no proof at all. If someone don't want to use his real name and register as "Peter Miller" and then participates here in a normal way I have no problem at all. Take "F. Huber" as an example. Everyone knows it is a pseudonym, but his messages are on-topic and he is a member in a good standing here.

But he is (maybe) the only exception. More than 95% of messages from a pseudonym are utter nonsense. And they also quickly attract their friends.


I've tired everything:

No confirmation at all => a whole army spam bots registered within hours.

Confirmation by the user => dozens of "Assmans", "PigSuckers", "IwantToTradePrograms" -idiots occured as a plague.

Confirmation by me => same as before, but with more work for me.

I've send mails to them asking to change their username. Most of them don't react at all. There is an "Info" forum for new users. There is a "Readme" posting and a registration form. On top of both there is written underlined or bold that the real name is required. Result: two new pseudonym registrations since then. I'm simply bored of this.

Maybe I should add to the "Readme" that the ability to read is also required here.

Volker

Volker,
I had no idea that maintaining the registration was such work. Now that I know I just wanted to thank you for keeping this forum as on-topic as it is.

Eric

(end of admintrator brown-nosing)

ps. i think you have a good idea with using real names, something about allowing people to mascarade using an online only identity makes them less responsible about what they post. It probably explains alot why there is so little garbage on this site.

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

I'll have to admit that I didn't read the particular forum rules at all when registering.

Might want to put that pseudonyms rule in boldface on the first line or something like that to draw more attention

Edit: Well you seem to have done exactly that. I hope it wasn't like that when I registered otherwhise I'll feel like an idiot.

[Volker Pittlik]

...
I had no idea that maintaining the registration was such work.

It is. If I enable manual acceptance I get an email for every new registration. Then I have to go to the forum. After that I have to click on a link not visible for you to enter the Administration Panel. For security reasons I have to enter my password manually. Then I have to search for the new user. Afer finding him I have to copy his email address, go to my email program, open a new message, paste his email address into the recipient line, open my editor, open the "Please use you real name as username" template, copy and paste it to the message body and finally send it to the pseudonym user.

This may need 2 to 3 minutes. If there are 5 new pseudonym users this take 10 to 15 minutes - every day. I have better things to do in that time.

...i think you have a good idea with using real names, something about allowing people to mascarade using an online only identity makes them less responsible about what they post. It probably explains alot why there is so little garbage on this site.

Yes I agree. I still read a lot in usenet. In the de.* hierarchy (the German part of usenet) using of your real name is obligatory for exactly this reason. To see the difference please take a look at "rec.games.chess.computer". I think you will agree with me that messages from pseudonym posters are more often not really interesting (there are exceptions of course). Therefore I think to use your real name when posting is a very good idea.

Best regards

Volker

[Volker Pittlik]

...
Might want to put that pseudonyms rule in boldface on the first line or something like that to draw more attention

Edit: Well you seem to have done exactly that. I hope it wasn't like that when I registered

No it wasn't.

... otherwhise I'll feel like an idiot.

To reach that goal you have to try much harder .

Regards

Volker