Question: About names, nicknames and avatars

John B. · Feb 7, 2011

Miss Abigail, you crack me up.

Will say a hundred times......no running with scissors!

And PS. Thank you and other for the music and songs and also what Andrew said, just gets better.

Best.

Andrew Biggs · Feb 7, 2011

The Cafe isn't perfect, nor are its owners, Administrators, or Moderators

Hang on a minute here Sam............Not perfect...........what are you saying!!!!

And I kind of think that Funky Chicken suits John B

John B. · Feb 7, 2011

Sounds good to me Andrew. Now how do I change my handle??????

Best.

settingsunhobbyengraver · Feb 7, 2011

Signature's

Hi Arnaud:

There is a different way of looking at things.

I use an avitar to give a hint of the equipment I use.

The login I use, gives an indication of when I find the time to learn and practice my hobby.

The Signature line speaks to who I am

and at times I'll type my first name, an indication of the importance of the communication. ( throw back to when engravers only signed their more important works..)

your friend John

eastslope · Feb 7, 2011

If you saw how ugly I am you would certainly change your mind about the avatar photo.

fegarex · Feb 7, 2011

Yea John!
I like that for you!

settingsunhobbyengraver · Feb 7, 2011

to the point

which john?

Robert Morales · Feb 7, 2011

Ok, my Deep Dark Secret is out, I haven't shaved since 1976.

Tim Wells · Feb 7, 2011

Simmer down there Andrew, you're about as perfect as a lowly moderator can be. :beerchug:

As for Arnaud's original post, much like he, I've always felt it was better to use my real name so it's not so annonymous but the avatar just shows a plane I like to fly rather than my ugly mug.

All of that is just a personal choice though so it doesn't matter much to me what you call yourself in the grand scheme of things. Sam has called himself Sam since day one and it hasn't bothered me one bit.:thumbs up:

Jane · Feb 7, 2011

eastslope said:
If you saw how ugly I am you would certainly change your mind about the avatar photo.

:yes me to!

I have no issue with people using nicknames or a picture of their dog for their picture. Really, I do not think it makes any difference in a comment.
Sometimes people will judge someone based on their picture or name which is obviously stupid but it does occur. I do not think it makes a bit a difference whether you know if one is a girl, boy, 20 years old, 60 years old or 80 if someone asks a question on layout or whatever it may be your answer should be the same.
Many people do not critique my work as I wish they would because I am a young female and I think they are afraid of hurting my feelings. This irritates me to no end.
Sure putting a face with a real name can be fun, but thats what facebook is for last time I checked....(not that it shouldn't happen here, but there are social networking sites just for that purpose)

Thanks for the help that I have received. I need all that I can get and sure appreciate it!

-Braidie AKA Jane (which by the way is what my family and friends actually call me)

DKanger · Feb 7, 2011

Arnaud,
Looking deeper, there is usually something that causes a person to vent his frustrations on a forum. I think perhaps some incident has triggered yours. Maybe a derogatory email from an anonymous person or something similar.

It reminds me of the old management training scenario. A group of people are assembled with paper bags over their heads. They are all anonymous and equal. They go thru team building and accept each for who he is. Then the bags are removed, some are white, some are Asian, some are black. The group starts to splinter and each ethnic group forms its own group. It becomes "us" against "them" and the original solidarity disappears.

Also, nicknames are largely an American cultural thing. In rural America, and particularly in the South many people are known by their nicknames. Before the internet, there was the CB radio craze, where everyone used nicknames. This carried over to internet communications. Our gangsters had names like Bugsy Segal and Machine Gun Kelly. Our cowboys had names like Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill Cody and a plethora of others. People today who participate in Cowboy Action Shooting all have nicknames. People who are historical reenactors all have nicknames. Everyone is known by their nicknames and their real names are not often known.

You come to know people for who they are, not how they are named. Maybe we get along better if we all wear bags over our heads.

Having said all that, I somewhat agree with you in one respect. There are many "posers" who hide behind their nicknames. Everyone can be whatever they want to be in a public forum. I have had my own special interest forum since 1996 and always allowed nicknames. However, since changing to the message board format, I still allow members to use any nickname they desire but they must register using their real name instead of an alias.

Andrew Biggs · Feb 7, 2011

When I was in the army we were always allowed to call the officers by their nickname...............Sir.

Christopher Malouf · Feb 7, 2011

Getting back to the REAL topic of revealing our true identities and updating our avatars ..... it's time we finally learned which one is Andrew and which one is Sam??? LOL!!!

Christian DeCamillis · Feb 7, 2011

I often wondered why Sam changed his avatar from the original :shock:

Christian DeCamillis · Feb 7, 2011

On a more serious note. I think that things have drifted from the original intent. I think that Arnaud was just asking for a name first last anything . I agree that I would answer a post by saying Dave John Jony or whatever. than Hey that looks good jackofalltradesmasterofnone . I don't think that the picture or avatar and name are necessary but something to know who I am addressing would be nice. I don't think you can force people to do it but It would be nice.

Jane, now I know who you really are. Next time we talk I will call you Jane.

Chris

DakotaDocMartin · Feb 7, 2011

My nickname/handle

Arnaud,

I have been on the Internet since about 1990 shortly after it was given to the public in 1989. I used to run an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) forum for the Buckskinners (Mountain Men/Fur Trappers/Reenactors). I chose the nickname DakotaDocMartin because I am from North Dakota, I'm a Doctor of Chiropractic, and my last name is Martin. Since then, on every forum that I belong to or have belonged to... I have been DakotaDocMartin. Even my Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) alias is Dakota Doc Martin. So, I don't even think of it as an alias after all of these years. It's just who I am.

As for being banned from forums... that's happened to me a number of times also. In fact, at one time so many of us were banned from the SASS Wire that it gave birth to several other forums. Some of us proudly put into our signatures the words "Banned of Brothers". But, it all came from either not playing by the rules or being perceived of as being a trouble maker. And, I'll admit it... they had good reason to ban me.

That's why I have to watch myself these days and try to become another Brick In The Wall.

Sam has a pretty good forum here and the way forums are everywhere... what he says are the rules are the rules we have. If we don't like it... tough luck.

Speaking of the banning on the Lindsay forum... there seems to be a lot of that recently. But, then again, it's his forum.

Forum software is readily available on the Internet either free or for a price. But, running a forum can become a real pain in the...

Been there, done that. In fact, many a good website has been destroyed with the addition of a forum. So, that's something to also keep in mind.

My two cents worth. And no... I'm not going to change my alias to my real name. Nobody would know me then! :big grin:

Jane · Feb 7, 2011

Haha sounds good Chris....many people who are just getting to know me usually ask if my middle name is Jane as they hear my family refer to me as Jane. It makes sense.... Braidie Jane, however its actually Braidie Laine. My sisters started the Jane thing and it just stuck. If my brother is around when someone asks why people call me Jane he typically responds "because she smokes a lot of Mary Jane" which gets them real confused....by the way I have never touched the stuff my brother just thinks he's funny.

monk · Feb 7, 2011

whilst a member of the armed forces of this great country, i was given the nick, " monk the drunk". sorry for the naysayers, i'm takin this nick to the grave !

Christopher Malouf · Feb 7, 2011

Christian DeCamillis said:
Hey that looks good jackofalltradesmasterofnone .

Oh man ... I sure hope no-one was thinking of posting a critique request and then read that.

On the positive side, it was Lee Griffiths who told us, in my GRS beginner class 5 years ago, that it's the "Jack of all trades" who make great engravers. I'll never forget that 'cause after doing this for a few years .... he's so right.

-------------

Someone should pick a theme or a movie and we'll all change our avatars to match.

Jane · Feb 7, 2011

Chris,
Don't they do that kind of thing on Facebook.....
"It's favorite childhood cartoon week, change your profile pic to your favorite childhood cartoon.....blah, blah, blah!"

Question: About names, nicknames and avatars

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