If anonymity is desired, why not use an alias like Joe?
Oh well.
Rich
Well let’s see if this works. Edit- kinda clumsy, but I put my name in my “signature” so it shows up beneath posts. But I can’t say I love it.
Edit version 2: I didn’t love using the signature field, as it seems to disconnected. I’ll just do it manually then. Also interestingly enough, it automatically added/removed my signature when I created/deleted it in my profile, even on posts that were created before I did that.
Best,
Mike
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Good to meet you, Mike.
Rich
They probably do not wish people to know their name. Just know them by their sign in name.
David
Can do, but some are hard to type and I don’t want to offend anyone.
Besides, doesn’t forum manners dictate it? 
Rich
No.
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Hey, no fair, you left out my wink. 
When I leave off my name, it’s simply I forgot.
Paul
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From now on you may address me as Mcgillicuddy.
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Okay Mcg. I like BATMAN better.
ROBIN aka David
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I have always included my first name in the signature block. That way people can use it rather than my screen name. No need to remember to add it with each post, the forum provides for making it automatic, no user action required.
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“Tree” is a long-time nickname. Sixty-eight is when I graduated from HS. Been using it for ages.
While many people do share general location information, many would prefer not to have to deal with some yo-yo who takes exception to a post and tries to find them to cause them problems.
People I really know get my real name.
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I had a problem with a real nutbar a couple of years ago on another forum asking endless personal questions and getting angry when I didn’t answer. I contacted the admins and they checked out the back and forth and that was the end of him.
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Yikes!
I’ve never understood why some people need to hide their first names, or a GENERAL location, it often helps in understanding or replying to their posts.
Knowing someone’s first name, personalizes, and adds to the forum interaction.
I understand not giving a Full Name, Address, SSN, DOB, etc, but saying that my name is Doug, and that I live on Mt Hood, East of the Cesspool known as Portland, OR, isn’t likely to help anyone “Find” me
The Location has lead me to meeting many members of other forums, especially a chainsaw forum. I have met with many for lunch or coffee, we exchanged contact info through PM’s, and I can say that Every time I have met another member it has been an Enjoyable experience, and I have met or been in contact with many outside of the forum
In the chainsaw forums they often have “get togethers” where a member, that typically has property “Hosts”, and often goes to great lengths and sometimes expense, to host an event, and members pitching in to help with the preparations and clean up, and donations being collected to help with the expenses.
There is a usually annual “GTG” near Springfield, OR that is well attended, with a few members traveling 2-3 days each way to attend, Bob is a Very Gracious Host, and his passion for saws is obvious, his collection of saws is on par with many of the most “Serious “ model collectors, filling a large portion of his barn, I have to admit, viewing his Impressive collection, made me think about how his collection, will likely be a similar burden to his heirs, that many model railroader’s collections become to their Families
Some Enjoy more personal interaction than others, and there is nothing wrong with either end of that spectrum (within REASON), but in my Experience, I have Enjoyed expanding my interaction with other members, wether it was by phone or email, meeting for Lunch or Coffee, or attending a “GTG”, so far, all of my experiences have been Positive and Enjoyable, and I don’t regret any of them
Doug
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I’ve been going by my nickname on here for over 20 years.
Plenty of people on here know my name. But I still see no reason to post it every time.
Zug.
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My real name is Nobody, and I’m from Planet Earth, located in the Sol system, part of the outer spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. If you hit Alpha Centauri, you’ve gone too far.
But seriously, the name I choose to go by is Murdoch17, and my location is my home. I’ve been going with this username for over 15 years in various places.
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My first name and the first three letters of my last name is my forum handle. Even so a lot of people refer to me as Eric - which is a bit funny as the is an Eric down the street from who has the same last name. Even funnier is his son is Erik - never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have the most common name on the street.
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Because first name, general location, and other bits and pieces of data make it fairly easy to identify a person.
This is not a small, personal gathering of people chatting in a corner booth. This is an internet forum accessible to 8 billion people.
If you want to see how data can identify you, look up the Netflix Prize.
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There was a member of the forum who asked if that was my truck in a satellite view…
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