43 replies to this topic

[Mark T]

So I was reading through some of the forums yesterday and a few ppl referred to other ppl by their first name rather by their AA member ID.

Usually if I dealt with a person, usually through the marketplace, then I obviously know their first and last name via paypal. So if I see them in a forum I usually reply using their first name.

I wanted to know, would it be ok to refer to ppl on here by their first name?
I know we are pretty much a great community with nothing to hide, at least I don't, lol.

Are there ppl that find it offensive or uncomforting?

What are ppls ethical thoughts on this?

Thanks!

PS#1: Obviously by my AA ID I'm Mark...however when I signed up I meant to have my ID: Mtshark7 but it always showed up as Mark T somehow.

[Chuck D. Head]

I will use someones name if they have used it in the forum or profile to where people have seen it, otherwise I dont, because I know a few people who dont want their name out there. A few people actually have fear of someone finding out where they live (i.e. - where their collection lives). If you use my name, just spell it right - mOrgan (little M - big Organ)

[SlowCoder]

Though I typically don't call people by their first or last name on a public forum, I consider it ok to do so if they have made it public elsewhere on the forum, same as Chuck said. BUT, just because I've done private business with them and happen to know their name from PayPal or mailing address doesn't necessarily give me the privilege of using it on a public forum.

I happen to be one of those people Chuck mentioned. Not that I'm afraid that someone will visit me, but I'm private person. I won't divulge my real name unnecessarily, and I wouldn't appreciate it if someone used it publicly without my consent.

[Random Terrain]

I only use AA user names. I don't want to know their real names and even if they post their real names, I'll still copy and paste their AA user names if I need to mention them.

Some people learn at school or in some book at the library that people love it when you use their real names and it helps when trying to sell something to them. The average person is supposed to get all tingly in their special place when you use their name, so they are more likely to buy stuff from you. It's also supposed to work when you are just trying to become friends with someone. I don't like my real name, so it doesn't make me feel tingly when someone uses it instead of my user name. It just makes me think they are trying to manipulate me with cheap tricks. Using my real name won't make me bond with you so we'll become best buddies and it won't make me want to buy stuff from you.

[TMOSteel]

Good post and an interesting question I have often wondered myself. I would think it’s perfectly OK if someone signs their posts with their name to use it in any response, or their forum name. I also don't usually refer to someone publically by name even if I have had dealings with them or contacted them via email or PM.

On a side note I do find it funny sometimes responding to someone in the forum by their AA name when I know them, especially if I am friends with them (friend friends, not just AA friends).

Maybe we should have a sticky on public forum etiquette? (Unless we have one somewhere already).

[Tempest]

I generally like to be referred to by my user name when I deal with people online, but my real name isn't exactly a secret as I've been around so long so I don't have a problem with it.

[Emehr]

If people know my name then I don't have a problem with them using it. I actually preferred it that way for the Boulder Dash label contest because "Emehr" has no special meaning other than it being a product of a random name generator I made a long time ago.

[Ransom]

Typically, I'll refer to people by their user names in forums unless they make it obvious they want their real name used. For example, if someone "signs" his posts with his real name, I'll use that. I would consider it rude to use someone's real name just because I learned it via Paypal or whatever.

[rmaerz]

People know me from other places so I don't mind if they call me by first name.

[Reaperman]

I see it in here, and occasionally it still confuses me as far is who is who.

Personally I don't do it unless a first name is part of a username, and then I'd consider that just shortening. I wouldn't enjoy it done to me, and I think the signal for that is that I don't include an obvious reference to my name as part of my username.

[Chuck D. Head]

Random Terrain, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 11:09 AM, said:

I don't like my real name, so it doesn't make me feel tingly when someone uses it instead of my user name. It just makes me think they are trying to manipulate me with cheap tricks. Using my real name won't make me bond with you so we'll become best buddies and it won't make me want to buy stuff from you.

Whatever, Carlos.

[so_tough!]

I sometimes call people by their first name on here, only people I've been talking to via private messages for years though.

Edited by so_tough!, Thu Feb 2, 2012 12:24 PM.

[Mr SQL]

Interesting topic! In a sense Internet forums are interactive role playing games - in real life you might be Thomas Anderson getting a lecture from your boss but you can be Neo online; or Space Cowboy or Superman. Either way I like the game so I won't go calling you Clark except in private

[SlowCoder]

One problem with calling people by their real name, is that if everyone else doesn't know who that person is, it can be confusing.

[Yurkie]

The following is something to think about not a critism toward any person(s)

Here is another take on using first names. If you use a first name and you know who your talking about but others don't aren't you alienating the people that don't know who your talking about?

Alienation, is the opposite of community is it not?

[so_tough!]

Yurkie, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 12:18 PM, said:

The following is something to think about not a critism toward any person(s)

Here is another take on using first names. If you use a first name and you know who your talking about but others don't aren't you alienating the people that don't know who your talking about?

Alienation, is the opposite of community is it not?

Hmmm, usually when I refer to someones first name we are all in the same thread and we are all fooling around. Well, you get on better with some people than others and develop a closer relationship, just like in "real life". I don't know much about anyones life here, apart from the few people that I've been talking to privately for years.

Edited by so_tough!, Thu Feb 2, 2012 12:30 PM.

[SlowCoder]

Yurkie, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 12:18 PM, said:

The following is something to think about not a critism toward any person(s)

Here is another take on using first names. If you use a first name and you know who your talking about but others don't aren't you alienating the people that don't know who your talking about?

Alienation, is the opposite of community is it not?

Jinx!! Well, sort of. It's kind of the same as what I said.

[the-topdog]

For the most part I use usernames... but on occasion I will use a first name when I have had personal dealings with them and everyone is aware of their name because of multiple mentions in the forums. It sometimes punctuates a joke or whatnot.

[The Usotsuki]

I have friends who refer to me even offline by my handle.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Well, you see my username to the left there, most other places online (Youtube / Facebook / 99% forums) I am MaximumRD but my real name is ROB, anyone may feel free to use any of those......OR CAPTAIN AWESOME, yeah I like that too...............

[RevEng]

I think it's fair game if the person uses their real name as a signature, as a few here do.

Do you guys feel it's acceptable to use someone's real name if they produce hardware or software for our community under that name? Clearly they're not seeking anonymity.

[Mark T]

Well I guess to what both SlowCoder and Yurkie said about being confusing referring to ppl by their first name a way around that could be for ex:
I could say Yurkie (Todd) when referring to that said person.

I was scared @ first when my username was Mark T and I tried to change it to Mtshark7 but it wouldn't allow me to change it. So I sent an email to Al awhile back with no response so I just said screw it! haha.

To me I find it more friendly refering to the person by their first name esp. when dealing in the market place...I would hope we are all civil on here.

[the-topdog]

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 1:23 PM, said:

Well, you see my username to the left there, most other places online (Youtube / Facebook / 99% forums) I am MaximumRD but my real name is ROB, anyone may feel free to use any of those......OR CAPTAIN AWESOME, yeah I like that too...............

I'll answer to just about anything, Erik, Topdog, Jessica, Hey You, and A$$wipe are the most common

[Random Terrain]

Mark T, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 2:05 PM, said:

I was scared @ first when my username was Mark T and I tried to change it to Mtshark7 but it wouldn't allow me to change it. So I sent an email to Al awhile back with no response so I just said screw it! haha.

AtariAge subscribers can change their user names.

[HatefulGravey]

To me I know I don't think of user names when I think about people, but I use them in the forums. So if I know someone's real name I'll use it in PM, or when telling my wife about things going on, but I don't drop those names here. It doesn't hurt my feelings when people use my real name (Michael for the record) but I do just assume most people aren't that way.

I have most packages delivered to the house, so anyone that has sold me something knows where I live anyway. I'm not too worried about it. I'm a social person anyway, and I have a shot gun . I actually would really like to get to some of the classic gaming conventions and stuff just to meet some of the people that I have talked to here for almost 2 years now, and have thought and talked with people about meeting them when I'm in their area anyway.

Many people I first met online and now see IRL call me Gravey all the time. Its funny how those things happen. I'm sure if I met Ax somewhere he would be Ax. I just don't think I could get used to another name at this point.