Subtleties Of User Names

Please don't use WikiAuthor as your UserName. RealNamesPlease.

I don't think there is any consensus on this and many have a different take on RealNamesPlease. Personally, I think one should be able to retain their anonymity. If someone decides not to sign something, why should it be subverted by RecentChanges.

I'm afraid I don't understand. To me, identities are an important part of community. I want to know the individuals and how they think. It's a little like knowing the identity of the musical composer, which is also my preference. -- WaldenMathews

Exactly. AnonymousDonor, (worse) MinorEdit and (much worse) WikiAuthor are not identities.

Do I detect ViolentAgreement?

But doesn't this add a new level of complexity to a community which is based largely on trust? Although I realize that it will make little practical difference to the operation of Wiki, does it not detract somewhat from the emphasis on trust? -- MatthewTheobalds


"to avoid confusion to those who only want to use Wiki"

How can someone "only want to use Wiki"? Wiki is part of the World Wide Web. You can't use Wiki without being intimately acquainted with the web. MeatballWiki is another wiki, you can link to it from here. What's the confusing part?

Given the increased complexity of RealNamesPlease compared to the past, in trying to cover UserName and DramaticIdentity, my interest here was in saving newcomers from being overwhelmed by complexity. Certainly, I, and perhaps Walden, do not find these issues easy to understand as currently discussed on this page, even after some months trying. I think that RealNamesPlease could be clearer and more helpful still for newcomers. But not by adding more difficult issues to consider. -- PhilGoodwin


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