Identity

[allan atlas]

JIM: you're quite right that the fine points of cultural/social interaction are extremely complicated. . . . .and that what might work in "x", will not work in "y". . . . . .though i must say that a greeting of either "Hi" or "Hi Anon. IV" is fine with me. . . . . .moreover, we usually know just to whom we're saying just "Hi". . . . .

 

in the end, i can only say that i personally prefer to communicate with real names (and yes, i recognize that the very definition of "real names" is somewhat clouded) than i do with pseudonyms (which, by the way, might well say more about a person -- musical likes and dislikes, included -- than the nondescript, we're stuck-with-'em likes of "Jim" or "Bob" or even "Anon. IV"). . . . . . . . .

 

in the end, my proposal was soundly defeated. . . . i fully accept that. . . . .and i will live -- and happily at that -- with the consequences. . . . . . .

 

i do, however, think that Frank is on to something. . . . . . .

 

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

Edited December 21, 2007 by allan atlas

[Stephen Chambers]

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

 

Ummm, hasn't there been a lot of confusion about his identity?

[JimLucas]

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

What? You have no heroes from the

old

13th century?

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

Ummm, hasn't there been a lot of confusion about his identity?

Wikipedia entries say there were two of him, not quite contemporaries. The later one is listed as a music theorist, while the earlier one was a philologist. Should we guess which one is Allan's hero? (Should we even believe Wikipedia? )

Edited December 22, 2007 by JimLucas

[pugwash]

I can't keep up with this thread, because my head has exploded.

 

Richard.

[allan atlas]

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

 

Ummm, hasn't there been a lot of confusion about his identity?

 

 

STEPHEN: that's why i chose him. . . .it's a good "cover". . . . . . .

 

so from now on: Guillaume de Machaut.............

[allan atlas]

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

What? You have no heroes from the

old

13th century?

Johannes de Garlandia (my new 13th-century theorist hero)..........

Ummm, hasn't there been a lot of confusion about his identity?

Wikipedia entries say there were two of him, not quite contemporaries. The later one is listed as a music theorist, while the earlier one was a philologist. Should we guess which one is Allan's hero? (Should we even believe Wikipedia? )

 

 

FOLKS: Jim is quite right. . . .seems there are two guys with that name. . . . .there's an Englishman, a grammarian and philologist, who flourished c. 1190 - 1272. . . . then there's the french music theorist, whose career most likely did not begin until after c. 1270. . . . . .so if that's more or less what wikipedia says, they've got it right. . . . . .

 

Guillaume

Edited December 22, 2007 by allan atlas

[allan atlas]

I can't keep up with this thread, because my head has exploded.

 

Richard.

 

 

RICHARD: little surprise. . . . .and all i was looking for was a stream of yeahs and nopes. . . . .I'M RETIRING. . . . . .back at the computer late on tuesday....................

 

 

 

Sir Arnold Bax...........

Edited December 22, 2007 by allan atlas

[Marien]

A friend of mine, a poet, released his book of poetry, where each page is numbered 38.

 

Hello M

 

How many pages does the book have? Let me have a guess, is the M in M3838 Misterious?

[Marien]

And, as well, I have to use the computer when it's owner (my daughter) is not using it.

 

I have my own computer, but like you I have to wait until my daughter is not using my computer.

[hjcjones]

I am undecided on this point.

 

When the internet world was a lot smaller, a culture of using nicknames rather than real names grew up. By the time I got involved, this was still widespread, but starting to break down. I registered on cnet using my real name, because (a) using a nickname seemed to me to be slightly silly and a bit juvenile, and ( I couldn't be bothered trying to think of one. Also, like Alan, I prefer to deal with real names, particularly as (perhaps unlike other internet forums) many of us know one another in the real world. But I have no problem corresponding with nicknames, and many on here append their real names anyway.

 

Since I registered, we have all become rather more aware of the risk of identity theft, and now I rather wish I had registered more anonymously. There doesn't seem to be a way of changing my registered name, and to go to the bother of re-registering under a new name seems a bit of a waste of effort, when my details are now scattered all over the internet.

[Stephen Chambers]

... is the M in M3838 Misterious?

More likely Misha (Миша)?

[Marien]

My real name is Fiddlerjoebob...

 

I am not going to tell you my nick name, it's private.

[Fiddlehead Fern]

I prefer to keep my entire name to myself, as well as my location. Since I'm a minor, it is my parent's wish, as well as mine that when I join a forum or online community I stay anonymous.

 

I used "Fiddlehead Fern" because it is one of my numerous nicknames.

[allan atlas]

FIDDLEHEAD FERN: and a nice nickname it is to boot....................allan

[yankeeclipper]

In the real, off-line world, we get to shape our own identities by the clothes we wear, the accents we affect, the cars we drive, etc. On-line, the only personal choice we have is the name we use.

 

Our off-line names are often determined by ancient usages or long-abandoned family trades that have nothing to do with who we are today. How many people named Butcher, Baker, Fletcher, Farmer, Carter, Smith, etc., still engage in the trades of their ancestor namesakes?

 

My own name in Irish is derived from 'servant of the Church,' which I most certainly am not. My name in this forum reflects my nationality - American - and my years of clipping Highland sheep with blade shears. So the names we choose for an internet 'handle' may actually be a more honest reflection of who we are than the names in our passports.

Edited December 31, 2007 by yankeeclipper

[Chris Timson]

Here's what I said on the subject when it came up before in 2003. I don't think I can say it any better now:-

 

Oddly enough, I use the handle ConcertinaChap on all the other fora I use (which don't have any concertina content) but here I use my real name. When I set up my login the idea of doing otherwise never occurred to me. I'm thinking very carefully why this might be.

 

I think it's a family thing. This forum is not big, as these things go - compare Mudcat. In the larger arenas I am just one voice among many, and my name is not significant, so I choose a handle that says something about what I am. Here, I have at one time or another met a significant proportion of the other listees in the flesh, and have corresponded directly with many more. I have created a site that, on the topic, is only second to this one in the traffic it gets. I think it's that I'm proud to be me in this forum, and don't want to disguise the fact. I don't know, is that egotistical? Well, warts and all, there it is.

 

Chris

Edited December 31, 2007 by Chris Timson

[Richard Morse]

Very interesting Chris and yankeeclipper.... My general handle is "Ecotectoo" yet I chose to be known as myself here on concertina.net. This place *is* like family, and we are known for *ourselves* rather than so many other places which we are primarily know for what we *do* (or our interests, or to reflect phobias, or to hide, etc.).

 

People on my other forums know what I do by my handle, and what I do is key in my participation on those forums. Here I'm me as there's a lot more to me than a job (interest, etc.). I must say that when communicating on such a personal level (as we do here), I find it very disconcerting/disconnecting when I don't know "who" I'm talking with.

 

Sure, over time I'll come to "know" yankeeclipper by that name yet I also know hundresd of "yankees" and about a dozen of whom have fairly good-sized wooden boats/ships or crew on one (including "tall ships"). But there are so fewer real name handles which makes pegging much easier for me. I took me several years to realize who Animaterra is (just for instance, one amongst many others - most whom I still don't "know" who you are).

 

-- Rich --

[Pete Dunk]

My tallship handle came about not because I'm a tall ships enthusiast (although I am) but because a friend and I used "Tall Ship Music" as a publishing name for the CD recordings we made several years ago; it also served as a copyright name for the original compositions. In retrospect I might well have used my own name here but what's done is done and changing my username now would only cause confusion.