How to comment

Chronicle of Higher Education:

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Because commenting is often anonymous or pseudonymous, practitioners can be freed from many social rules as well as many of their own inhibitions. We all know the results. Boorishness. Bombast. Preening.

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Even if you don’t intend to use your name, write your comment as if you were. Ask yourself if you would be embarrassed to see your name attached to what you are about to post.

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Remember the sensitivity police are a thousand miles away, chasing people who don’t use gender-inclusive pronouns. Out here you are on your own. Don’t imagine you can score any points by declaring that you are shocked or offended.

You know who you are:

Er...ok. That's fine by me.

and 'e smokes capstan full strength!

Hands up, you got me.
I thought that the false 'tache and moody bins would have put you all off, but I'm busted.

It looks like a nerdy bird with butch arms and a fake moustache, but that might be the typical pseudonymous SE1 poster I suppose.

Here she is servicing Mr Hatts's server cluster:

Hey that's my breakfast you're putting me off.!

There are several harmless reasons why people choose not to use their real names on internet forums.

Unless you know the person, and their name, in real life, there's absolutely no guarantee that somone who posts as "johnsmith100" is actually called John Smith.

Why do you continue to flog this horse?

Ivanhoe wrote:

There are several harmless reasons why people choose not to use their real names on internet forums.
Unless you know the person, and their name, in real life, there's absolutely no guarantee that somone who posts as "johnsmith100" is actually called John Smith.

Why do you continue to flog this horse?

1. Read the post.
2. Attacking someone from behind a mask is cowardly.
3. If you insist on anonymity, write as tho in your own name.
4. That's not you is it?

Is there a particular problem with people "attacking from behind a mask"? Can't say I'd noticed it.

One of the rudest people I come across on here is someone who uses a "real" name. Some people are happy to be rude, and for the world to know it, apparently.

Probably talking about ME Ivanhoe...there I am with my real name for all to see and excoriate! I was a total novice to this sort of thing when I joined the Forum, I often think about the names I could have had...

However, a certain amount of anonymity is a good thing, and James is draconian enough to come down hard on anyone being abusive or out of order, so dont know what the fuss is about.