Forum Names vs Spam

[grynge]

I was looking through the forum just then and realised I look at the username and before I even read anything they say I make a decision that the person will spam or be a spammer at some point. I saw cbusiness and ebizroi, and my first thought was oh ok another spammer gunna try and market his site sooner or later. BTW I am not in anyway saying they are spammers, I am just using their forum names as examples.

Does your forum name give your motives away?
Does your forum name give you some kind of authority and/or status?

Does anyone else do the same?

[akirk]

So, when I see Grynge - what do I think?!
Agree with you - I think that online we pick up all sorts of clues as to a person / their motives / etc.
I think that forum names fall into several categories:
- young and imature
- older but nerdish (star trek etc.)
- sensible, but anonymous
- plain forward who you are (first names / complete names / initials / etc.)
- dodgy - trying to make you believe something about them...
- spammish...

it gives away a lot - as do signatures / style of writing / etc.

Alasdair

[Slowdive]

Sometimes it hard to tell, Slowdive is a handle I use all over the net. As do a bunch of other people, after one of my favorite bands. Had I known when I signed up to EP how important the forums would become to me and how much time I would spend with them. I may have gone for Brian.S or if it allowed it my initials B.S which some days is a very apt handle for the likes of me

I agree with Grynge I am always wary of some one expressly pushing a brand but at the same time style of writing and content of what is said, tells me far more. Generally and there are exceptions to the rule, unassuming user names make the best users, go figure.

[Clinton]

This post is from my admin perspective.

I delete a lot newly registered accounts based mainly/solely on the username!

When someone uses a trademarked term or company name, they're either trying to capitalise on somebody else's reputation ... or representing their company on these forums. Some use search keywords as their username (these always look suspicious to our admin/mod team). Most the XRumer usernames are pretty obvious: orendaAdhaury roargoMup carpinteyroayc.

Incidentally, I just noticed, except for you, Slowdive, (and tke71709 who had that name in Sitepoint before he moved over), all our mods and admin use their real names in some way, shape or form: KenW3, Clinton, Kay, A. Kirk, B. Welford.

[Slowdive]

If our system allowed for it I would gladly change, not because I need to have my name next to everything I say but because I am proud to associate my name with EP.
Not that it matters overly much; you just need to put a warning up, caution EP will end up causing excessive posting, choose carefully when someone signs up for a new account. You know just to be fair.

As to Grynges initial point of does a forum name pass on some authority status, people who choose to use their name as a handle. Those people tend to be more sensible agree or disagree or what ever their motive s anyone willing to stick their name to a post is at least employing some kind of integrity. Where as forum names that attempt to impart seniority or authority such as blackhatmaster, SEOKing , Boss-man-frank have a higher tendency to completely full of crap. Do be wary of anyone calling themselves masterdebator though, just one of the little gems I live by

[cash ninja]

hmmm... I wonder what my forum name says about me?

I tend to use different names on different forums but use the same name across a number of forums. I'll often use the same name on forums that I think fit the same theme, or overall topic. I'm reluctant to use my real name on forums though, not because I feel like I've got anything to hide but this is the internet and you never know who's reading what you write.

Mind you, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to identify me with a little bit of digging.

[Nidec]

I use different names on different forums as well, like cash ninja I'm am concerned about someone picking up bits and pieces about me from different places. I also do not use the same domains/websites in my signature on different forums for the same reason

[grynge]

hmmm... I wonder what my forum name says about me?

When I first saw your name, I thought the same, oh ok what's this guy gunna try and spin me. I was wrong but that was my first impression.

This is probably one reason I tend not to welcome people, I prefer to let a person prove they are worth talking to rather than try and befriend every new person. Probably the reason I have so few friends in real life, but the ones I do have I would take a bullet for each and everyone of them. I am not saying it is wrong to welcome people just that it isn't something I do.

[grynge]

So, when I see Grynge - what do I think?!

I would love to know what your first thoughts were and if they had changed any lol. I picked the name coz it was a mix of Cringe vs Grunge kind of a thats so dirty (as in rubbish) it makes me cringe. I hope thats the kind of impression I give as well, the kind of well we shouldn't believe him because he has no credibility BUT we should look into this more just incase there is something to his madness.

[akirk]

It reminded me (and still does) of Dr. Seuss' Grinch

as for Cash Ninja - still makes me wary even though your contributions have been good - names aren't chosen randomly so there must have been a reason for your choice - and that will always make me cautious as it implies all sorts of things I am not keen on...

my philosophy is to have nothing to hide - it is easy to track me around the internet, but my credibility online is hopefully only enhanced and as I work online that is important - why would I have anything to hide unless I was doing something dodgy?!

Alasdair