h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Netiquette used to dictate that everyone was what they wrote, until they posted otherwise, no matter how improbable.

Now there's bleedthrough - your credibility on the net will be questioned unless you provide proof of your offline existence. I blame the people who post with a persona, but complain about their invisible "real self" not being the one by which they are judged. The net used to be safe for individuals to be more themselves than they could risk being in real life. In my arrogant opinion, those who insist on offline-based credibility have contributed to removing that safe anonymity which made it so easy for people to drop their masks.

I've no quarrel with masquerading - it can be fun for a while. But tell me, don't you ever feel stifled or hot behind that mask? What's the worst that could happen if you took it off for a few minutes?

[Amy P]

I agree for various reasons my real life ID is now linked to z. I miss the anonymity and freedom to be me..

While I remember to mention it, there are some people who can change their names and online personas as much as they please, but one little verbal tic will betray them in the end.

If sooner or later I recognise you here from somewhere else, it's not that you were looked for. Who you choose to be here can remain as separate from who you are (or have been) elsewhere as you want.

FWIW I was here before, as Mag Ratte, until my isp became too bloated to log into and that email account (and a lot of things linked to it) had to be dumped. Not that I posted much here back then anyway, too busy on lists and boards.