Subj : Echo Rules
To : Dan Clough
From : Lee Lofaso
Date : Thu Sep 12 2024 08:45 pm
Hello Dan,
BF>> Well, Randall Schad, as you may have seen by now, not even the Z1C
BF>> (yes, that's the guy who just told you that Fidonet is so small and
BF>> insignificant it doesn't matter anymore) abides by the real name rule.
KW>> That's quite a stretch.
DC> Indeed it is.
Google doesn't. So why should Fidonet?
DC> In fact, it's an absolute lie, as that's not what was
DC> said, at all. Standard procedure for Lee^H^H^H Beeeeorn.
In fact, Google even apologized for having forced users to use
real names when it made its announcement to ditch that stupid policy.
BF>> Once upon a time, every echo distributed on the Fidonet had to abide
BF>> by the real name rule. Local echoes were, of course, exempt from this
BF>> rule.
KW>> I've seen echoes that allow aliases/handles/whathaveyou, as long as
KW>> you included your real name in your signature.
DC> I have seen that too.
Real names only policies do not work. German courts ruled Facebook
cannot force Germans to use real names only in posting messages
on that platform, thus giving all German sysops and probationary
sysops free reign to call themselves whatever they want in Fidonet.
KW>> The arguments for "real names" are many and suspect at best, unless
KW>> you're checking government-issued IDs or otherwise confirming
KW>> identity.
Easy enough done. With no need for "real names only" gibberish.
KW>> And who would trust a BBS sysop to store that information safely and
KW>> securely? The argument that "real names" begets good behavior online
KW>> don't account for the fact that most "real names" aren't confirmed, and
DC> Kthat W>people can be assholes without hiding behind an alias. We've
DC> certainly
KW>> seen our share of them on Fidonet and elsewhere online.
Bottom line - You do not have to use your legal name anywhere outside
legal documents.
So why the need for a "real names only" policy ahwhere in Fidonet?
It makes no sense. No sense at all.
DC> All good points.
"There are no more restrictions on what name you can use." ~Google
DC> Another point here is that since most users/posters these days are also
DC> Sysops, it's just a matter of cross-checking the Origin Line/Node number to
DC> the nodelist to get the "real name".
What's my name? Tell me baby what's my name? Yes you can!
Tell me what's my name ...
DC> I'm assuming that "most" sysop names in the nodelist are real, I know.
Oh, please. Google has apologized for having put users through that.
Time for Fidonet to put its own 'real names only' rule to bed.
For Life,
Lee
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