Usernames/Aliases or Real Names - Vote Now

[Adam Dicker]

In an effort to clean up what is perceieved as a dirty/squatter industry, I would like to steal a page from the great Donna Mahony. Domainboardroom.com's policy is real names or don't bother coming on the forum and it's a good one.

It always let's you know who you are dealing with, you are running businesses.

I would like this industry that asks for transparency from parking companies and registrars to practice what it preaches.

I propose everyone changes their usernames to their real names, I for one would like to know I am doing business with Mark Silver rather than Toiletbrush, just an example.

If you are uncomfortable with posting under your real name, amybe you should think twice about posting in the first place.

Do you want to know who you are doing business with and cut down on fraud?

I want Adam Dicker out there instead of some made up alias.

it gives you thousands of posts relating to business and gives you credibility.

As Donna says, Brand Yourself!

I have posted a poll so make your vote count.

I will also add another field in the profile that will show up in posts called Company Name so your company or business can get added exposure.

You are still free to post your TM/typos or other crappy names on other boards under Aliases.

All Poll votes will remain private but you know what mine is.

[ilovedomains]

Im retired, but still make websites and and buy a few domains. It wouldnt bother me at all to use my real name.

[randomo]

It's not hard for someone to trace my real name, but in this day and age, I'm just cautious about having so much info about myself readily available to data miners. So I'd rather keep aliases as an option.

Yesterday, I actually didn't register on a website because it required real names.

I get your point about being comfortable doing business with people by their real names. But in my case, with the many years of membership & huge perfect trader rating I've amassed here, I think my username serves as a good enough "brand".

[Gerry]

All Poll votes will remain private but you know what mine is.

Can we have a third choice of Does Not Matter ?

I have dealt with so many people on this forum that I do know those members by their real name.

All the pseudo names have meaning to some of the members.

Bottom line, to me it almost seems to be a join date as my biggest factor.

Recently, those nOObs that have been joining and flooding the forum with spam is a greater concern. Yes, easier to detect and clean up.

I prefer to allow those that like their pseudonym to continue to use it. Like pred...is his name pronounced in the french a strong Geee ala Guy Lafleur (see, you Canucks know what I am talking about) or Gii (as in Wii) or guy, like an ordinary guy.

I prefer to call him Biatch.

See? He and everyone else knows who I am talking about.

[Adam Dicker]

Can we have a third choice of Does Not Matter

Added.

[Adam Dicker]

All the pseudo names have meaning to some of the members.

I will create 2 added fields, 1 for business name so that can get exposure and one in case they want to be known as the 'spotted leopard' or some other alias.

[Gerry]

Added.

Thank you!

[Maxwell]

Well, the reality is that come transaction time, real names become revealed anyhow.

I give out my first name with no issues, I make my last name a little more difficult to find, but by no means impossible.

What I think would let people protect their privacy while still maintaining the integrity of the forum is to require verification of a user's real first and last name, and give them the option to reveal it on the forum.

However, should problems arise, be it stealing domains, not following through on deals, etc., they would have to permit their verified information to be released upon a contravention of the rules or the law taking place.

The problem I have with requiring full names to be displayed is that it's visible to everybody, including unregistered users, who could be just anybody. This community isn't completely private.

A halfway point might be personal information published on a user's profile which is only visible to other registered users.

I just don't like the concept of forced public disclosure. Though I'm not against transparency to the right people, if that makes any sense.

[biggedon]

It's not hard for someone to trace my real name, but in this day and age, I'm just cautious about having so much info about myself readily available to data miners. So I'd rather keep aliases as an option.


I get your point about being comfortable doing business with people by their real names. But in my case, with the many years of membership & huge perfect trader rating I've amassed here, I think my username serves as a good enough "brand".

totally agree with you on that!



but adding an additonal field for members to put their company or real name is a good option though


on the other side of the coin, we've all probably done business with folks who don't know shiz-zit about us, except the domainname we own and our whois info


still, they contact us wanting to do business, not knowing in advance how it will end.


but they use sedo or escrow or some other means that provides a level of security to get the deal done.....in spite of our usernames on various forums.

i don't really have an issue, unless it comes down to an either/or ...

[Bill F.]

On a private site, I am comfortable with using my name. I am more restrained in what I say, on the other hand, if I know that a quick Google search can link my my name to every unguarded comment I make. For example, many people share negotiating techniques here. What if a savvy buyer finds that thread and uses it to push a price lower than he might have gotten otherwise? While the real name policy might limit spammers and clowns, it will probably also limit valuable expressions that, for whatever reason, the poster might not want to be so easily found on Google next to his name. I suppose people could always posts in the exclusive sections, but that would be a drain on the open forum.

Maxwell's suggestion above struck me as much more workable. That would at least separate the user's name from the posts so far as a casual Google search goes.

Oddly, I considered going with my real name here, but I can certainly see the drawbacks to it as well. And you'll have to hire someone responsible for the job of verifying all new members, otherwise the real name might not be so real.

[CureCancer]

Please also include Business Name on vote. I don't see it.

[TheLegendaryJP]

Honestly if we switch to real names I am out. Clearly I am out not because I am affriad of who knows my real name, many do but my username has become my brand! I also agree I don't want my name so easily found tied to a public forum, this is a HUGE factor and would affect my buying.

Secondly by using a real name it in no way stops anything, all of us can be uncloaked so to speak if desired, a username is just a step. I would accept your "theory" only if you offer a $10,000 insurance policy to members if we switch to real names, let's see how much you believe in your theory now.

Lastly that forum is that forum, trying to make this forum like that one, ugh. If you want to clean up things, clean up things, our real names will NOT stop postings of typos, NOT stop fraud and NOT become some great brand for us.

In closing the whole thing is BS.

[Tia Wood]

Lastly that forum is that forum, trying to make this forum like that one, ugh.

Not to mention DomainBoardroom is a private, not public forum like this one.

[Skinny]

Hey Adam,

I agree with what you are trying to do here. I wouldn't mind having my name out there because I deal honestly with people and I'm not trying to screw anyone over.

Openness and transparency is a good nothing.

BUT

Here are a few points I thought and I'm not sure if these have been considered:

1) DomainBoard is a completely private forum. Being so, it is not crawled by search engines and hence anyone's real name is never broadcast using a Google search,
but allows for transparent deals on the inside.

2) For people who do this as a side thing at the moment, I don't want the company I work for or future company to search for me on Google and find out that I am a domainer.

I would like to keep that separate.

Those are the two things that pop into my mind. I don't mind revealing full information if we are conducting a deal etc.

I wouldn't mind giving away my first name and even initial of my last, but on a public forum that is probably the farthest I would go because of the two issues above.

Don't know if this helps at all, but those are my two cents.

Skinny

[TheLegendaryJP]

Not to mention DomainBoardroom is a private, not public forum like this one.

Exactly, if we were private and google didnt factor in, fine, Ill roll my eyes and accept it but public, no way, my business is hard enough as it is, I can only imagine a seller googling my name while negotiating and finding DNF lol

If Adam does this he mine as well take money out of our pockets!


In fact Id vote to make this forum private first! Having new members reviewed or have to show you their ID before joining would be a better idea. The question is does the bottom line matter more, harder to make a buck when its private.

[Skinny]

Well this is a difficult decision. I can understand what Adam is trying to do.

Things need to be more transparent. The more transparent things are the less opportunity we have of people selling stolen domains or committing fraud.

If DNF goes completely transparent (and public), we will probably lose the scammers, but we may lose some newbies or those that want to maintain some level of privacy.
And if DNF goes private, then this will affect the bottom line.

Both scenarios are going to shake things up (and who knows change may be good).

Perhaps, there is some sort of middle ground?

At the end of the day this is Adam's forum and he will have the last say, but at least we all have a chance to discuss this which is good.

This will be a very interesting thread to read over the next few days.

Skinny

[Tia Wood]

My question is: how many scams are happening on DNF every month? And don't we already have a verification option? Why not make this mandatory and allow people to keep their usernames private or real if they want?

Funny how this wasn't an issue 2-3 years ago before major facebook usage. I think you've been branded with "real name use".

I can see both sides of the argument why people should use their real names but I can also see why legit members would want to keep their privacy. My concern is by doing this, is it to be done because it's necessary in preventing spam/scams and not the "popular, branded" thing to do?

[jaydub]

Wow...I am stunned that you would put it to us like this.
I am not uncomfortable but I don't think this forum offers us the privacy protection to put our real names out there if we choose not to.
Lots of people here know my name after we have done business or had exchanges with them.

So does this mean that if the "vote" says we should that we will not be allowed to post if we use an alias...or that members will be advised to "beware" of those that use aliases.

This seems knee-jerk to me and not well thought out at all. I am surprised to say the least.

Maybe you should have another spin-off of DNF something like "DNF Real" where all members use Real names and can be more trusted and more business like.

This one caught me completely off-guard.

If you are uncomfortable with posting under your real name, amybe you should think twice about posting in the first place.

[hugegrowth]

Personally I don't mind either way, I've never had a problem doing business with anyone here because of usernames. You can easily find out the real name/business of a person by the domains they're associated with, unless they have privacy. I agree it would make the forum look more professional to outsiders or new visitors.

[CureCancer]

The question is how do eliminate scammers! Simple answer is we can't. But we have managed over the years to reduce risk by raising flags on members who have targeted our community.

I have an idea. We should have a report button like the one we have for comments and assign it Scam Alert. This will notify you as admi ASAP.