New requirement going forward re: user names on Feldgrau

[Jason Pipes]

Feldgrau is implementing a new policy going forward.

Hence forth all new members joining the site will be required to provide their real name in order to register. User names will no longer consist of "PanzerAce39" but must represent a real person. In addition, all current users will, in time, be asked to come forward to myself or one of the admins in order to change your user name to your real name if you don't already use it as such on the site.

If there is a real or significant reason why you can not provide or use your real name as your user name on Feldgrau myself and the mods will give that serious consideration on a case-by-case basis. For all others, please contact myself or the mods and arrange to have your user name changed to your real name at some point in the coming days and weeks.

As we enter 2008 Feldgrau is going to concentrate more and more on serious research. We are also doing this to prevent spammers, hackers, trolls, and those not interested in legitimate discussion and debate from posting here. Real names will present a more professional, legitimate, civil, honest, and up front environment to engage in discussion.

As I said, if there are legitimate reasons why folks can not provide their real names they will be dealt with as needed.

I've been running this site for over 10 years and never once had an issue with using my real name on this or any other forum. I find it very unlikely anyone else will either. We ask that you consider this request in the spirit that it is being put forth and that you contact us to take care of it as soon as you are able.

[Paddy Keating]

Bravo! And the names should be verifiable. In fact, why not introduce a nominal fee system requiring payment by credit card? Five or ten bucks a year to belong. That's the price of a couple of beers. And the software would verify the registrant's details.

That will separate the wheat from the chaff.

Paddy Keating (my real name)

[phylo_roadking]

And the 37% of Internet users who use a parent's or spouse's credit card?

[Paddy Keating]

As I said, Philip, each exceptional case can be dealt with on its own merits. In the case of spouses' or parents' credit, charge or Switch cards, the family name will be the name. The good thing about this system is that people really have to prove who they are. It should be like registering with Moneybookers, Amazon, eBay or any other organisation requiring ID verification.

PK

[phylo_roadking]

Good to see you're working on Jason's new system, and just as well I okay'd using my full name last night shortly after Jason posted this! It's good to be right up there ahead of the game, I'm sure you'll agree
.

[Jason Pipes]

Just to let everyone know, we've had a lot of responses to this issue and many people have been supportive while some have had reservations or issues with it. We want to hear your thoughts and comments on this! Please let us know what you think!

[Michael Miller / ABR]

Probably a good call, as deception doth never-- prosper.

~ Mike

[Einsamer_Wolf]

I am adamantly against this. I have enough explaining to do when people find out why I majored in German literature. In intervew settings, people would consistently ask why German? A former collleague of mine, who has an LLM from Humboldt, has repeatedly mentioned the same phenomenon. This scrutiny is magnified ten fold when I mention my interest in German military history. There is a reason why I do not tell anyone except those in my very inner circle of my interest, whether it range from books I read, to my hobby of fine scale militart modelling, with an almost exclusive focus on the weapons and equipment of the Third Reich.
Mind you employers are known to google someone's name. People have been fired, or have had offers of employment withdrawn, based on these searches.
I sympathize with the need to combat spammers--but surely there is a way that does not oblige members to compromise their privacy.

EW

[Michael Avanzini]

Jason,

I am for the idea. As someone who has always posted under my real name, I always disliked the political discussions with everone ranting and raving all under fake handles. To me if your real name is displayed with your comments it will make you think twice about what you are saying. I think this will lead to more civil discussions and make this site much more friendly.

And I don't buy the idea that belonging to this site under your real name could get you fired. I work in Civil Engineering which is a pretty conservative field and all my coworkers and friends have known I am very interested in Military History and histroical research. I have never had anyone question me on it.

Anyway I do hope you follow through on this, I have always hated the fake identies.

Michael Avanzini

[phylo_roadking]

Fake? Michael, I've been Phylo in real life for twenty-five years LOL Exactly seven people...and Paddy...choose to use Philip any more!

[Jason Pipes]

I am for the idea. As someone who has always posted under my real name, I always disliked the political discussions with everone ranting and raving all under fake handles. To me if your real name is displayed with your comments it will make you think twice about what you are saying. I think this will lead to more civil discussions and make this site much more friendly.

This is an EXCELLENT response and is exactly my line of thinking. I know for a fact from experiences on other forums that use of ones real name leads to more civil and more responsible postings.

I also don't think Michael meant fake, I think he simply means anything other than ones real name

[Paddy Keating]

On every single militaria and military history forum I have been involved with in a management capacity, I and others proposed this measure for precisely these reasons but we were always shouted down by pseudonymous fellow moderators and overruled by webmasters who were more interested in building impressive membership figures. Result? Every single one of them suffered a serious contributor drain because of concerted trolling, sophomoric antics and flaming. Be the first webmaster in this arena to implement this rule in a meaningful way, Jason. Do it! I have my credit card on the table in front me. Install that software and institute an annual fee, payable only by credit or bank card. Very few of the objectors have sincere reasons for objecting. And I speak as someone who has had trouble with clients because of my links with sites like this. I take the view that they were not clients I wanted in my portfolio anyway.

PK

[Jason Pipes]

For the record... I have no plans to implment some sort of credit card scheme for verifying identy on Feldgrau. That would be both impossible and unwarranted. That said I do wish to move to a real name basis on the site. As mentioned, we are open to discussion on this and would like to hear from others as to their opinion for or against the idea.

Many very well known authors and researchers post here under their real names and they don't seem to have any issues with it.

Again, please let us know your thoughts.

[TPMM]

Dear everyone
I'm rather against making members use their real names and paying with credit cards (as I wrote somewhere else, and explained it a bit). Why? Firstly, the matter that was risen before - not all of us are adults. Secondly, some people just don't understand, that you can be interested in German military history and not be a Nazi at the same time. I personally had some issues with this.

Pozdrawiam, Tomasz Piotr Marek M.

[Potsdamerplatz]

There is also the real possibility of members conducting personal vendettas offsite with full knowledge of a rival poster's real name and location. This information can be used for nefarious purposes.

For example, some of you may remember "Stormtrooper" (Mike) from MCF who was mercilessly and undeservedly persecuted by some members of that forum who made his life a misery because of some personality clash over whether Star Wars re-enactment was a serious hobby. He almost lost his job, had his credit rating trashed and a whole lot of other nasty business.

I am against the idea and if it means I am prevented from posting on Feldgrau in the future then so be it.