Hmmm, good question. I guess just enough information so people know who you are (and who you aren’t). For example, if Kathy Morgan introduced herself to me in the transition area of a race somewhere I might blank for a second, but if she said “Ironclm” I would say, “Oh! I know you!” she has made her blog a matter of public access and people know who she is, like me too. They can see a picture of her, as well as me, and like a lot of the other people who are regular contributors. No one knows exactly where I live although it is pretty easy to figure out or find out and I’m not sure why anybody would care anyway. I think, for me, I know there have been people I know who have hidden behind an alias to snipe at me. In fairness, I’ve openly sniped at some people on this forum, but at least under my real name. I guess my point is that if you are going to share your opinions, good bad or indifferent, it is upstanding to be identifiable behind them. Most of the big contributors on this forum are pretty identifiable. Realistically, it is a minor problem or issue. The last time it really manifested any genuine concern was with my commentary on 3 Disciplines. I think there was some questionable activity within that thread. I noticed a couple user IDs that posted in that thread had been created that day (the date a user ID is created is shown in the user’s profile along with the number of their posts, etc.). That seemed a little fishy to me. Also, Dan himself has done a good job of policing the forum within reasonable limits. Remember Orangutan? At first he was amusing, then he just became a nuisance. Dan vaporized him. That is the type of thing I’d like to avoid.
Thanks for this thread. I don’t think I’m at all opinionate(LOL). I have been branded by TD as, shall we say, “above the fray” and by another as a purist by someone who thinks I should qualify for non-national championship race. I accept these and will never not sign my name to something I write.
As an aside, anyone can check the accuracy of my name as it will probably be a member of the SMW regional board. I am saying this because there are 6 vacancies and 5 people running. After all the words on the sausage thread, there aren’t enough interested triathletes to fill the board of one of the more populas regions of the USAT.
Bob Sigerson
In your honor, I have updated my profile. For those keeping score at home I have nothing against the French, love my Cervelo, ride 650 because I’m 5’8", tend to avoid conflict with autos, believe tri is a lifestyle and not something on a list, think I might get a tatoo if I ever finish an IM, believe drafting is cheating, don’t imagine I’ll care whether it’s m-Dot or not, firmly believe LA is great and not just part of a great team, don’t care who LA is dating, and am agnostic with respect to Shimano v. Campy, TNT and the rest.
Wow, this has been one of the funniest threads I have ever read on Slowtwitch–note the following:
“I’m pretty sure i havent not seen any “controversial or potentially inflammatory topics” here beyond the campy/shimano cat fight.”
"I always assume the implied disclaimer “I have no knowledge of this subject but will chime in anyway because I’m sitting here trying to keep from doing something useful” ".
SO TRUE…
Dude Thats a BIG bike behind you…Loks really Aero too!
On the serious side. Name is Ken Cotrell. 10 yrs ago a homeless drug addict. Passed out in a church and nothings been the same since. Did IM CDA last year. On Jan 15 take over ownership of a RED WING SHOE store. Here in Billings Montana. I credit my following of Jesus as of my restoration. Have a wonderful,wonderful, wife of 4 yrs. Know very little about most things on this forum but love being here. Thanks for all the help. And Gary I lived in Escondido in 84 and Mira mesa in 85 and86. From 90-93 Escocdido again. Originally from Cleveland Ohio.Also servrd 4 yrs in the Marine Corps.
What’s the dealie with this world. Listening and replying to a forum should not obligate anyone to have to disclose their address, credit history, and dna sequence. There are trolls out but there are cool people who post knowledgeable things. When we persecute each other, who wins.
The entire idea reeks of the same mentality of allowing your car or house to be searched because you have nothing to hid. Who cares what your real name is, if you are a cool person who wishes to share triathlon ideas. If you are not a cool person who simply wants to flame and troll, then I hope that you are enjoying yourself.
Can I still hang out here? Please?
My handle is my real first name, and I’ve met a few posters here who happen to live in Vancouver (where my profile truthfully lists my residence). I’ve done business with one of the posters here whom I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting in person, but would love to if the opportunity were to arise. One day I wanna suck Dan’s wheel up that mountain he brags so much about, and blow by AJfranke on Keene hill like Record9ti. I wanna buy a Colnago from Tom D and get also the perfect fit from him on the Titan-flex I’ll have to buy direct from Tom P.
Oh yeah - I still miss Amy White.
i agree with providing some basic information about yourself, but i draw the line at giving my real full name (first name okay, but that’s it. mine’s les). as far as standing behind your opinion, i think that if it’s a valid, informed opinion, it stands on it’s own. stupid statements, harmful comments, and slanderous remarks are not going to stop just with the disclosure of a real name. an asshole will always be an asshole regardless of what his/ her name may be. besides, after reading this forum regularly for quite some time now, i have figured out who’s comments are typically worth my time reading (people who provide helpful information, amusing anecdotes, etc.) as opposed to those who usually have nothing relevant to say and i just skip those. it’s unfortunate that some people have no better way to spend their time than to degrade and belittle others, but i don’t think asking them what their name is will change the way they are.
-incidentally, “syd” and “rusty” are my cats’ real names 
Mr. Tibbs,
You are in Dallas. Giving out the cell phone is one with bravado
FIRELUV
If I post a dissenting “opinion” to a question or statement on this forum does it really make a difference if my personal information tells you the date and cummulative GPA of my BA, MS and JD (along with a jpeg of the actual pieces of paper) or tells you nothing? I hope that it does not because if folks need to validate information sources on a multisport internet forum, they seriously need to prioritize. I don’t care if I’m talking to my 9 year old son (yes, I actually have one of those), LBS mechanics or state governor, I have the ability to make my own decisions regarding the validity of the content. I might be right or I might be wrong, but I don’t let the “background” of someone bias my own thought process.
This forum and beginnertriathlete’s forum are the only forum’s I have posted at without using my real name, which is in my profile. I used a different username, b/c I thought it was clever and relevant.
I always thought that people should use their real names and provide background if they were going to step up and give advice. I always thought those that didn’t use their real names were probably doing so to keep their bosses from finding out that instead of working, they were spending four work hours posting on the internet (it happens). I realize that it’s not always the case, and have lightened up on my opinion.
Someone reading advice needs to know if the poster has applied that knowledge or gained that knowledge from experience, or if they are just repeating something they have heard/read somewhere else. There is not enough time to try everything that people advise, and some of it may be dangerous. Knowing how or if the advice-giver has applied his/her own advice is one way of installing a “BS filter” on the numerous amounts of “information” that overloads the internet.
Personally, I don’t want to read some advice on “what it takes to win a triathlon” from someone that has never one won. How do they know what it takes? All they know is what it takes to not win.
I am one of those people that believe that most people are good, and that a few a’holes ruin it for the rest of us (it’s just the a’holes stay in our memory longer). So, when I read the advice from others (and I do read, evaluate, and apply the advice) I assume they have actually successfully implemented the advice they give. If they haven’t, then they are wasting everyone’s time. It has been my experience, that those advice-givers usually get exposed at one time or another.
I can respect a person’s right to anonymity. If someone uses the same “username” for a period of time, you can get to know that person well, even if you’ve called them nothing but “RecordBreaker2003” or whatever clever callsign they come up with. Familiarity breeds trust. Someone using their real name could give dumb advice and make bogus claims regarding accomplishments. The advice and claims will likely be believed because “an honest person would use their real name” (or a name that looks “real”) … or so the thought goes.
Through natural progression, the shit gets sorted from the sand.
If you think this is scary … go to a weight-lifting/bodybuilding forum sometime where some guy named “AxeKiller” or “MrCrushem” (madeup names) is giving steroid prescription advice to people that have been training for less than a year. What’s worse is people are taking this advice even though they have no idea who is behind the username.
I agree with the person that recommended this earlier … it is always a good idea to preface your post with your experience level and where you got the information you’re posting (book, article, website, personal experience, coach, etc).
I am new to triathloning (3 months), but not to training or message boards … so I knew coming in to “state my experience” right up front, so that my advice (more like comments rather than advice) could (or could not) have some relevance to the reader.
I love the sentiment and agree… however what I like about this forum is that there is a sense of community where people do to some degree take responsibility for keeping the discourse at a certain level… call me a socialist but if you find a place that you enjoy it is part of your responsibility to maintain it in a manner which attracted you to it in the first place.
<>
Ain’t nothing socialist about that sentiment. Responsibility is part of having rights.
Brett
<<Let me suggest that for those who want to post opinionated commentary in response to something they’ve read on the forum that they kindly do so with full disclosure of who they are. It seems only fair, especially when things can occasionally take a turn for the “personal”. >>
When I read your post Tom, my initial reaction was that I agreed. But as you can tell, I post anonymously. I have no problem whatsoever with people posting anonymously even if they make opinionated posts and commentary. What I do have a problem with is anonymous put downs and attacks on people or companies. I guess some of the things I’ve posted over the past few years could be construed as spineless although for the most part I try to keep things civil. I honestly think that many people may have valid reasons for remaining relatively anonymous. I know I do. However I don’t usually hesitate to give people my real name/info if they really want to know. I just choose not to broadcast it with every post I make.
I guess the point is that if you’re going to make attacks on companies, people, etc. then you ought to have the backbone to reveal who you are. On the other hand if you want to contribute to this forum in a manner that promotes discussion, the exchange of ideas, or adds humor, then by all means do so and it makes no difference to me if I know your real name.
So it seems to me based on the quote I included from you above, that you and I are in agreement. Unless you feel, as some might, that no posts should be made anonymously.
Honestly, Tom, after reading through this thread, I think you are being a bit over-sensitive here. You are never going to please everyone, and you can’t keep jackasses from making jackasses out of themselves. Those of us who travel this forum regularly know you and would recognize when someone is outright trolling you. While I do appreciate those that do have full profiles and don’t hide out or lurk behind anonymity, I’m not going to loose any sleep over someone else’s posts, whether or not they have a profile. I have no doubt that some nefariousness exists here and other forums I read. But I’ve got too much else going on to worry about them. I’m fairly sure you do too.
That said, I would definitely post a photo on my profile if it were possible. How 'bout it Dan?
“I’m not going to loose any sleep over someone else’s posts, whether or not they have a profile.”
That, my friends, is “perspective”. I think everyone has gone through the phase of being “overly concerned” with one’s “internet image”, or overly induced into posting too much or spending too much time online … before they realize, “it’s not as important as I am making it out to be”. It’s a message board. It is what it is.
I post anonamously. I have a high profile job in Miami. If I were to give my first name or basic info people could take things I say here out of context and it could be a headache I don’t need. I consider this board part of my personal life, something I want to enjoy without having to be careful of how it could be used in my work life. I really enjoy the people and conversation on this board. Would hate to lose that. Sorry.
SM
I agree with what Pooks, Francois and others have said: It’s ok to post anonymously(there are some very valid reasons for doing so) but there are times when you should “man up” and own up to your statements.
Anonymity can be very comforting. I was VERY nervous about posting my pics.
Because of that, I used someone else’s. Here is the real me:
Behold, the last Jheri Curl on earth!
People have fucked with me all my life. From the time I was a fat, zit faced kid up 'til now.
When I was in Thailand last week at least six people I met half way around the world knew me from posting on Slowtwitch under my real name.
So what if some spineless, lying individuals feel the need to lurk or assail me annonymously.
Tom, I admire you for your expertise in our chosen field of interest, your accomplishments, your adventures, and respect you especially for your public foibles and hanging it all out there for us to see, but your post comes across as overly defensive, as if provoked by a specific incident. It wasn’t that long ago that you very publicly “disciplined” a race director for safety issues. Your concerns were valid, but the manner in which you raised them also raised some eyebrows.
Now you’re calling lurkers spineless. Who put the cockroach in your morning coffee to say something like that? That’s almost like saying magazine readers who don’t get published are pansies. Not everyone feels they have something to contribute, and not everyone has the time or energy to articulate their views and follow up on subsequent discussion.
How many of the people who recognized you in Thailand use their real names on this forum? When you learned that some or most of them don’t, did you personally take their integrity to task?
Not everyone wants to have to be accountable for anything but their opinions on this forum. The Internet can be pretty scary when you think about all the things that could be dug up, misunderstood, and used against someone or taken out of context. Your choice to go with full disclosure of who you are is admirable, but the answer to your own concerns about those who don’t is right in your post. Who cares? If it comes down to your word against some anonymous liar, you’re going to come out ahead.
I’m “Itchy Ghost” here because it’s allowed. It’s a pun on the Mandarin Chinese for “foreign devil” and I get a kick out of using it because I’m a “barbarian” living in a Chinese society, where they used to use terms like that.
Because of that, I used someone else’s. Here is the real me:
Behold, the last Jheri Curl on earth
Heh, heh…can’t fool me.
From my favorite website – mulletsgalore.com
Julian