Subj : Echo Rules
To   : Kurt Weiske
From : Lee Lofaso
Date : Thu Sep 12 2024 08:45 pm

Hello Kurt,

 BF>>     Well, Randall Schad, as you may have seen by now, not even the
 KW> 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
 KW> rule.

 KW> That's quite a stretch.

Not really. He's a Swede. You found out what happens when a Cajun
pole vaulter who has a mother from Sweden takes on the world at the
Olympics in Paris.

 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 you
 KW> included your real name in your signature.

It is not necessary. So why do it?

Face the facts -

"Real names" policies are not empowering - they're authoritarian
assertion of power over vulnerable people.

As such, why does Fidonet continue to promote this mad policy?
Are moderators "fascist"? Maybe without intending to be so. But
even with the best of intentions, fascism is still fascism.

 KW> The arguments for "real names" are many and suspect at best, unless
 KW> you're checking government-issued IDs or otherwise confirming identity.

As I have stated previously, "You do not have to use your legal name
anywhere outside of legal documents." So why do it? Why promote the
use of "real names only" policies anywhere in Fidonet?

 KW> And who would trust a BBS sysop to store that information safely and
 KW> securely?

What is the difference between real name and legal name? Or is there
a difference? And what about personal name?

 KW> The argument that "real names" begets good behavior online don't
 KW> account for the fact that most "real names" aren't confirmed, and that
 KW> people can be assholes without hiding behind an alias. We've certainly
 KW> seen our share of them on Fidonet and elsewhere online.

Google allows users to use any name they want across google
services. So why not Fidonet?

For Life,
Lee

-- 
Fox News Slogan - Rich people paying rich people
to tell middle class people to blame poor people.

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