MickUpi Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have been a geocacher a few months and I have noticed that most users of geocaching.com and this forum choose to be anonymous. The vast majority of users have no profile and most never sign their name when logging a cache. This is widespread on a lot of internet sites but seems more prevelant here. What are you afraid of? No one is waiting to pounce on you, seek you out and do bodily harm. If anyone wanted to steal your idenity they sure would'nt start here. I want anyone to be able to contact me if there is a problem with one of my caches. I would be willing to bet most don't use a credit card on line either. This is just an observation (not an opinion of any kind). What are your thoughts? Sincerely, Mick Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Some people are very up tight about that sort of thing. I think most of the anonymousity (word?) is probably due to people not wanting you to know who they are. You can still email them, though, even though they choose to remain cloaked. Quote Link to comment
+Will+Bill Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have noticed this too and don't know why people do it. Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Maybe it's because most of us are celebrities of some kind and we want to keep low profile here. For example, don't tell anyone, but I'm the grandson of the second cousin of former president of Finland. (Not the previous one, but the one before him.) Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 (edited) Do you mean in user names? posting email? My experience is that it is the norm for people to be somewhat to completely annonymous on the internet. That doesn't bother me. Sometimes I wonder what kind of crazy person would use his or her real name anyway. Edited May 20, 2004 by carleenp Quote Link to comment
+SkinGuy Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I think most of the anonymousity (word?) is probably due to people not wanting you to know who they are. I think the word you are looking for is "anonymity." I kind of like anonymousity -- like a cross between anonymous and animosity. You can dislike someone without giving away your identity... EUREKA! That may be the single best word for describing some of the forum interactions ever seen! Quote Link to comment
Pto Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Ever "Google" your own name? Kinda scary sometimes! Me, for example- The first return Google gives is a link to my works' webpage, to the staff section & a picture of me (plus work #, etc) I dont mind being online, or people knowing things- but To pull up a pic of me & my employer is a bit much. Plug Pto into Google, well there are some funny results, but nothing that points to me. IM not all that worried, but you never really know what people will choose to do with info - if given the chance. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 oy. it's not a global conspiracy, it's a game. i am not worried my identity will be stolen. i have a lovely collection of identities, which i wear as suits my whim. my name for practical purposes here is "flask". i have also been know to sign as "peej", "nancy francis", "bob petersen", "lucinda latham", "ben brown", "shen ku sockpuppet", "mjolnirssparke" and about a dozen more names including my given one which gets the least airtime. it's the one i like the least. i have a couple of identities that are secret, just to confuse the mix. and i've been accused of being puppetmaster for some other names for which there are actual honest-to goodness people. it's also helpful to remember that this is a stealth sport. if i'm in the mood to meet other players on the trail, fine. but if i don't, i reserve the right to dive into a ditch when i see them coming. if you want to email me, you can. if i like you enough to reply, you'll get one of my actual email addresses. if you're not doing anythign the first saturday of november, you can come to my house for a party. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 (edited) oh, and i'm also famous. well, not really, but i'd like to be, so i'm practicing. if you do a search on my given name, you get a LOT of pages, and i don't think i want everyone to connect everything i say here with all of that. Edited May 20, 2004 by flask Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have been a geocacher a few months and I have noticed that most users of geocaching.com and this forum choose to be anonymous. The vast majority of users have no profile and most never sign their name when logging a cache. This is widespread on a lot of internet sites but seems more prevelant here. What are you afraid of? No one is waiting to pounce on you, seek you out and do bodily harm. If anyone wanted to steal your idenity they sure would'nt start here. I want anyone to be able to contact me if there is a problem with one of my caches. I would be willing to bet most don't use a credit card on line either. This is just an observation (not an opinion of any kind). What are your thoughts?Sincerely, Mick Your perception that it is more prevalent here is no surprise. Not many forums or billboards have as large a membership as this one does so the perception that it is more prevalent really is skewed. Unscientifically speaking, my take is most people here are also more than just a little Internet savvy and know the hazards of posting too much info on any forum. You can tell a lot about a person in how they act behind the anonymity than when you have some idea of who they are. So it isn't surprising that most people on this forum are also more than willing to meet up with each other to share a common interest which lead to more friendships than other forums tend to have. At least from my perspective. Quote Link to comment
adampierson Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have been a geocacher a few months and I have noticed that most users of geocaching.com and this forum choose to be anonymous. The vast majority of users have no profile and most never sign their name when logging a cache. This is widespread on a lot of internet sites but seems more prevelant here. What are you afraid of? No one is waiting to pounce on you, seek you out and do bodily harm. If anyone wanted to steal your idenity they sure would'nt start here. I want anyone to be able to contact me if there is a problem with one of my caches. I would be willing to bet most don't use a credit card on line either. This is just an observation (not an opinion of any kind). What are your thoughts?Sincerely, Mick Stick around here a bit more. Arguements can be get quite heated here. I seem to recall someone posting something receiving a menacing message for keeping their travel bug too long. Generally those that don't care for anonimity, go to cache events. Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have been a geocacher a few months and I have noticed that most users of geocaching.com and this forum choose to be anonymous. The vast majority of users have no profile and most never sign their name when logging a cache. This is widespread on a lot of internet sites but seems more prevelant here. What are you afraid of? No one is waiting to pounce on you, seek you out and do bodily harm. If anyone wanted to steal your idenity they sure would'nt start here. I want anyone to be able to contact me if there is a problem with one of my caches. I would be willing to bet most don't use a credit card on line either. This is just an observation (not an opinion of any kind). What are your thoughts?Sincerely, Mick Why did you just to the conclusion that it's motivated by fear? Part of the fun of the game is the on-line persona. Quote Link to comment
+rusty_tlc Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Wow I googled my name. I have a very common name but I was suprised at the response; Senators, preachers, lawyers, bikers, CEO's, all kinds of crooks. Quote Link to comment
MickUpi Posted May 21, 2004 Author Share Posted May 21, 2004 I had no conclusion, and no opinion. Remember the first post? I guess I'll be at the next cache event. Mick in the good ole state of Alabama. Quote Link to comment
+tstar Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I have not googled my name in a long time, and I was quite surprised to see the results. First of all, I don't have a common name. All of the results were for me and no one else with my name. I was not happy to find out that my work had a picture and information for me. I like my little geocaching world because of that anonymity. Hi! My name is ___! I am ____! You can fill in the blanks however you want; I'm still just little ol' me ! Tstar Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I googled my name. Nothing on me though my counterparts include a state senator, and someone who specalizes in sleep apnia. If you need to know who I am, you know. If you don't. You don't. Plus you can ask, or read my logs or posts and find out more than you wanted to know. What could I put in my profile that really says who I am? My occupation? That's what I do for a living. My philosopies and theories won't fit and my most recent hobby is rather redundant if I put it in my profile. Quote Link to comment
+bons Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 What are you afraid of? Nothing. But you should consider the following. 1) It's none of your dang business. 2) Why should everyone else bother? 3) It's none of your dang business. 4) Security is a good habit, even when it may not be necessary. 5) It's none of your dang business. 6) It sets a precedent. Not here. Not anywhere. 7) Most importantly, It's none of your dang business. Quote Link to comment
bug and snake Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 What difference does it make? My real name MIGHT be ERIK THE FISH. Does anyone feel better for knowing that? But possibly it isn't, does it change anything? Besides, it's none of yer dang business..... Oh, that was said already, well, I agree! Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 (edited) I have been a geocacher a few months and I have noticed that most users of geocaching.com and this forum choose to be anonymous. The vast majority of users have no profile and most never sign their name when logging a cache. I've found quite the opposite. As the owner of 70+ caches, it is very rare that I find a strange name in the logbooks. The vast majority do have profiles and do log online. Perhaps its something unique to your area? Unless you're referring to real names, in which case the reasons for not using them would be obvious to a lot of people. To me it's not a big deal. Google my screen name and you can find my real name in an instant and my address in a minute more. In 5 more minutes you can probably figure out my political leanings and what kind of hiking boots and backpacking stove I use. Edited May 21, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
RedHillian Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I'm not sure what the point is here - my name is RedHillian - there are many people who know me as that, and it's my idenity. If you meet me for real, you get to know who I am for real - I look like my avatar so it's not a secret idenity of any sort, and there are peopel who know me for real, who still call me RedHillian. There is a given name, and it's not a secret either, just I choose to call myself RedHillian electronically - it's as much a part of my identity as any other facet. Quote Link to comment
Tahongawaka Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Yes, it's your identity which makes you in each community. Remember, that the only people to call him "Mr. Anderson" was his boss and the agents. Everyone else in his community called him "Neo." Quote Link to comment
+Ltljon Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Ever notice how you picture in your mind, a person by their voice when you hear them on the phone or a drive thru only to be very disappointed when you actually see them? Be careful what you wish for. Anonymity?? Not here. Feel free to come by my house anytime. Jon Smith Main Street Butte Montana 59701 Quote Link to comment
+Phone guy Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Hello, My name is Mike and I'm a Geocacher. Quote Link to comment
+1setter Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 That's pretty specific. About the only street in Butte any longer is Montana. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Jon Smith Yeah, right, and my name is Bob Jones Quote Link to comment
+New England n00b Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 What are you afraid of? Nothing. But you should consider the following. 1) It's none of your dang business. 2) Why should everyone else bother? 3) It's none of your dang business. 4) Security is a good habit, even when it may not be necessary. 5) It's none of your dang business. 6) It sets a precedent. Not here. Not anywhere. 7) Most importantly, It's none of your dang business. Thank you Bons. Perfectly said. Quote Link to comment
+JMBella Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I'm not anonymous. Everyone here knows my name is Luxury Yacht, but it's pronounced Thoatwarbler Mangrove. Quote Link to comment
+tstar Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 In 5 more minutes you can probably figure out my political leanings and what kind of hiking boots and backpacking stove I use. Yea, it took me less than a minute to figure out that you eschew eggplant Quote Link to comment
+cachew nut Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 No one is waiting to pounce on you, seek you out and do bodily harm. I might, just to see the look on your face Ever notice how you picture in your mind, a person by their voice when you hear them on the phone or a drive thru only to be very disappointed when you actually see them? Be careful what you wish for. You said it. Most of the geocachers I've met remind me of me, or worse Quote Link to comment
Cholo Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I think most of the anonymousity (word?) is probably due to people not wanting you to know who they are. I think the word you are looking for is "anonymity." I kind of like anonymousity -- like a cross between anonymous and animosity. You can dislike someone without giving away your identity... EUREKA! That may be the single best word for describing some of the forum interactions ever seen! I was drawn more to the 'mouse' aspect of that word. What we have here is what I call a Freudian typo. Many times these typos say more than the post itself. Quote Link to comment
+Torry Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I use the same name in caching as I use in my day-to-day business. Google "Torry Stiles" and you'll get some of my work and (eventually) pages of Julia Stiles, Ryan Stiles and couple of football players. I have rotten credit so I doubt if anyone will try hard to use me as a fake ID plus I have no qualms about others finding me here . Quote Link to comment
+crzycrzy Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 My name is Chris and I am a cacher... It's been 32 days since my last cache... What were those steps again... Aggh ! Quote Link to comment
+tstar Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 (GA group in unison) "Hi Chris" All that is needed now is a chain-smoking smiley... Quote Link to comment
Broncoholics Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 UPINYACHIT is pretty popular in the google search. We have quite a history all across the land. Duane Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 RK has 2120 Google hits. Most of them are other RK's. Turns out a Renegade Knight is either a great hero or nasty villan in romance novels. UPINYACHIT has 222. So far as I can tell all from Duane. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Briansnat has 505 Google hits on web searches. All are me. If you search Google groups there are an additional 2,130 hits for briansnat. And if you search on my real name, there are 310 web hits and 1,720 groups hits. Since, to my knowledge, I'm the only Brian Sniatkowski in the USA (and probably the world), they are all me. Quote Link to comment
+Johnnie Stalkers Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 (edited) Google my real name and I get a ton of hits. Just because some best selling author chooses to use my REAL name as his pen name. Pretty sure I'm due a few royalty checks. Google my cache name and I get 333. Johnnie Stalkers poops up in a few interesting places. Google my drag queen name and....well, that is going to be a secret. PS - I'll be autographing my book outside the Barnes and Noble on 5th and Vine from 12 to 2 today. $20 a pop, no book required. Edited May 21, 2004 by Johnnie Stalkers Quote Link to comment
+Phone guy Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 There are 5,420,000 google hits for Phone Guy. Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I think most of the anonymousity (word?) is probably due to people not wanting you to know who they are. I think the word you are looking for is "anonymity." I kind of like anonymousity -- like a cross between anonymous and animosity. You can dislike someone without giving away your identity... EUREKA! That may be the single best word for describing some of the forum interactions ever seen! I was drawn more to the 'mouse' aspect of that word. What we have here is what I call a Freudian typo. Many times these typos say more than the post itself. Nope. No typo here. I exercised my poetic liscense and created "anonymousity" just for that post. I was thinking in terms of an anonymous mouse. But the animosity aspect works too. Quote Link to comment
+tstar Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Oh my...I just googled my geo-name and one of the returns was for a trans-gendered website. Interesting!!?!... Quote Link to comment
+LETaylor Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I've not tried to hide my identity (That's my name over there on the left side. . ) but I am more careful about how I put information out there. I have a web page Sock Monkeys @ Home on the Range that's been up for 7 years now. I keep an email link at the bottom of the home page but hide the email address behind my name. I found that I was getting killed by SPAM until I made that change. It only took a few weeks for the volume to drop way off after I stopped showing my email address out on the web. I enjoy the email I get from strangers, most of whom are delightful people sharing their memories of childhood. (Sock Monkeys bring out the child in all of us.) And now that the spam problem has been solved I have no worries. I will admit that this site is the only one where you will find a photograph of me (in my profile). I try keep a sharp division between the web and my family because they are private people who shouldn't have my hobbies negatively impacting their lives. For those who care, I've been married for 28 years and have two daughters, ages 25 and 19. The eldest is married and has a son (that's his photo over there on the left) He's my first grandchild, born November 7, 2003 in Texas where my son-in-law is attending medical school. My baby girl (age 19) is just completing her junior year at UC Davis. Great kids, but they get their own privacy. You'll notice that they don't have names. . . I don't think of the web as a dangerous place, but then I've learned to respect the power of information. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 What difference does it make? My real name MIGHT be ERIK THE FISH. Does anyone feel better for knowing that? But possibly it isn't, does it change anything? Besides, it's none of yer dang business..... Oh, that was said already, well, I agree! Funny, my name is Eric the Half a Bee! Quote Link to comment
MustangPhreak&Phate Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Maybe some of us don't want our bosses to figure us out, especially on days we're supposedly running "errands" but instead out caching!! Oh, and neither of us are "scared" to use a credit card online, in fact that's our preferred method of shopping. Quote Link to comment
+clearpath Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 All my life I've fantasized about being an Indian and living back in the days of the Wild West. In this forum I get to live out my fantasy. Meet 'clearpath' ... Plains Indian. In real life I'm an average Joe with a wife, family and a mortgage. In the Groundspeak forum I'm an Indian Warrior, Woo Hoo. What a great escape from reality. Quote Link to comment
+JMBella Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 158 Google hits for JMBella 231,000 Google hits for JMB 44,000,000 Google hits for Joe! Quote Link to comment
SLCDave Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Sock Monkeys bring out the child in all of us.).... I have a mini-sock monkey that's waiting to become a travel bug! I googled my name, and, PHEW! I've kept my identity a secret! I looked up SLCDave, and I rwas reminded that, on a whim, I placed one of my caches on TheSiteThatShallNotBeNamed to see if it got any action over there. Nope! [i also googled the name Google, and got 49,700,000 results. ] Quote Link to comment
+JukieF Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Yeah, right, and my name is Bob Jones Hey, it *could* be! I happen to know a guy named Bob Jones. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Yeah, right, and my name is Bob Jones Hey, it *could* be! I happen to know a guy named Bob Jones. I know both Bob Jones and Jon Smith....they live here in this tiny little town of 900 people....and yes, that's the way Jon spells his name, too....no "h"....... Quote Link to comment
dampeoples Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 I don't mind. If some sicko decides to hunt me down for whatever reason, I'll handle it to the best of my ability. The fact that you are on the internet is enough for the devious to find you, might as well enjoy the company while you're here I honestly don't know what my profile states, the navigation of the profile/signature, etc on this board is screwy, I try to not change it much. Quote Link to comment
+wildearth2001 Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 google gets 87 hits for my username, AFTER i turn off the filter and my real name gets a lot but none on the first few pages are mine Quote Link to comment
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