http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: alias/avatar/pseudonym/heteronym/mentchy en Mon, 18 May 2026 12:26:36 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725&page=2#post-17203 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:38:41 +0000 chdot 17203@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I know wingpig because we both use a consistent username on here and Flickr and blipfoto. </p> <p>Don't think we've ever 'met'! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725&page=2#post-17202 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:31:53 +0000 wingpig 17202@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sites ask for usernames, therefore a username was chosen, settling on this one fairly early (originally on h2g2, back last century). It just seemed to be the way things were done, but also protected people with vaguely rare surnames from being too easily-identified and/or provides that vital 'posted under the pseudonym' de-identifier in case I ever want to vaguely grumble about people or work, just to keep such things a fair few clicks away from my real name should I ever be Googled by a potential future employer. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725&page=2#post-17199 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:24:14 +0000 chdot 17199@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Basically it's like an onion."</p> <p>That's been said about Edinburgh - layers of people who interact with each other more than other groups. </p> <p>I'm sure It's the same with people/societies everywhere. </p> <p>But some people think it's more acute here - stratas, vested interests etc. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725&page=2#post-17197 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:18:46 +0000 Stepdoh 17197@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>mines is just a simple portmanteau of my names (and a subtle nod to the simpsons) Comes from not being able to get my name as a gmail address until I shortened Stephen to Step. (which itself comes from the terrible pretension of not liking my name being shortened to Steve.)</p> <p>Basically it's like an onion. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17187 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:32:53 +0000 cb 17187@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Lindsay?"</p> <p>No, someone else. But I may have met Lindsay, or at least mumbled hello to him/her? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17168 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:20:03 +0000 druidh 17168@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was on Buachaille Etive Beag yesterday and identified someone from a hill walking forum (he posts lots of trip reports including lots of photos with him in them)[i]</p> <p>Lindsay? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17161 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:36:14 +0000 kaputnik 17161@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't overtly advertise my "real" name, but I don't really go out of my way to hide who I am. If anyone was REALLY bothered then a little bit of internets detective work and they could figure things out.</p> <p>The "kaputnik" thing is a corruption of "sputnik" - the latter of which I found was taken on various other forums or websites in the past so had to alter. Now I find that "kaputnik" is no longer unique either, so there's various "kaputniq" (e.g. flickr), "skaputnik", "kaputchicks" handles out there that I've lost track of. The "sputnik" thing came from my ebay account which came from my hotmail acounts which I can't now remember where it came from or why I chose it. I've also been, amongst other things, an "emoscopes" (a comment once made about my thick framed glasses) on Wikipedia mainly (now largely retired) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17159 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:45:19 +0000 gembo 17159@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't think this phenomenon is particularly new. 25 years ago I knew a guy Pud, well his name was gordon shaw but we called him Pud sometimes, if he made his face look like a pudding which he sometimes did. He had a Norton Dominator bike which was classy but alas prone to breaking down. Similarly, many people from that era think they were at school with a guy called Herman Moonbeam, well most of them realise the full name is not likely to be real but Herman was the guy on the Dawes cycling in from Ayr for a night out.</p> <p>Coatbridge has a number of key performance indicators where it tops various leagues (percentage Celtic supporters per head of population - 100%, percentage drinkers who rate Buckfast as their favourite tipple - 95% etc) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17154 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:01:36 +0000 chdot 17154@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I didn't want to look like a clueless newbie (which of course I was)."</p> <p>Don't suppose anyone noticed. </p> <p>In any case THIS forum encourages new people (to the forum and cycling) rather than look down on them - If that was what you were fearing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17153 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:49:57 +0000 Cyclingmollie 17153@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My alias has outlived the bike it was named after. Poor Mollie (from the frame sticker: CroMoly) got dumped in the metal recycling at Seafield years ago. I used an alias because everyone else does and I didn't want to look like a clueless newbie (which of course I was). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17152 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:21:05 +0000 recombodna 17152@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You guy's are using fake names??...... Maybe I should do that too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17150 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:03:43 +0000 spitfire 17150@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>and people complain that they haven't been spotted...</em><br /> you talkin' to me?<br /> I'd just like to know who to wave at in the mornings/afternoons so I don't look like an idiot waving to everyone (I spotted someone with one blue valve cap light on the goldenacre-&gt;roseburn path last week so that means there is more than me riding around like a police bike)<br /> I can't make it to PY in the mornings for an over expensive coffee (do they allow you to take a flask?) and look forward to when the Caley is descended upon by a bunch of hivis/lovis peeps<br /> I have used a number of handles on the web for the main reason that a friend once told me off for giving away too much on my [tomy] first ever website [TM] as he put it "Americans have knivesandgunsandbombsandsh**" he literally said it without the spaces. There have been Fobos, Fo, Snoogans and then finally spytfyre (spytfire,spitfyre,spitfire damn spam filter)<br /> Interestingly my flickr avatar is now an image of a rusty old bike part that has been wired into a fence as long as I have been alive...<br /> I think we should all wear badges at the Caley with our user ID on... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17117 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:23:14 +0000 chdot 17117@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Isn't that what we have the spotted thread for, weirdo internet bike stalking....<br /> "<br /> Seems so - and people complain that they <em>haven't</em> been spotted... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17116 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:20:15 +0000 steveo 17116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Isn't that what we have the spotted thread for, weirdo internet bike stalking.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17115 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:15:03 +0000 chdot 17115@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"some kind of wierdo internet stalker"</p> <p>or hill stalker... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17114 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:35 +0000 cb 17114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was on Buachaille Etive Beag yesterday and identified someone from a hill walking forum (he posts lots of trip reports including lots of photos with him in them).<br /> We had a quick chat; he's a nice guy. I hope he didn't think I was some kind of wierdo internet stalker. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17111 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:56:46 +0000 wee folding bike 17111@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ohhh no, quite the reverse. Coatbridge has a similarly low number of cyclists. It's not high in Glasgow either, sometimes I count the number I see on a trip into town. I don't get into double figures, don't know if I should count those on the pavement.</p> <p>I saw a P type Brompton with what looked like desert sand paint work outside the Citizens Theatre today. I was surprised and happy to see one of them in the west until he went through a red light. I should have known by looking at him. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17110 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:35:18 +0000 chdot 17110@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I'm pretty sure it's me."</p> <p>You're not alone then. </p> <p>On the other hand,with such extreme attention seeking behaviour...</p> <p>Oh</p> <p>Does that break 'the rule'</p> <p>???</p> <p>I was on a board once where the bitterness matched that in real live - except that people could do it from the comfort of their own houses rather than go to public meetings!</p> <p>I gave up when someone started questioning my motives for something or other!</p> <p>I'm <em>sure</em> this forum will keep going as long as people find it useful. </p> <p>'We' seem to be an eclectic bunch of intelligent and sensible people (the two don't always go together) with an interest in various aspects of bicycles - with above average sense of humour. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17109 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:32:48 +0000 druidh 17109@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The use of internet pseudonyms is all very well, but it <em>can</em> lead to confusion when real-life intervenes. On another cycling forum we meet up fairly frequently and there's always that odd moment when you're not sure what name to use. </p> <p>Of course, Facebook takes very much the opposite approach - it works best when real identities are use. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17107 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:12:14 +0000 Min 17107@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>""There are a lot of weird people on the internet."</p> <p>Careful... "</p> <p>I reckon there is always at least one weirdo on each forum. On this one, I'm pretty sure it's me. :-P</p> <p>"wasnt ukhippy was it? "</p> <p>Is there such a forum? I doubt the place(s) of which I speak are unique in the behavious of its inhabitants! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17106 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:53:54 +0000 chdot 17106@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"It's next to Coatbridge remember."</p> <p>Does that have the monopoly on bicycle riders? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17104 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:15:06 +0000 wee folding bike 17104@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Actually there is almost only one person on a bike in Airdrie. It's next to Coatbridge remember. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17103 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:10:31 +0000 gembo 17103@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>THere's only one wee folding bike<br /> one wee folding bike<br /> One wee folding bike In Airdrie<br /> wee folding bike in Airdre</p> <p>The tune to that is Quantaramera - well a weegee adaptation</p> <p>similar songs</p> <p>One Team In Ayrshire<br /> Theres's only one team in Ayrshire</p> <p>etc </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17102 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:00:59 +0000 wee folding bike 17102@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Someone I don't know worked out who I was a couple of years ago.</p> <p>I was out for a ruby with a chum and he asked if I was wee folding bike. A friend of his had asked him to check but I have never met the guy who put two and two together. This was back when the Herald allowed fairly unfettered comments on religion, politics and transport. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17095 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:01:05 +0000 ruggtomcat 17095@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've been through several 'handles' over the years I Have been known as DamagedGoods, Dubbrother, [Nx?], PinkTracy and latterly RuggTomcat. Whats funny is how these names actually end up in your real life, I was known publicly as Nix for several years and Rugg Tomcat is in fact my Equity name and is a congruent real world identity. </p> <p>I've never seen its a 'hiding', just 'havin a cool name'. Who would choose to be called Dave when they could be InvsoMan! Oh, hold on....</p> <p>The point is its not about identity its about choice, how you choose to represent yourself in this (still) mainly text based environment.</p> <p>I Do find it interesting how we are getting more localised, forums are still brought together by common interest, ten years ago for me it was fire juggling at <a href="http://www.homeofpoi.com">Home Of Poi</a> which was a worldwide forum (and very active). Now I'm participating on a forum directly related to where I live, with members who may live close enough to annoy with the drum kit. This makes it kind of scary, but the added responsibility makes for a more productive and considered debate.</p> <p>I do think CCE is on the cagey end when it comes to its members desire for anonymity. And the closeness of the real world/internet barrier amplifies that. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17094 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:46:22 +0000 chdot 17094@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"There are a lot of weird people on the internet."</p> <p>Careful... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17093 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:42:35 +0000 ruggtomcat 17093@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>wasnt ukhippy was it? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17092 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:40:52 +0000 Min 17092@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It was like watching some sort of perpetually unfolding car<br /> crash. It had a certain entertainment value but all just got <br /> too depressing in the end. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17091 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:02:22 +0000 gembo 17091@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Min - you should write that Forum up as a novel - there is a piece of journalism in yesterday's guardian about a documentary about made up people </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1725#post-17089 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:33:22 +0000 Min 17089@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh I have just remembered something else about that forum!<br /> It went through several permutations as factions developed and<br /> split from each other. In one permutation, some people joined <br /> using a different name from the previous forum. Other people did<br /> not realise this and very much slagged these people off not <br /> realising that they were there and reading every word! </p>