It's true that to call a ban of alias's is NOT the same as censorship to speak freely in Iran or China or Nkorea, or what have you... but it is still a form of censorship.  Basically, you are taking away the right to remain a user if you are anonymous.  That sounds like a loss of freedom=censorship(perhaps in the mildest of forms).  Either way it's splitting hairs, and as pointed out above, not all the negativity(whether in jest or not) is found just in anonymous 'alias' posters.  More than once the 'alias poster', whoever it maybe, has made a positive contribution even if thought to be a point of contention. 

Dave,
I wasn't suggesting that PP is a private club - rather using that as an analogy for what constitutes acceptable behavior since this forum shares many more attributes with a club versus many of the other internet forums that I've participated in.  To me, the big difference is that there are real life relationships between many of the people here.

Anyway, like Slickhorn, the issue for me is civility, not aliases.  There are tons of people I strongly disagree with on this forum - on a huge range of issues - and have no interest in surpressing their speech.  Variety is the spice of life.

But there are other people that are just lurking here to stir the pot and not adding any value to the community.  Aside from occassional comic relief, I fail to see how the Hugos of the world add value though I clearly see how they subtract value.  Many other communities have moderated forums specifically to deal with this problem. 

Some of you are taking yourselves and this forum way too seriously.

hmmm, you don't like my one for kayaking 2?    I thought it catchy, and I back my name with me :)     

As far as aliases etc.   who really cares?  If someone is not willing to just come out and say what they want in the first place, and be willing to back it up, then obviously they aren't much of a person in the first place.  So when someone posts something inflammatory or otherwise under the guise of some BS, just laugh at it and realize the man, or woman, behind those words is nothing more than a pathetic soul unable to make a stand for themselves and afraid of what others might think of them.  I on the other hand will never say something behind someones back that I would not say to them face to face.  Seriously.  Either people will like you and your personality, or they won't.  Or sometimes they won't, but they will put up with whatever it is they don't like because of a greater cause (cough cough, Leif, Hugo....the rest of you not mentioned here)  Not that this is my view necessarily (though I will admit that Leif's chili certainly needed a lot more love (sorry  Lief, just bein brutally honest....and no your right, I made no chili of my own).   
Anyway, Meghan said it best, too many take this too seriously.  Who gives a rats ass who is "shredding the gnar", or how badly you were beat down in that last hole, or whatever.  The truth is everyone is out shredding their own gnar and enjoying kayaking in their own way.  Which also means posting stupid shit or whatever just trying to get someones goat(always wanted to say that).   Frankly, I love watching people slam each other, it shows me who I don't want to boat with.  Though some of these characters I would happily boat with just to see the ensuing madness that may spring from their antics.   It is often highly entertaining.

Have a great fathers day everyone.

Although I agree in some level, I competely dis-agree with all of the reasons behind facebook. They are a sell out to the community they serve and a waste of digital space. The rules are set sheerly for the ability to advertise with extreme levels of targetting and also to sell your information to other entities. Of course my favorite is the new user policy which is in sense what were discussing here. The we can do anything with your information, data, photos that we want. And how valuable would that be if everything were fake, like Jane Lookatmysupercoolnewnickname Smith.

So do we need to ban aliases... I think so after seeing this poll and the conversations. But do we need to have any policies like Facebook. Absolutely not!!!!

What a load of BS. I like it though... well crafted and also curiously supportive of the old hugonad!

That is about right!

While I was away from the Internet in Idaho, several people suggested I was as bad as Hugo.  While I have no idea what might motivate that opinion, I trust I am not destined to be deleted?

Leif is good, long live the Leif!!!!

Should we close this thread by posting the true identities of each alias?


Edited by James - 26 Jun 2009 at 9:10am

I don't think anyone has lost their voice. Hugo is free to post in that style under te other account that user has. An that account can still be anonymous.

Nicely handled James. In most other boards, this woul have equivocally handled by the site admin without feedback from the community. I think this has set the tone for the kind of conversation we would all rather see around here, and a reason I think this place will grow.

Have fun at the boulderbash y'all; I'll be overnighting somewhere in the gifford Pinchot.

-b

That seems fitting.

Interesting I would have thought that mystery would have been preferred...