Text 5641, 116 rader
Skriven 2010-03-04 21:18:04 av Lee Lofaso (3:800/432.0)
   Kommentar till text 5366 av Stewart Arnett (3:772/100)
Ärende: Using An Alias 4
========================
Hello Stewart,

>LL>"When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome." - Cervantes

>DD>"When in Fidonet do as the Fidonetters do" - Drummond

>LL>And what doth Fidonetters do?

SA>Obey the rules of the echo as laid down by the Moderator,
SA>understanding that the Moderator's ruling is final.

Fidonetters PARTICIPATE!  That's what Fidonetters do!  Of course,
the Moderator is also welcome to participate, if he/she so desires.
After all, we are *all* Fidonetters, and that is what Fidonetters
do!

SA>PS To answer another question you asked, "what can a sysop do?"
SA>in your case if you were getting this echo from me, then I would
SA>simply turn it off and force you elsewhere.

All sysops are also welcome to participate.  Not just moderators.
Didn't mean to leave them out.  I mean, sysops are also Fidonetters.
My sincerest apologies for having offended thy most holy sysop. :)

Fidonetters often pride themselves being able to really speak freely
about any subject or topic (no matter how controversial that subject or
topic might be) to their liking.  Of course, it is not always possible
to talk so freely and openly about certain subjects/topics with one's
boss.  Or with one's co-workers. Or with one's neighbors.  Or with one's
significant other(s). Well, maybe with one's significant other(s).  I
mean, just try talking to your boss about how much you would love gays
and lesbians to be able to serve openly in the military or to adopt
children (kinda hard for gays and lesbians to make kids on their own).
Doing so just might get you fired.  Know what I mean?  Trying talking
to your neighbor about that subject might get you slugged in the jaw.
Not fun at all. The fact of the matter is that most folks choose to
confide such talk to those they trust the most.  Those folks who keep
secrets a secret.

But hey.  Enough of this nonsense.  What is the real issue?  Ask
yourself that question.  Certainly it is not how dangerous posting
messages under a real name may or may not be.  Sure, some folks might
view posting messages under one's real name is quite dangerous.  Others
might view the dangers of posting messages under one's real name as
being insignificant.  So what is the real issue?

The real issue is whether you and I (and everybody else) will be
able to make our own decisions, whatever those decisions might be,
and protect ourselves (or not) as we see fit.

Why should others be able to tell us what to do, or what not to
do?  Especially in regards to protecting ourselves?  Why are some
folks allowed to conceal their identities, and others not?  That
makes no sense.  Absolutely no sense at all.

Let's take a further look.  There will *always* be folks who act
in an irresponsible manner on the nets.  And those folks will always
(or almost always) use an alias/handle.  You know that.  I know that.
Everybody in the whole fucking world knows that.  You are not stupid.
Neither am I.  Nor is anybody else in this forum stupid, or senile.

But that is only half of the equation.  Let's look at the other half -

There are also folks who act in an irresponsible manner who use their
real names.  Ever think about that?  That is something the fido powers
that be always fail to mention.  The fact of the matter is that most
people, whether they use an alias/handle or not, act in a responsible
manner.

Only a moron would believe otherwise.  And I do not take you, or
anybody else, as being a moron.

SA>I normaly like your arguments but this one is a lost cause,
SA>you would be better off dropping it.

It probably is a lost cause, but like Don Quixote, I must
always be tilting at windmills.  While singing "The Impossible
Dream".  :)

But hey.  Relax.  This is a limited thread, and was always intended
as such. This topic has been around since the inception of fido, and
even before.  I have presented no new arguments, merely repeating
what has already been said, many times over, for decades.

I'll draw this rant to a close with the following comments -

Some folks have said that fidonet is dying from the lack of
participants.  While the number of participants in fido echos
may be small today, those who remain active are building the
social fabric of tomorrow.  That is a good thing.  I commend
all those who continue building that future, including fido
administrators, sysops, moderators, and every participant
in every echo.

If we (everyone in fido) want to preserve the free and open atmosphere
of fido, allowing all participants to use an alias/handle when posting
messages seems to be a harmless, very fun and effective tool of doing
so.  So why throw that tool away?  Better to use that tool, for all it
is worth, to create a better future fido for us all.

What the sysops of yesterday have created is good.  And the sysops
of today can make it better.  Not just for sysops, but for us all.

End of rant.

Now it's your turn.

Pull my finger.  :)

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * If you've heard the sound of the one hand, prove it.

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 * Origin: Xaragmata / Adelaide SA telnet://xaragmata.mooo.com (3:800/432)