From: cman@caffeine.io.com (Douglas Barnes)
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 93 13:17:57 PST
To: mg5n+@andrew.cmu.edu (Matthew J Ghio)
Subject: Re: "True Identities"
In-Reply-To: <8gvaF9C00Vpg1J70VB@andrew.cmu.edu>
Message-ID: <199311202103.PAA02966@caffeine.caffeine.io.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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> 
> I find it particularily interesting that on the internet (in contrast to
> almost every other net in existance), people have this strange fettish
> for worrying about anonymnity and "true names".  My question is why? 
> People on other nets never give the using of a handle or nym a second
> thought.  (By other nets I mean Fidonet, WWIVnet, TEAMnet, C-Link,
> Oggnet, fvnet etc)  A name is just a way of identifying a paritcular
> person.  I don't see why people are so opposed to the use of nyms like
> Wonderer or Black Unicorn because those don't fit your image of what a
> name should be.  These names identify the senders in a manner that is
> adequate to the discussion on Cypherpunks.  Would it be any better if
> these people used names like Mike or John or something?  Would it really
> make any relevant difference to the discussion on cypherpunks?
> 

I think the problem stems from the way most people initially got access
through the Internet, which was through fairly conservative affiliations
such as the military, government or academia; I've seen relatively few
military, government or academic environments that encouraged or allowed
people to go by "Black Unicorn".

Increasingly, however, people are using the Internet for solely personal
reasons, independent of such affiliations. (Which is how Fidnonet, WWIVnet,
etc. have always been.) Now, no big surprise, we have Black Unicorn, 
Wanderer, etc. I think it's a great testimoney to the rapidly increasing
diviersity of the net. (Although CERTAIN PEOPLE I'm sure will tell me that
such alleged diversity is only a PERVERTED SHAM and the number of REAL
people on the net is RAPIDLY DROPPING.)

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