Topic: Stop the Bullshit campaign - Real Names

[M2.]

Internet forums are full of armchair warriors and keyboard know-it-alls. At APK we strive to keep a particularly bullshit free forum, politely pointing out when information comes from the wrong end of someone's body, and working hard to keep posts and ideas on topic and at discussion vs. argument levels. The members of this forum are generally very bright and very courteous - and make this a fairly easy task most of the time. I think in our history we've had only 3 or 4 permanent bannings, not bad for 36,000 members!

At the Parkour Generations seminar hosted by Parkour Horizons last month Muhammad brought up a great point - nickanmes on the internet can be used to hide behind and just perpetuate the BS.

The real parkour community are the people who go to jams, the people out training, and the people who are helping out all the time (yes, even on teh internets). We should all act on the forums as we would when speaking to people face to face.

Muhammad's suggestion was that people use their real names on the forum. I think it's a great idea. CrossFit has had that as a mandate form day 1 and it has made clear impact on their forums.

I think it is usually easy enough to pick out who is spouting BS and who is genuine, but this step certianly can't hurt.

You can change the way your name appears in the forums by going to your profile >> account related settings and changing

Name:
This is the displayed name that people will see.

Then your posts will show your name. I think this is a positive step towards identifying yourself in a way that gives accountability. Posting responsibly gives you credibility.

Thanks Muhammad for a great suggestion that will surely help the community!

[edit - Please do not use any special characters in your username. It prevents people from Private Messaging you. See http://www.americanparkour.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,159/topic,15449.0/ for more information. Thank you - Zac]

[Milquetoast]

Yeah, this kind of behavior was actually observed by the creators of the web comic Penny Arcade about 4 years ago and coined the "Greater Internet F*ckwad Theory" (GIFT).  I think this (not kid-safe?) comic describes it best:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

I agree that using real names is a good way to promote more accountability (and hope I haven't been too much of a f*ckwad up until now) and will follow suit in changing my display name.

[Skipper]

Im actually thinking of going the other direction to legally change my name to Skipper

[Chris Lyons]

Im actually thinking of going the other direction to legally change my name to Skipper

that works too, but im sure its more time consuming 


As for my name, I changed it weeks ago! Yay brownie points!

[ZacharyCohn]

Sounds like a plan.

One thing I would suggest - either post here and request a "title" that was your old handle, or put your old handle in your signature.

This way, especially if a lot of people are changing their names in a short period of time, it's easier for everyone to keep track of who everyone is/was.

[Robillard]

actually i agree and disagree with this. i've used my last name from day one. i believe using names makes it more like your talking to a person and makes you more respectful. there is however a degree of danger that comes with this. there are plenty of internet stalkers and such out there and some people have particularly unique names. if they post their full name it could put them at danger as google would pick it up and make them easy to find.
think how many Robillards there are in the state of florida, theres not many. in fact theres so few in the nation we have our own facebook  group lol. im not exactly afraid of internet stalkers or anything but im just saying this could potentially put some people at risk seeing as how you can figure out were people will be at certain times using this forum.

then again running from the baddies could be a good way to test your parkour 

[David Glass]

Wow, that's a big change

I find handles appealing. I'm certainly no Mark Toorock, Steve Lowe, Chris Salvatto, Ozzi, etc., so I doubt anyone cares about what CptBongue has to say anyway. Showing my real name isn't going to change that.

Besides, if I meet up at a jam, introducing myself as CptBongue might be easier to remember.

Alas, I trust your reasoning, and I'm jumping in.

David Glass here... please to meet all of you

BTW, if you google me, there's a dude that makes the best cakes in the frigging WORLD!!!! If you ever decide to take a day off the Zone 

[Leon Mederos]

I'm complicated, but I've used leon forever and ever amen.

[BobT]

I agree with Robillard about there being privacy concerns.  I also believe that those concerns can only be assessed properly by the individual.  I think we're still stuck with the honor system - that those who use a handle, do so for a reason (other than trying to be a f*ckwad...).

For me, I'll stick with BobT - close enough.

[David Glass]

Another thing

Some peoples handles are actually better known on the internet. I post on software blogs and forums as CptBongue and have been doing so for years.

Someone on this forum actually saw one of my posts and thought I'd probably be the same person, so by posting as CptBongue, you're actually saying something about yourself "I'm CptBongue, SW developer, I play AA, and SC, and I help people out in all sorts of places"

Oh, and there are a Gazillion friggin David Glass' out there, just one CptBongue 

[Chris Salvato]

giving yourself a nickname is pretty weak, imho

plus, i hate my "nickname" i just have used it as an internet alias forever, i much prefer my own name...

i do know that when i was living in NYC there was one particular "traceur" who was trying to get me to ditch my given name for a self-given nickname for some unknown reason.  maybe it has to do with separating out the parkour chris salvato from the real chris salvato....doesn't make sense to me but eh...what is for one may not be for another.

[Cliff Boz]

Not a bad idea Muhammad, Mark!

For those concerned a/b privacy, I abbreviated my last name into "Boz" here. So those googling my name "Boswell", will probably not find me here, just in case. o.O O.o Perhaps you could do something similar.

[ZacharyCohn]

This isn't by any means mandatory. At Crossfit it is, here not so much. If you're worried about privacy, then by all means don't change your name. I've gone by Happydud on the internet for about 9 years. There's two of us. Me, and some really super creepy 35 year old guy from Montana who posts on dating websites all the time... However, you can usually trace happydud to Zachary Cohn, and vice versa.

To keep yourself associated with your handle (mostly so people can keep track of who you are), you can change your "Personal Text" in your profile to your name. Everyone has the ability to do that, and I think it would save a lot of confusion.

[Ryan Ford]

Hey that was my idea about a month ago!

The reason I changed mine is that the parkour community is becoming more personal and global rather than purely internet based. This means you actually know a lot of these people around the world and when i become a washed up 40 year old parkour coach, I'd rather be known as Ryan Ford than Demon!

[M2.]

HAHA! Sorry Ryan, I didn't remember it as your idea and thus gave Muhammad the credit   - Have some credit

I can see both sides of the "argument" here - Parkour grew up on the internet where handles are very common - so I never minded going by a nickname - personally I never used mine to hide, and my real name is very much out there - as are my phone number and address - I personally prefer it that way. Yeah, I get a few weird phone calls every now and then, but Freestylefox isn't so bad when you get used to him

Just like CptBongue I think there are alot of peopel who would recognize "M2" the internet arguer before they would "Mark Toorock" - but I'm sure the two can peacefully co-exist after I go see my shrink today. We've all been working on getting along better.

Stop talking to me., What? Shutup!
No, you shutup.
I'm telling.
 

[Kipup]

I refuse to fully  part with Kipup. We've been through far to much together.

[Frosti]

I actually have more people who know my nickname than my real name(thanks network tv!) but I do like the idea. Secretly my hope is that everyone will change to their real names and I'll be the only one left with a super cool nickname. I'm a rebel without a cause. I think I'll go buy a leather jacket.

[David Glass]

LOL

Maybe I'll find a compromise, Like CptDavid or CptGlass, Cpt David Glass

Now I have an identity conflict!

[Brian Belida]

Word life. Internet drama is applesauce.

I'm already having an identity crisis; Akh Horus, doc akh, Nomad. So maybe this will help

[Robillard]

lmao at M2s comment. but ya more people know my nicknames then my actual name. its kinda sad. even some of my really good friends that ive known for awhile use my nickname so much that they forget my actual name sometimes. ive been called variations of my last name since pre-k so i tend to stick with it.