[Bravo]

I've recently re-re-read an article by the ever genius Eric Steven Raymond. It's a tired article to me; I've read it probably a half dozen times, but never really read it, you know? My brain works strangely, so you might not. Anyways, I digress. There's a section that states...

Don't use a silly, grandiose user ID or screen name.

...and...

Concealing your identity behind a handle is a juvenile and silly behavior characteristic of crackers, warez d00dz, and other lower life forms. Hackers don't do this; they're proud of what they do and want it associated with their real names. So if you have a handle, drop it. In the hacker culture it will only mark you as a loser.

.

My first thoughts are "Damn, I've already started doing that. I've attributed the word 'Bravo' with my username here and with my (now defunct) e-mail address." Yes, I think with parenthesis. My brain works strangely. We've covered this.

Second, I began to think, does this apply to me? My real age, as stated on my profile, is fifteen. I'm young, and, even though I consider myself to be equally capable of complex and rational thought and maturity as an adult, I don't like my age publicized. I feel that I don't want that kind of information out there, instinctively, from being around the "wrong crowd" of hackers, crackers per se. These crackers didn't want their personal information out in the world so that they wouldn't get arrested. I never truly plan to do anything that might get me arrested. I'm here in this community to learn, and be constructive, not destructive. However, this cracker's attitude towards the release of personal information seems to have rubbed off on me during some of my formative time around here.

Now that I've spent some time around hackers proper, I realize that, to some, your real identity and your hacker identity should be one and the same. The hacker facet of your overall identity is something you should be proud of, should want attributed to you.

So, I ask, what do guys think? Do you think it's proper to "hide" behind a username or handle? Or do you think your identity isn't something you should share with the world through the Internet? And, finally, what about a teenager or young adult? Do you think the same ideals apply to a, for example, thirty year old professional programmer as apply to a high school or college student?

[Nailo]

iam proud of what i do and sometimes not so i rather have some privacy in the side just to be safe

[Blixuk]

I believe they are different depending on the person... Say if you have a good job, family, house in a nice area. But in your spare time your a Hacker, Cracker, Hacktivist... Would you really want your name tied to your crimes however just they maybe?

On the other hand your some high school/college kid and your just doing this to make some money or because its your passion... would you want your name tied to what you do?

You make one mistake and that's your life gone... Your ever in jail or you cant get work. The same in the other guys position... He will lose his job his family; they will lose there house; he goes to jail and there left on the streets.

So its just anonymity, protecting yourself and others around you.

It not a case of being a loser, its character... Doing something and expecting nothing in return. Not putting your name out there because you don't need recognition or praise. You do what you do because that's what you do.

[DaPaus]

I also read the article a lot. To start of this article was written a time ago. When there weren't many hackers and people with an internet connection. With the explosion of internet users also the amount of those called script kiddies and bad guys raised. By putting your real name everywhere. You give a potential attacker a lot of information. You can search for a facebook page. You can find his family etc. So I think it's safer to keep your name secret. Unless you watch what you put on the internet.

[Mr-R3D]

hrmmm I use nicknames in such an emotionally insecure way that if I could use my real name, I would just so I don't need to keep moving around and creating new names for myself to hide behind.


:lol: I must be significantly 'juvenile' because I go beyond making a nick name I make a whole identity and the only thing I carry over is my persona.
Guess I better read this article eh?.