Anonymous vs Real Name, or members option to decide?

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    Some of our members do not like the notion of posting anonymously, and have suggested a full disclosure forum policy be instituted. We respect their opinions, and understand their stated drawbacks of an anonymous based format. In response, we have held a number of internal talks trying to address those concerns.


    In our discussions, we have also taken into consideration those who prefer the option/choice of offering their real name, or maintaining their anonymity...in other words, keep the status quo. We do believe the majority of members prefer it that way. Then, on the other hand, those requesting full disclosure play important roles in LENR, and while fewer in number, are highly valued and their participation here instrumental in making LF so successful.


    Now here is the problem; We have come up with nothing that would make everyone happy. If we make one group happy, the other won't be. It would be just as painful for us to lose either group, which leads us here, to you our members, in seeking your help.


    What is your opinion, thoughts, solutions?


    We understand the risk this appeal has in flooding us with ideas, and hurt egos if rejected, but feel it has been enough of a problem for us to brave the process anyways. So have at it.

    In general I am all for transparency, however if I need to release publicly my real name (rather than many people here knowing it, but it not being subject to public discussion) I'll not post any more.


    I understand why some would like all validated e-mails, and am sympathetic to it. Iguess a half-way house would be for posting only to be allowed with real identity known to moderators, though not necessarily released publicly?


    THH

    • Official Post

    I am with Shane on this, and urge all members to give this some thought and if they have one, offer their opinions for discussion. Beyond the simpler question of 'anonymous or not' we have also discussed the possibility of having an 'invisible forum' within this space, where only those who are prepared to use their real-world identity can read and post. This also brings problems including - but not limited to - a possible drop in posts in the outer visible parts of the forum.

    There's no need for anybody to know what I do or don't do in my life. On a much smaller scale and extent, a problem often seen on large multi-topic discussion forums like Reddit is that users often dismiss or ridicule opposing views solely basing on the posting history and forum participation, which are public.


    "Old guard" researchers who only studied cold fusion for the past 30 years might be fine with public identities, but most other people likely are not.


    I find kind of hypocrite that those who demand identities to be public would also require a private discussion forum hidden from public view. That doesn't really show their preparedness on that regard.

    Before joining the forum I research the mods and pic one, I give them all my info. name address and phone. If I change my name in mid flight I also let them know I did it and why.

    I leave it to that mod to call me out on any real life event they feel they need too.

    • Official Post

    I think there may be a generational issue involved, but only partially, as some of the old guard have no problem with anonymity, while some of the younger generation who will take their place eventually, have the same problem with it (anonymity). More complex than that one issue though, or we Staffers could have resolved it internally.


    In the end, IMO it will come down to the decisions of the most influential members here; whether they be the valuable anonymous contributors like Can/Zeus/Bob, those that could go both ways like Magicsound/bocijn/Bruce, the status quos like Rothwell, or those clearly in the full disclosure camp.

    I am not sure what the real issue here is. Logic is logic, lack of it is lacking. Good commentary is good and bad is bad. A name does not make it so.

    Does Adrian's "babble" have any more weight because he uses his name? Yes, one does have to have certifications and permits regardless of how many years of "engineering" he says he has. Knowing his real name adds NO value to his illogic and sometimes outright wrong statements.


    Sam12 does not use his real name, but even if he did, his stance would not be any more meaningful. So we have Sam12 (anon) and Adrian (known),

    what truly is the difference here?


    Alan Smith uses his real name, has very good credentials but still will not give a proper report on the Stockholm event. He still thinks Rossi has "something" but will not say what supports that reasoning. So his "name" gives no more credibility to Rossi than Sam12! (This is because of the MOUNTAINS of factual evidence against Rossi's legitimacy against NO revealed factual support from Alan.)


    I go by Bob. Does anyone here know if that is my real name or not? Does it really matter? Yes it is my real name. I have it on my profile and where I am from and my general background. If my posts are logical, does knowing my last name make them more so? If my posts are ludicrous, does knowing my last name make them more "reasonable"? Hardly.


    Where is the delineation? What do you NEED to know? Do you need to know if I am a college grad or not? Do you need to know if I worked at an Ivy League University or not? Possibly you need to know if I am a Democrat or a Republican? Atheist or baptized? How about Asian or Middle Eastern?

    Where does it stop? What really matters?


    Here is the crux of the matter... 2 plus 2 equals 4 no matter who states it. If Einstein stated that 2 plus 2 equals 5, published his name, credentials and what he had for breakfast... he better still have the data / math / logic / experiments to back it up or his statement is still BullShit! I do not care who he is!


    So you asked and the above is my opinion. A person's posts should be judged on it's merit, it's logic, it's historical backing, it's math, it's data/facts, it's relevance to topic, not the color of their skin, the religion, the nationality, the league of alma mater, political affiliation or Anglo-saxon name.


    Ivy League assholes can make just as big a blunders as do small school grads. Democrats can be just as stupid as Republicans. Germans had Hitler and Chinese had Mao Tse-Tung. So what is in a name? Very little. Show me one's worth by your knowledge, facts and aptitude!


    I.E. When was the last time ANYONE really saw "Lovely Dancing Gammas"? Does a particular name make them more real? (One has to know what they are first!) :/

    The way I see it is simple.


    For an extended period of time this forum was nothing but a place for those who hate Rossi to spew their venom continuously: attacking ruthlessly those who dared to suggest that he ever had a working technology. These hostile individuals were barely moderated and given the opportunity to run amok. Just because a few individuals were considered "players" they too were allowed to behave badly.


    Now, the forum is a somewhat more reasonable place. Folks can bash Rossi all day long, deny that cold fusion even exists, and enjoy being naysayers. However, they are made to have manners to at least some extent. Those of us who think Rossi has a real technology can post and have conversations with each other without a gang of trolls interrupting our threads. Basically, the atmosphere here is better. The same mob is still here -- many of whom are anonymous -- but at least they aren't allowed to behave quite as viciously as in the past. Now, I would say this forum is a place where everyone has the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions regardless who else agrees or does not.


    Certain parties don't like this restored freedom and improved atmosphere on LENR Forums, in my opinion. I can't help but think they are behind this effort to use real names.

    'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
    Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
    What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
    Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
    Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
    What's in a name? That which we call a rose
    By any other word would smell as sweet;
    So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
    Retain that dear perfection which he owes
    Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
    And for that name which is no part of thee
    Take all myself.

    • Official Post
    Quote from Director

    Certain parties don't like this restored freedom and improved atmosphere on LENR Forums, in my opinion. I can't help but think they are behind this effort to use real names.


    That is not the case at all. This debate has been going on between mods and admins 'behind the scenes' for many weeks. As we could not reach a definite conclusion, and are all entirely aware of the problems it would pose as well as the benefits we decided to act upon Shane's proposal to ask the membership. There could not be more a more open or democratic way to decide on what would be a (no doubt) controversial change.in the way the forum operates, and no decisions have yet been made. To see this as a conspiracy would be entirely wrong. As for the 'improved atmosphere' you have the mods/admin group to thank for that, but we are pleased that you noticed.

    Then I would like to say thank you to all the moderators and admins for improving the atmosphere of LENR Forums over the past few months. I think a far broader range of theories and ideas are being discussed and the environment is far more pleasant. Regardless what certain individuals claim, this forum has not turned into a "safe space" for individuals who think the E-Cat technology may work. Those with opinions to the contrary are free to speak their minds. The difference is that they have to do so with some level of civility and not burst in and purposely disrupt technical conversations.


    I personally want the forum to stay how it is right now. If certain individuals don't want to have conversations with anonymous individuals, then they don't have to respond to their posts and they don't even have to acknowledge their presence. They can just talk back and forth to each other in the exact manner they do now.

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