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Pseudonyms on OpEd News

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opednews.com

Pseudonym use should be made obvious, not questionable.

::::::::

Last weekend, our esteemed host sent registered members an e-mail, telling us about server changes.  That was perfectly fine with me!  But there was one paragraph that caught my attention:

We've upgraded the way we handle pseudonyms. If you've listed one in your account, it will now show up in your articles. We'd rather have you use your real name. Pseudonyms are required to LOOK LIKE real names. We will not publish articles with "handles" that do not look like real names. So... check out one of your articles, in regular and print mode, and if you have any, diaries. And make sure you have everything in your settings set the way you want them.

This was one to which I objected.  Mr Kall said that the site will use pseudonyms only if they appear to be real names.  In other words, we would be hiding the anonymous articles, and concomitantly "crediting" them to people who just happen to have the same name as the pseudonym selected by someone. 

The use of pseudonyms has an honored past in this country, The Federalist Papers being the most famous example, and those pseudonyms certainly didn't resemble real names.

I'd suggest that OpEd News readers would be better served if pseudonyms were obviously such.
Some of the authors on my site do use pseudonyms.  A couple use their first names only, which would not mistakenly "credit" their words to another person.  A couple others use pseudonyms such as "Johannes Magnus," which would not (reasonably) be mistaken as a real person's name.
I brought this up to Mr Kall in a letter; he suggested a diary entry.

 

 

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If you don't have the balls... by Daniel Geery on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 9:49:56 AM
The real reason I use a pseudonym by iman on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 1:16:03 PM
Why some use pseudonyms by Dana Pico on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 2:19:53 PM
Pen-names by Constance Lavender on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 11:00:12 AM
Mark is on vacation so by Tony Forest on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 12:17:31 PM
I just wish... by Daniel Geery on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 at 8:50:13 PM
I Find Your Comments Insulting and Wrong by RCG on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 at 12:24:12 AM
...I must say, by Constance Lavender on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 at 5:55:32 AM
Fair enough by Daniel Geery on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 at 9:33:51 AM
Thank You by RCG on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 at 12:16:01 PM
How's this for being committed (or should be) by Sandy Sand on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 at 3:29:59 PM
I have to agree with the consensus... by Steven Leser on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 at 8:36:34 PM
Why does Rob need to know the real name? by RCG on Thursday, Aug 16, 2007 at 1:56:12 PM
Why do you think I care if you trust me? Should I trust you? by Steven Leser on Thursday, Aug 16, 2007 at 11:10:31 PM
The government by Blue Pilgrim on Thursday, Aug 16, 2007 at 4:37:15 PM
You Care That I'm On To Your Game And Alerting Others by RCG on Friday, Aug 17, 2007 at 11:33:42 AM
You didnt understand what was written... AGAIN by Steven Leser on Saturday, Aug 18, 2007 at 9:08:35 AM
Insults Will Get You No Where by RCG on Saturday, Aug 18, 2007 at 2:42:45 PM