In article , Hugo Nebula
wrote:

How many people actually use their real name?

Most I would say. Whatever is against it? Anonymous posters are often
trolls and the suchlike.

A couple of reasons;

1. My posts on this group may differ from my employer's 'official'
policies, or I may occasionally come across someone who I had given
informal advice to. To avoid possibly being quoted as a definitive
source when I am anything but, I have used a pseudonym.

Fair enough, but that can't that be overcome with a small
disclaimer in the sig?

2. To avoid unnecessary spam (is any spam necessary?- don't answer
that), or any junk mail, etc.

How does using a pseudonym help that? It is the return address that needs to
be altered rather than your given name, as you are aware with local.host.
I find that the privacy net address works well as a mailto: because it is
accepted as a genuine address for the individual.net server.

I have to admit, it wouldn't take an e-Sherlock to find my true
identity from various clues I've given over the years, but it will
hopefully stop the casual spammer or enquirer.

My personal opinion is that it is important to be "real" in order to be
taken seriously, especially when posting to a group for the first few times.
Obviously you have been around long enough to be well established, but I
would be wary of a new poster who anonymises. At the least, I hope to see
some genuine info in the sig.

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