I'm not convinced on the anonymity issue. I've always been uncomfortable with it. If I get up and speak at a public meeting, everyone knows who I am, or at least can probably find out by asking other people. Why should these forums be any different? Isn't part of the problem that people will say things here that they wouldn't if people knew who they were?

"I should think a fee and/or providing identity will largely reduce the incidence of anonymus postings."

Celivia, there can be problems with that too. Lets say you are
a famous politician, judge or whatever. You would like to say
what you really think, but cannot,because of your position.
Many would not even risk letting OLO administration know
their idendity, for fear of somehow being unmasked.

I'm still hoping that Graham can find a simple technology
solution, which lets OLO recognise which computer is
being used to post. I think that would solve 95%
of the problem. There is very likely some solution like
that out there in computer geekville, which us more
humble posters are simply not aware of.

Another thought to what I have said before. Perhaps this forum, and others like it, performs the sort of function that the confessional provides to Roman Catholics. If you are anonymous you feel freer to confess to things that you might otherwise keep to yourself.

Do we need a variety of forums? The public meeting type, and the confessional one?

Graham, funny that you should raise that point :) When I first
joined the net in 1995, there was only one access, MSN/Telstra at 5$
an hour. I was the only one around here for miles that joined,
I thought it had huge potential. My work at the time meant I had
to stick around, so that staff could have a break, so the net was
an ideal form of new entertainment.

At that time Aussies were rare on the net, nearly all Americans and
Canadians. There were some crazy programmes, like Freetel. I soon
became the resident psychologist on Freetel. Apart from my
talents as a psychologist :), it was also due to the very point
you mention: I was a very long away from their social circle,
ie. if they told their best friend, she might tell her other friend
etc. Yet people have stuff they want to talk about, its only
natural. There seemed to be two extremes :- people who either
were incredibly honest, or some complete fabrications, who invariably
contradicted themselves in the end, as say our bennie and others
did on here.

So lets say I was chief of CSIRO or whatever, or a politician who
has to say what people want to hear, to get elected, would I risk
my whole career by exposing my true idendity on OLO? Most
likely not. But all these people are humans too, wanting to say
what they really think. Sometimes, that truth coming out can in
fact be of true benefit to society, the pretencious stuff is only
there to conform and impress after all.

Thats why I am hoping that you will find a technology solution

"Isn't part of the problem that people will say things here that they wouldn't if people knew who they were? "

The other side to that Graham, is that some of the people reading that post are not registered. How many are there that just lurk on the forum but never post themselves? Posts on here get picked up pretty quickly by the search engines and you could have all sorts of anonymous readers.

There are a few 'crazies' out there. Wether you are prepared to post honestly or not, you cannot control the reaction by others to your words. Lets face it, the written word is so easily misinterpreted. I think the posters identity should be protected if they choose.

I was going to say something in the same line as PF.

The safety of posters is of uttermost importance.
Having to deal with some unwanted, multiple identities can be very annoying and frustrating but is not a safety issue.
It's not worth it to give up posters' safety to deal with an annoyance problem.

It would be fantastic if there would be a technology solution, like Yabby says.
I'd check out that possibility before anything else.