I think the point about using nicknames is well made here. No lies, insults, false claims can cause you any harm if you keep your identity private. And, no one else should be allowed to post your details either. I would like to see that written into the rules. People wouldnt feel the need to defend claims made against them so vehemently.

The more thought I give it, the more I believe that no one should even be allowed to post under a business name or organisation if their only intent is to promote that name. Isnt that against forum rules anyway? Something about commercial use?

There are other lessons to be learnt from all this, but that would be quite clear now so I wont go there.

Celivia - I understand completely why you are upset, but really, does any of it really matter? Just forget about those claims, most of us would have already :)

"...no one else should be allowed to post your details either. I would like to see that written into the rules. People wouldnt feel the need to defend claims made against them so vehemently."

PF
Good idea about revising and upgrading the forum rules.

I don't know whether this is technically possible on OLO; it is just an idea, but perhaps we can have avatars next to our name that can not be used by two different users as it is a representation of a user.

If there's a list of avatars to choose from, once an avatar has been selected from an avatar list by one user, it could disappear off the list so it won't be available to another user.
This would give extra ID protection.

"...I believe that no one should even be allowed to post under a business name or organisation if their only intent is to promote that name. Isnt that against forum rules anyway? Something about commercial use?"

I believe (unless I misread it, but I'm too lazy to double check) that according to the ruels posting is allowed under a business/organisation name when that organisation has become a member after paying a membership's fee.

Yes, PF, I have decided to let these false claims and lies go for now.
It did matter to me that my ID was used by someone else and that false accusations were being made against me.

All I asked for is a short apology for stealing my ID- and for the false accusations to stop- that's all. I thought it was not too much to ask for.

But...I will let it go now and ready move on ;)

Wayfarer, "I heard that from a very reliable source, also Scout is Robert"

I missed that - what a gem.

I guess that there is no conclusive way of proving otherwise but both of our post histories go back a long way - Scouts is http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/user.asp?id=21611&show=history
and mine is at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/user.asp?id=4980&show=history

I think Scout changed ID's at one point (one ID at a time) and was previously Ringtail http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/user.asp?id=1160&show=history - I could be wrong.

To the best of my knowledge Scout is a female living in Victoria and I'm a male living in Qld. My political biases tend to the right and Scouts to the left (terms Scout does not much like). We both seem to try to think outside our leanings and that has meant a lot to me over a long time.

We've had some disagreements at times and plenty of times we have agreed on issues. I very much admired Scouts courage as a poster and as a human being but I can't take credit for being her. I'll take the claim as a compliment but an undeserved one.

If that comment was anything other than a tongue in cheek post then you might want to give a little less weight to the reliability of your source. Next time they get returned from their alien abduction or from hiding from the guys in the stealth helicopters ask them how they came to that conclusion. Please post the answer, I look forward to enjoying the laugh.

Celiva, if it helps look at the funny side of this stuff. You are another poster whose contributions I have come to value (and I'm not you and your not me in case anybody is confused).

R0bert

Good Evening Robert.
I said I would not post anymore and then I saw the thread on pigs. Naturally being interested in nimal welfare it drew me back six months to that thread.
I see things are quite in here now which is good for you I guess.
I feel nothing much has changed and was wondering if you had come to any conclusions regarding the button sytem you made mention of.
Also I would just like to say that I am more than happy to just post in my own name. I feel Antje strthmann is good for me to comment on threads. I also feel that the tag put up is annoying PF. I did not request it and wondered what you thought about that?

Maybe it would not make any difference I really do not know.
Well please let me know if you have made any progress regarding some of your very good ideas.
Antje Struthman

Antje, I've not done much more with this recently - life has been rather hectic.

The button idea was Celivia's and I agree it is a very good one. What I'm wondering about is the overall view of the carpark (and Graham's views on it).

Has it helped or been a catalyst for trouble?
I notice some fairly solid personal attacks are still flowing out on the article based threads so the idea has not inspired all. It's been mentioned previously that some people enjoy that aspect of the site.

I am hoping that this thread has been a useful learning exercise for all involved including the site admin. I left wondering if there are better ways to address the issues. Some clearly favour the use of real names and others of us because of our circumstances would find that very difficult.

I've tried to avoid the battle over the use of the PALE name other than my original comments regarding holding it up as a target.

I think that was pretty much where Celivia was coming from as well, not an attack on PALE but a suggestion that putting it's name out in a debate like the ones which occur here increases the likelyhood that unpleasant things will be said by those who don't agree. Use an alias, debate the topic leaving organisational and personal names out and nobody suffers loss of reputation.

R0bert

Robert

I would just like to say thank you for your time in ptting the thread together and the thought behind it.

Like you I dont know that it achieved much other than bring you a headache.
Thats i guess is one of the mysterious in life. We srtart out doing something for the good of others or in my case animals and hopefully others and it does not work out that way. You then become outraged because you feel where did such good intentions go wrong.

I would not say your Car Park thread was a flop however because it kept it out of the other posts. At least for a while.

I cant say I really can ever agree with you about people not using their real names. I can see what you are saying but Robert at the end of the day I do not beleive people would be more reasonsibly.

I guess I am just old fashioned and basically honest because it wouldnt feel right somehow to be posting in another name.
I also feel if its a not for proffit organisation people should be able to tell others about that organisation if they choose to.

Yes you run a risk of people making up names and coming in and attacking that organisation but I really feel that is a sercurity issue rather than that particular persons issue.

The only reason I am saying what I said is for peace for everybody on the forum , including myself.
To be honest there are some other threads i would have loved to post on regarding other issues. I didnt go in them because i did not want to bring disruption into their topics if I was followed.
Anyway just wanted to say thanks for trying and sorry if i sounded like a pain too at times.
I still like the idea button,.
best wishes. I will run now before I bring you bad luck.
Thanks again
Antje