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We do this in another forum I frequent and was curious if the members here at the gauge would be interested in doing it as well. We include our first name, or whatever name we like to be called, as the first item in our signature. This accomplishes 2 things,
1) you do not need to type in a name every time you post (which some of don't anyway, either because we forget, or because we assume others know who we are) and 2) it allows all of us to see who is posting.
I like that we are on a first name basis, but honestly I still don't know everybody's name here. Plus we have new members joining fairly regularly. Just an idea, I am interested in everyone's input.
-Dave
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I just type ny name each time here and on other forums, only because I think it looks a little silly below the dividing line. But that's just mean, and no one has ever accused me of being normal. 
--Randy
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Randy,
That's fine. My main reason is for those of us that do not type our name each time we post, therefore I am stuck replying to "rrinker", which is fine if that is what you like, but to me is somewhat impersonal.
-Dave
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Do you mean ...
... like this ... ?
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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I like going by my forum handle. Even though I've signed some of posts in the past with my first name. I don't see it as being impersonal. A good majority of friends outside of this hobby call me tetters so it is a name I "go-by". Besides...I've been called worse. 
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Tetters,
Again, it's personal preference. Plus "Tetters" sounds like a name, or a nick name. But, "P5ecamelback" sounds impersonal (as does "puddlejumper"), fortunately biL has always had his name there.
-Dave
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Hi Dave,
Golly, when I first got on the Interweb I was told to use a fake name and not tell anyone where I live. Otherwise I'd be in danger of Cyber-Stalkers and Identity theft!  hock:
But, if someone wants to take over my debt load and pay my mortgage....
Although I have a couple of different nick-names: As a summer camp councilor it was Rat-Bag, but I wanted something a little more Model Railroady... So I thought of Yard Goat but I think someone else was using the name.
So, it's Tin Goat.
You can call me Tinny, just don't call me tiny. 
We could call you Puddles.... 
It does seem weird to call someone PRR1234cornfieldmeatonatuesdayafternooninjulyin1948inafreaksnowstorm when it would be so much easier to say hi George.
V V V V V V V As you can see, I'm not so worried about the dangers of the interweb anymore ... V V V V V V
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My first and last name is my user name. One of the things I dislike about the internet in general (The-Gauge is an exception) is the anonymity encourages people to disregard basic good manners. Having my name on every post makes me think about what I write in a post because I don't want to write something that I would be ashamed of if it was brought back up a few years from now. One of the first message boards I joined was the personal board of a man who insisted that anyone who posts on his board use their first and last name. Any anonymous posts were deleted.
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Tin Goat,
I am definitely fine with nick names and if a person wants to be called T-Bone or Jackrabbit (or something else I'd call you in real life) I'm cool with it. I guess I just feel like we're all mannerly and cordial, if any of you were in town I'd invite you to dinner, so I just want to know what to call you- whatever that may be. I feel a little weird writing a reply to "happypants359".
Russ,
I agree that people are more cordial to each other when they don't hide behind anonymous screen handles. We've never really had that problem here, nor at the other forum I frequent. I am not looking for a general forum consensus here, and I doubt I would get it anyway. If a person wants to be known as "happypants359" that's their perogative.
-Dave
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My handle has an interesting history that has nothing to do with the locomotive...basically a Yiddish term for a gentile male, I grew up Baptist in a predominately Jewish neighborhood. It can be derogatory or not, depending on the setting---it literally means "worm".
I've come to prefer the anonymity, those who know me on these forums get my real name in any PM and email correspondence.
...prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits...
My blog>>> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.misterbobsmodelworksemporium.blogspot.com">http://www.misterbobsmodelworksemporium.blogspot.com</a><!-- m -->
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On an informal and often visited forum like Big Blue, it's nice to know other people's real names as well as their screen names.. Many of us get together with other members from time to time and that's a bonus.  Some people use different screen names on different forums though, so one may not alway know who is who and where else they go to. Sometimes you cannot always get the same name on another site, and sometimes, it's just a good idea to keep some anonymity when visiting or signing up some places. I have one email address that I use for that, and I use the screen name, "nscaler". When I have to register using my full name, I use, "Nate Scaler". You can image my wife's surprise one day when she found a letter in our mailbox addressed to , "Mr. Nathan Scaler", she almost sent it back.  I'm glad she didn't since it was a $20 gift certificate for a chain restaurant that we had a problem with and this was their way of saying they were sorry.
Both names are fine as long as the person is comfortable with using them both, Others prefer to be know by their screen or nickname. I've always been know as, "Don", so I don't mind being referred to using either. Even our license plate says, "ezdays". Yes, my avatar is for real...
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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You can call me anything you like......just don't call me Collect!
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Signature names is one thing, but what I dislike more is Locations not listed, especially when posting classifieds and the deciding factor is based on shipping from an area. There's enough post on many forums where people make a thread and sell stuff and no name/location is listed, like they don't want to be trusted...
Tom
Model Conrail
PM me to get a hold of me.
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scubadude Wrote:You can call me anything you like......just don't call me Collect!
or late to dinner!
--Randy
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I generally prefer to use the real names of others rather than their screennames, but do understand that not all are comfortable with that practice. I often will click on a new Member's user name to see if they have included their real name, as, in my opinion, those that have won't mind me addressing them thusly.
As for including them in signatures, I would have to enable signatures to see them - not very likely. 
Wayne
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