why pseudonyms?

[Eli Brandt]

> From: Arthur Chandler <arthurc at crl.crl.com>
>    Isn't it tough enough to build up a rep under our real names? What is 
> the point to using a pseudonym? I can think of some bad reasons; but I 
> can't come up with any good ones, except for "fun" and "just to see what 
> it feels like to put out opinions not my own."

An obvious reason would be that you don't want what you say to be
associated with your truename.  You might be discussing past sexual
abuse, the nefarious behavior of your employer, your relationship
problems, or the finer points of heroin use.  You may say, "Well,
that's just anonymity".  It could work that way, but it may be more
valuable to be able to carry on a discussion under a fixed pseudonym.
Context and continuity are lost if all messages are totally
anonymous.

It might be wise to conduct even relatively innocuous behavior under
a pseudonym, if you're concerned about personal privacy versus a
"dossier society".  Archives of Usenet news will make a great
marketing database some day.

   Eli   ebrandt at jarthur.claremont.edu