[Ian Gourlay]

Been a bit tetchey latley so I thought I would stir it a bit on the Contractors Section as it does not have so much traffic.

Anyway the point has come up

That if you use your real name if you enter into the spirit of these Forums you give your competitor too much information or as Mike suspects too much mis information or .............

It was also ponted out that we are entitled to privacy,

Often in this section  people cry fill in your profile before we are prepared to take you seriously.

When I first joined Cleantalk I used to post under a code name. Then there was the cry for us all to reveal details about ourselves.

Would we gain more or less information if we did not reveal who we are.

I believe the person who wants to remain anynomous is well known in the industry.

Its not Musicman.

[garyj]

Who cares?

Its up to the individual surely.


I'd except advice readily from DP, Musicman, Fox and Woodman.

All respected posters, and I haven't a clue who they are.

This has been brought up so often, its boring.

[Gavin Reardon]

Yes it up to the individual but I do feel you will get more help if you say who you are and were your from 

[garyj]

Yep, oddly enough I asked someone yesterday where they were, but I haven't filled in my profile, and would rather not post than reveal any details about myself!!

[ian richards]

I dont think that this forum should be so easily available to joe public!
There is to much said on here that the public may not take to kindly too.
If Cleanitup were to charge £20 to become a member, every day joe blogs woudnt be bothered about looking

Ian

[Gavin Reardon]

Hi Gary

I know were your from Gibson Close, Llanishen     

Regards Gavin

[Mike_Boxall]

Hi Ian

Yes, there are very good arguments to insist on people using their real name or company name but it's knowing where to draw the line. The forum benefits greatly from members like DP, Musicman, Fox and Woodman and I remember one in particular who gave a very good reason for not wanting to identify themselves. If people are prepared to give good advice then it doesn't really matter what they call themselves but I do accept that it is extremely irritating when other members continually criticise others, or ask for advice, 'anonymously'.

We are seriously looking at how the forum is run and we are looking at employing someone on a part-time basis specifically to deal with issues like these as well as answering some of the technical questions on our behalf. Obviously we would need to cover this extra cost but I do feel the time is right to move it on.

Other forums that have insisted on 'real names' have ended up with people making them up so I don't think that's the answer.

Prepare for change 

Regards

Mike

[Fox]

I have the right to privacy, reference my Company and name, if the owners of this site required my identity, then fine, I would gladly agree, but only under the condition that it was not revealed to any other members or even moderators on the forum.

If it was insisted that I revealed my identity to all I would not post on this forum.

As brought up by Ian Richards this forum is available to all and sundry.  I don't feel that I in particular have posted anything that would jeopardize my reputation if a client read it, never the less in my opinion it would not be professional for links to be made by current or potential clients on how I deal with certain subjects or how I spend some of my time.

I very rarely post for help on this forum but am glad to give advice to people when I feel it would benefit (whether it be positive or negative).  The only part of a profile which is important to me is location (and yes that has been shown on my profile since becoming a member).  As Mike says if people were forced to use their name/company name then people will use a pseudonym or just not take part at all. 

I am not forcing advice down peoples throats and they have freedom of choice as to whether they take it, just as I have freedom of choice to stay anonymous.  Those who matter know who I am and my decision to stay anonymous is final and non negotiable.

[Ken Wainwright]

For me, those who post under their own name would appear to have an inner confidence, not in their technical ability, but in the person they are. A "Con Man" would tend to hide behind some other name.

Those who post under a business/trading name, are, for me quite similar.

Those who post under a "nom de plume" may well, certainly in the early days, be regarded with suspicion.

There is no right or wrong way to this naming issue. However, regardless of what name you are registered under, I consider it to be a matter of common courtesy to sign off with your christian name at least.

Safe and happy cleaning
CleanBiker

[garyj]

  Very funny Gavin 

Just glad I never told you number 15. DOH!

[Ian Rochester]

I like to know where people are from and I think this should be made a minimum condition of becoming a member.

I do not agree with the fact that guests can log on and view all the threads that have been discussed, as mentioned above there are some things covered on here that should not be available to "Joe Public"

How the moderators arrive at who is valid and who is not valid traffic is for them to decide.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi,

Personally I prefer talking to people whose names I know , but provided someone doesn't use a psuedonym to abuse others or cause trouble then it's not really a problem.

I know there is at least one member who needs to use a psuedonym for good reason.

Cheers,

Doug

[nick.solution]

Hi

personally I feel that at the very least profiles should be filled out fully, why the need to hide, using a web name or psuedonym is fine for fun of it, many people want true and factual information, and answers to questions so why not be honest themselves.

Only a personal opinion.

Best regards Nick

[Matt Read]

I did have my business name on here but looking at a few of the heated debates and some of the  dodgy comments from time to time i decided to change to christian name only for fear of having a bad day and getting up someones nose on here or confessing to some misdeamenours in my early days as a cleaner and joe public reading it .

[DP]

There are many reasons why people do not use their real names and it appears that certain people seriously struggle to understand this fact, assuming in their own capacity that it can only mean that there is something wrong or dishonest.

If you take the blinkers off for a minute and actually think about who may post on this forum other then those who can only understand business to be what they do every day. So lets now think about the type of person who needs to remain anonymous i.e.

The Franchisee (who is often restricted by contract not to participate)

The employed Manager who is controlled by superiors and fearful of his job.

The other types of employee's who seek help but are already supposed to know about what they are asking and who’s mates are on here.

Those people who are venturing into new fields of work but don’t want everyone else to know.

Those who have come from large organisation and don’t want other ex work mates to know what they are up to.

Two people from two companies competing for the same contract and need advice.

Newbie who need help and don’t want to be embarrassed later especially after they have made mistakes.

And lets not forget those who just want their privacy respected.

There are many many more, however all of those types of people mentioned above have contributed to this forum both in the past and still do today. None are dishonest and most just choose to help. When you add it up these people probably outnumber all the rest especially the naive who just cant figure it out.

Do you think any of these people will give you real names just because a handful of other people think they should. Cleaning Pros are still making that same mistake. (that name is so ironic).

It’s a decision Admin needs to make, but if it becomes a rule then  I will also have to take the same line as FOX.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi DP,

Good post , but my frustration is that I will never get to know who you are , whether your'e a consumer , supplier , contractor , whateverer.

It's just so much easier to know who one's talking to.

Knowledge is power,

Cheers,

Doug

[paul@scc]

Well i have no problems with posting my name or the companies name on here. I also have no problems taking advise of anyone who dosnt. What i would like to know is how many that hide there name go on other forums like cleantalk which i belive you have to post your details

[BeeClean]

of course you should.

Dave

[Mike_Boxall]

There are many reasons why people do not use their real names and it appears that certain people seriously struggle to understand this fact, assuming in their own capacity that it can only mean that there is something wrong or dishonest.

If you take the blinkers off for a minute and actually think about who may post on this forum other then those who can only understand business to be what they do every day. So lets now think about the type of person who needs to remain anonymous i.e.

The Franchisee (who is often restricted by contract not to participate)

The employed Manager who is controlled by superiors and fearful of his job.

The other types of employee's who seek help but are already supposed to know about what they are asking and who’s mates are on here.

Those people who are venturing into new fields of work but don’t want everyone else to know.

Those who have come from large organisation and don’t want other ex work mates to know what they are up to.

Two people from two companies competing for the same contract and need advice.

Newbie who need help and don’t want to be embarrassed later especially after they have made mistakes.

And lets not forget those who just want their privacy respected.

There are many many more, however all of those types of people mentioned above have contributed to this forum both in the past and still do today. None are dishonest and most just choose to help. When you add it up these people probably outnumber all the rest especially the naive who just cant figure it out.

Do you think any of these people will give you real names just because a handful of other people think they should. Cleaning Pros are still making that same mistake. (that name is so ironic).

It’s a decision Admin needs to make, but if it becomes a rule then  I will also have to take the same line as FOX.

Thankyou DP, that pretty much sums it up!

Perhaps we can bookmark this topic somehow as I suspect I'll be copying and pasting this post again in 6 months time.

Regards

Mike

[DP]

but my frustration is that I will never get to know who you are , whether your'e a consumer , supplier , contractor , whateverer.

Doug
I can reveal that I think I might be the  "whatever" as my wife says that to me all the time for some reason   

But we cant have you frustrated  so I guess I would be a contractor and a supplier just now.

All the best
DP