On another UK ballet forum recently on two separate occasions 'anonymous' posters have posted as Clement Crisp and Matthew Bourne respectively, both having been exposed as frauds.<BR> <BR>As someone who has posted (elsewhere)anonymously in the past (!) and only recently been enlightened about how 'uncool' that is and the importance of registering on a forum, what thoughts do the moderators of criticaldance have on the subject? (as a forum requiring users to register before posting). Has this prevented this sort of thing happening? <P>

I can only speak for myself......<P>I have never used any other name than the one I have now...well, when I first registered in it was under my e-mail name of "ORZAK" - then when I was asked to become a moderator I chose my family's name for me "Basheva" - but there was never any question that I was the same person. My e-mail address is still ORZAK@aol.com. There is one other board at which I use ORZAK - but always "sign" my posts as "Basheva". So again no doubt as to who I am.<P>My posts, rightly or wrongly, are my own...if I needed to disguise them, well, that would indicate to me that there was something wrong, or something I wanted to hide.<P>As for pretending to be someone else, like a prominent person, that is fraudulently dishonest, in my opinion. Like a forgery. <P>As for whether having to register in keeps this kind of thing from happening....I am not sure it could...but perhaps it would be discouraging the practice though unfortunately not eliminating it.

I use a pseudonym whenever I wish to make it perfectly clear that I am <I>not</I> speaking as a moderator. There is neither attempt nor intent to defraud.<p>[This message has been edited by salzberg (edited June 28, 2001).]

More of the same <A HREF="http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/happening/1823.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/happening/1823.html</A>

I use my email name on another discussion board, but anyone who cares to can find out my real name by looking up my profile. I promise you I'm not Clement Crisp, Clive Barnes, Anna Kisselgoff or anyone else of that ilk (lovely word, that). I'm also, per a running theme on another board, not "Sheezno" either....

I chose Nino as a nom de plume in honour of one of the most delightful individuals I know who happens to be a great dancer - Nino Annaniashvili. (Nina = the Russian version of her Georgian first name, "Nino"). All postings I've ever done on dance issues has been under this name. No intention to obscure, disguise or hide my identity - as clicking on the email icon will show.

Oops, it does now!

I don't have a problem with nom de plumes on criticaldance. I can see good reasons, often professional, why some would prefer to remain anonymous. As we have strict rules about courtesy, there is little scope for the abuse of such an alias.<P>Deliberate attempts to impersonate someone else are not acceptable.