themythes Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Some time ago there was a topic posted entitled “ Introduce yourself”. There were many interesting and entertaining replies and the response to it was extensive and informative. There are, also, those who have dropped 32ft sized hints as to whom they are, even if they didn’t actually tell us precisely. Nevertheless, there were and are some contributors who have not come out of the woodwork at all. Am I the only one on this forum who is becoming just a little irritated by some quite trenchant opinions being offered anonymously? Even if we discover your identity, no one is going to come round to your house and heave a brick through your front window, simply because you think that the Mulet “Tu es petra” should be played as fast as possible or that the old Worcester Cathedral organ was the finest instrument ever built. Everyone is fully entitled to hold their opinions and express them in a civilised way but they would carry much more weight if we knew by whom they were expressed. Privacy and anonymity are not quite the same thing; we have several cathedral organists together with some notable concert organists on the list who have made no attempt to conceal their identities. What have you got to hide? David Harrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 "or that the old Worcester Cathedral organ was the finest instrument ever built." (Quote) Here I may suppose I am in the batch....My name is simply Pierre Lauwers, though, and suffice to make a Google on it!!! Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roffensis Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraviolone Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Hmmm, I don't think 'blazing yourself' across the internet is the real issue here. 'Organs' and 'organists' constitute such a miniscule interest that I don't think anyone would really care what you said if you were 'googled' and 'discovered' on the web. You might care though within the confines of the dusty organ lofts and gossipy cobwebs that is the organ world. So I guess that's why the pseudo's here wish to hide behind their silly pseudonyms. Totally agree with you David! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Bennett Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Everyone is fully entitled to hold their opinions and express them in a civilised way but they would carry much more weight if we knew by whom they were expressed. Or much less, depending on who they turned out to be! On some boards I contribute in my own name, on others I use a pseudonym. There have been occasions when I was glad of the anonymity, too, after making ill-advised posts whilst wrapped around a bottle of wine and several glasses of port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 On the french forum we do not accept pseudos, save if we receive a motivated demand. This is for professional people also who could fear to disturb customers *with tranched opinions*, for instance. But then the administrators have their complete personnal Data of course, so nobody tries to play games. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsoff Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 On some boards I contribute in my own name, on others I use a pseudonym. There have been occasions when I was glad of the anonymity, too, after making ill-advised posts whilst wrapped around a bottle of wine and several glasses of port. We've all done that I guess ( although not on this board as far as I am concerned!). I heard a piece on the radio a couple of weeks ago in which a piece of software was discussed, the object of which was to prevent one from doing just this. If used after a certain hour it requires the user to complete some relatively tricky arithmetical problems in a given time before allowing the email to be sent. Not a bad idea... Peter Charles Handsoff, about to switch off the PC before attacking (sorry sharing) a couple of bottles with Pamela Catherine Bridgit Anastasia Handsoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Coincidentally, this morning I chose to temporarily remove my name from my signature for reasons which I am not able or willing to go in to. Regular posters here will know my identity anyhow. In due course I shall reinstate it. One of our eminent former board members resigned from this board a little while back because his postings here were being used selectively as ammunition against him, and he felt that this could be a very "dangerous" place to be. I'm presently in much the same situation and, whereas I'd always felt it important not to be anonymous in the past, can now see the other side of the argument, and am now able to recognize the fact that it should be the poster's own freewill as to whether to remain anonymous or not, and I think other contributors should respect that view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Kemp Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 I chose to use my own name on this, and similar Boards, to which I belong on the basis that if I am going to say something I feel it inappropriate to hide behind a nom de plume. This is arguable and others, for varying reasons, may have different thoughts on the subject. A friend who is not an organist recently viewed this site and pointed out to me that, for reasons of personal security, it is inadvisable to have ones name and date of birth on the same web page so I have now delated the latter. I am mindful of another friend who used his "real" name on this Board but who terminated his membership because someone was mis-quoting his postings in order to compromise his work as a diocesan organ adviser. This is a risk one takes when using ones own name. Some of us greatly miss his pithy and sometimes deliberately provocative postings. I can't help thinking that much more to the point are the qualifications, experience, knowledge &c., which qualify some of our more forthright, but less generally well known, members to express their very firm opinions. Someone expressing very definite views about, say, the composition of the mixtures on an organ somewhere in another far corner of the world may be a very experienced and world famous organ expert for all we know; on the other hand they may know nothing whatsoever about organ design and not even be able to read music. Perhaps that is part of the fun of it - reading the views of other members, forming our own informed views and then discussing (or even gently arguing about) them as friends with a common interest. Malcolm PS When I did try to "Google" one regular contributor all I could find was a whole lot about horticulture. Is this the same person, I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfortin Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Some time ago there was a topic posted entitled “ Introduce yourself”. There were many interesting and entertaining replies and the response to it was extensive and informative. There are, also, those who have dropped 32ft sized hints as to whom they are, even if they didn’t actually tell us precisely. Nevertheless, there were and are some contributors who have not come out of the woodwork at all. Am I the only one on this forum who is becoming just a little irritated by some quite trenchant opinions being offered anonymously? Even if we discover your identity, no one is going to come round to your house and heave a brick through your front window, simply because you think that the Mulet “Tu es petra” should be played as fast as possible or that the old Worcester Cathedral organ was the finest instrument ever built. Everyone is fully entitled to hold their opinions and express them in a civilised way but they would carry much more weight if we knew by whom they were expressed. Privacy and anonymity are not quite the same thing; we have several cathedral organists together with some notable concert organists on the list who have made no attempt to conceal their identities. What have you got to hide? David Harrison Good luck. I believe I have raised this issue before. Neil Fortin Cheltenham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 I When I did try to "Google" one regular contributor all I could find was a whole lot about horticulture. Is this the same person, I wonder? Possibly yes - organ types need to have other interests I feel! AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 And indeed I'm sure I'm not the only one here with no connection to the organ world; in my case it's a hobby that has recently come to the fore again after lying dormant for most of my life since I was unable to be offered a job at an organ builder when I left university (the owner of the firm wanted to make the offer, but his hands were tied). But at least no-one could use anything I say against me. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robinson Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 A friend who is not an organist recently viewed this site and pointed out to me that, for reasons of personal security, it is inadvisable to have ones name and date of birth on the same web page so I have now delated the latter. A very good point. I have just removed my date of birth for the same reason. In any case, despite being a member of this board for four years no-one has ever sent me a birthday present! Incidentally, is it just my Windows Vista or is this site veeerrryyy slooowww tonight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 A very good point. I have just removed my date of birth for the same reason. In any case, despite being a member of this board for four years no-one has ever sent me a birthday present! Incidentally, is it just my Windows Vista or is this site veeerrryyy slooowww tonight? VERY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Lauwers Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Possibly yes - organ types need to have other interests I feel! AJJ YESSSS! And note the roses I am busy with all pre-date 1900....So it's also about history, with lots of archive paper, ancient dialects, and... schools quarrels. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrick Coleman Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have never been inclined to hide my identity: I am neither particularly notable, nor a particularly good organist, though that has never diminished a passion for the instrument or a wish one day to play it well. And I don't care who reads my views. However, the reason I come to this board again and again is to consider the opinions shared, to learn from them, and occasionally to challenge them or offer insights from areas where I might just have something to say. I would prefer to be enriched by the opinions expressed by people who prefer a nom de plume than not at all. And I suspect I am able to tell the frauds from the real skeins of gold. Besides, there are ways of finding out who you all are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Carr Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have never been inclined to hide my identity: I am neither particularly notable, nor a particularly good organist, though that has never diminished a passion for the instrument or a wish one day to play it well. And I don't care who reads my views. However, the reason I come to this board again and again is to consider the opinions shared, to learn from them, and occasionally to challenge them or offer insights from areas where I might just have something to say. I would prefer to be enriched by the opinions expressed by people who prefer a nom de plume than not at all. And I suspect I am able to tell the frauds from the real skeins of gold. Besides, there are ways of finding out who you all are! I'd be interested to know who Lee Blick was... (Lieblich, I'm presuming) but I guess we may never found out now that he (or she!) has left the board. I used to enjoy his/her posts, even if sometimes a little of the mark which made it all the more fun in some ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themythes Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Thanks for all the many and varied replies; Yes, I do see that there might be cases where anonimity will save one a whole packet of trouble and it is sad that those who do publish their details in good faith are put in awkward situations. I, too, have often wondered about the identity of Lee Blick; I must confess to being a brickhead here; it was sometime before I realised that he wasn't actually called Lee and neither was he the son of Mr and Mrs Blick. Excellent pseudonym, though? Thanks, too, to those who have enlightened us; I hope that you won't come to regret doing so. David Harrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dulciana Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 If I "came clean" and told you my name it would't mean a thing to you, since I am not well known in the organ world, nor am famous for any other reason. You might as well call me dulciana as my real name for all the difference it would make. I suspect this might be the reason that some others have not revealed their true identities. In any case, since this forum is a means for discussing and exchanging information/opinions, I don't really see how it matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Dutfield Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Firstly, Stephen Dutfield IS my real name - I mean who on earth would choose that of their own accord! I am the South-Western District Secretary for the Theatre Organ Club, and the nearest I get to being a classical organist is to be an F.R.C.O. in the Robin Richmond sense (Fairly Rotten Cinema Organist!) but I have had a life-long love affair with the organ since as a three year old I wouldn't let my mother leave church until I had heard the final notes of the voluntary. I later progressed to being a major pain in the a**e to the organist - in much the same way as MM's friend 'Bwyan'.... I bought some music on ebay (the Walter Battison Haynes 'Pastorale') from the person known here as Lee Blick, and he is indeed a jobbing organist in the Brighton area. It would probably be inappropriate to give his real name now that he is no longer a contributor to this list. S I'd be interested to know who Lee Blick was... (Lieblich, I'm presuming) but I guess we may never found out now that he (or she!) has left the board. I used to enjoy his/her posts, even if sometimes a little of the mark which made it all the more fun in some ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kropf Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 I would have liked to appear "clean", but I did not realize that "kropf" is not only for administrative applications, but the name to appear with on the board. But I hesitated to modify it later, i. e. to create a new account. So therefore my name appears at least in the signature... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geoff McMahon Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Am I the only one on this forum who is becoming just a little irritated by some quite trenchant opinions being offered anonymously? For some people there are good reasons why they should not subscribe to an Internet forum with their real name. I have been active on closed and open on-line fora for 12 years, and there are very few if any circumstances in which I would subscribe with my own name. Even if we discover your identity, no one is going to come round to your house and heave a brick through your front window Not a brick perhaps but harassment by e-mail. A few years ago, while checking the admin copies of the PMs sent by members of this forum, I was extremely concerned to see that an individual in the US was sending what appeared to be inappropriate messages to another member of the forum located in a European country. I would counsel women especially not to subscribe with their real name (although, in the instance to which I refer, the persons were both male - the importunate one much younger than the other). Everyone is fully entitled to hold their opinions and express them in a civilised way but they would carry much more weight if we knew by whom they were expressed. People can always add their real name at the end of a post. As I will, on this occasion. What have you got to hide? In the context of the Internet/web, caution is definitely the better part of valour. Messages posted on this forum have made their way here via servers around the world, some of them in countries with worrying plans for electronic surveillance and summary "retribution". Then there is a growing problem of ID theft. Rachel Mawhood Webmaster, Mander Organs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Thank you, Rachel. I think that sums it up admirably. I am now realising some of the potential problems of posting under my own name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Thank you, Rachel. I think that sums it up admirably. I am now realizing some of the potential problems of posting under my own name. Absolutely. It is probably best to remain anonymous. I think I shall also remove the link to my website which is on my profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazman Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Absolutely. It is probably best to remain anonymous. I think I shall also remove the link to my website which is on my profile. Unfortunately, I realized this a couple of days ago, and removed that link on my profile last Saturday. Would there be anything to be said for making these forums readable only by members? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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