Comments on: Of Handles and Real Names http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/ The Blog Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:28:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: James http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5264 James Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:12:44 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5264 Thanks, Angsuman! I will do what I can to bring my name out on this blog. <strike>I will start by working on an "About" page, as Bonnie suggested, but it will take some time before I am satisfied with the content.</strike> The "About" page has been created! Thanks, Angsuman! I will do what I can to bring my name out on this blog. I will start by working on an “About” page, as Bonnie suggested, but it will take some time before I am satisfied with the content. The “About” page has been created!

]]> By: Angsuman Chakraborty http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5263 Angsuman Chakraborty Mon, 21 Nov 2005 04:15:07 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5263 James, That actually clears one question I wanted to ask you for quite sometime... Whenever I referred to you I always wanted to use your actual name. I am never comfortable using any alias nor am I comfortable mentioning someone by their alias. But I thought it may have some emotional significance to you so I abided. From now I will happily refer to you always by your real name :) This brings to the question of names versus aliases. As you surmised 100 years from now you want to be known as The James Huff and not MacManx. IMHO: I too think you should start using your real name everywhere. I am sure you will stand up easily and be disambiguated. Today we have a new standard for identifcation - by Google search. If I search for "James Huff" in Google your site comes up third. I am sure with more use of your name on your site it will soon be the top site for your name. Anyone searching by your name will easily recognize you. BTW: Angsuman is not as unique as you may think (though much more unique than many). There are other Angsuman's on the internet, some even sharing my last name. However Google haven't been so kind to them so far as to me. James,

That actually clears one question I wanted to ask you for quite sometime…
Whenever I referred to you I always wanted to use your actual name. I am never comfortable using any alias nor am I comfortable mentioning someone by their alias. But I thought it may have some emotional significance to you so I abided. From now I will happily refer to you always by your real name :)

This brings to the question of names versus aliases.
As you surmised 100 years from now you want to be known as The James Huff and not MacManx.
IMHO: I too think you should start using your real name everywhere. I am sure you will stand up easily and be disambiguated.

Today we have a new standard for identifcation – by Google search. If I search for “James Huff” in Google your site comes up third. I am sure with more use of your name on your site it will soon be the top site for your name. Anyone searching by your name will easily recognize you.

BTW: Angsuman is not as unique as you may think (though much more unique than many). There are other Angsuman’s on the internet, some even sharing my last name. However Google haven’t been so kind to them so far as to me.

]]> By: James http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5262 James Sun, 20 Nov 2005 05:48:34 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5262 You're welcome, and thanks for stopping by! ^_^ You’re welcome, and thanks for stopping by! ^_^

]]> By: Michael Bishop http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5261 Michael Bishop Sun, 20 Nov 2005 05:10:48 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5261 It's funny you discuss this, as I've been mulling it over for awhile. Granted, I'm a Michael, and those come a dime a dozen, thus the miklb, mikl for michael, b for the bishop, but until this post, I've avoided the full last name. Thanks for helping me clear that hurdle. Not that I'll be dropping the miklb, but I won't be so afraid of using the last name either. Cheers. It’s funny you discuss this, as I’ve been mulling it over for awhile. Granted, I’m a Michael, and those come a dime a dozen, thus the miklb, mikl for michael, b for the bishop, but until this post, I’ve avoided the full last name. Thanks for helping me clear that hurdle. Not that I’ll be dropping the miklb, but I won’t be so afraid of using the last name either.

Cheers.

]]> By: James http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5259 James Sat, 19 Nov 2005 18:04:08 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5259 Lol! Now that would be interesting. ^_^ Lol! Now that would be interesting. ^_^

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5258 Bonnie Sat, 19 Nov 2005 13:50:47 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5258 Hmmm. It looks more like a technical group to me. Nary a technical goober in the bunch. I want to try out for it, anyway. And if I don't get into Inksmith, then I shall form a blogger association called "Warm and Human!" It shall be known fondly by its acronym: "WAH!" Hmmm. It looks more like a technical group to me. Nary a technical goober in the bunch. I want to try out for it, anyway.

And if I don’t get into Inksmith, then I shall form a blogger association called “Warm and Human!”

It shall be known fondly by its acronym: “WAH!”

]]> By: James http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5252 James Sat, 19 Nov 2005 05:08:13 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5252 I only mentioned Inksmith because it ties in directly to the problem that I have with my handle, and because it inspired me to write this post. I would rather be known by my real name, and that is exactly <a href="http://www.brokenkode.com/archives/inksmith-explained/" rel="nofollow">what Inkscape appears to be</a>. Inkscape appears to be a brilliantly assembled network of bloggers who are not afraid to use their names and personalities to give their blogs a more human/social feel. And, the first step to that is not relying on a handle. Have you ever noticed that some blogs feel cold and robotic, while others feel warm and human? Inkscape seeks to capture bloggers who have mastered that warm and human feeling. I don't necessarily want to be a part of Inkscape. It would be nice, but I at least want to be a master of that warm and human feeling too. I only mentioned Inksmith because it ties in directly to the problem that I have with my handle, and because it inspired me to write this post. I would rather be known by my real name, and that is exactly what Inkscape appears to be. Inkscape appears to be a brilliantly assembled network of bloggers who are not afraid to use their names and personalities to give their blogs a more human/social feel. And, the first step to that is not relying on a handle. Have you ever noticed that some blogs feel cold and robotic, while others feel warm and human? Inkscape seeks to capture bloggers who have mastered that warm and human feeling. I don’t necessarily want to be a part of Inkscape. It would be nice, but I at least want to be a master of that warm and human feeling too.

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5251 Bonnie Sat, 19 Nov 2005 04:30:38 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5251 "About" pages = good. What about inksmith? Why do you dream of being one? Is it like B5? 9Rules? Must you be non-anonymous? Just remembered: I do use a handle in the WordPress forum, but only because the forum is Google searchable and I didn't want the world to equate me with my pleas for help. Just had to confess, there. It's good for the soul. “About” pages = good.

What about inksmith? Why do you dream of being one? Is it like B5? 9Rules? Must you be non-anonymous?

Just remembered: I do use a handle in the WordPress forum, but only because the forum is Google searchable and I didn’t want the world to equate me with my pleas for help.

Just had to confess, there. It’s good for the soul.

]]> By: James http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5250 James Sat, 19 Nov 2005 01:09:09 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5250 Ken, I have to agree with you there. "MacManX" is easier to remember for most than "James", so I may never be able to truly escape it. Bonnie, I never thought of "Ballpoint" as a handle for you. Maybe it's because of the exposure that your real name gets from both your blog and domain, but I have used "Bonnie" for your name since day one. Perhaps my real name needs more exposure on MacManX.com. The only mentions of "James" on this blog are a few scattered posts and "MacManX.com is Copyright © 2004-2005 by James Huff" in the footer. <strike>I haven't had an "About" page, but that is a good idea.</strike> The "About" page has been created! Thanks! Ken, I have to agree with you there. “MacManX” is easier to remember for most than “James”, so I may never be able to truly escape it.

Bonnie, I never thought of “Ballpoint” as a handle for you. Maybe it’s because of the exposure that your real name gets from both your blog and domain, but I have used “Bonnie” for your name since day one. Perhaps my real name needs more exposure on MacManX.com. The only mentions of “James” on this blog are a few scattered posts and “MacManX.com is Copyright © 2004-2005 by James Huff” in the footer. I haven’t had an “About” page, but that is a good idea. The “About” page has been created! Thanks!

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5249 Bonnie Sat, 19 Nov 2005 00:30:00 +0000 http://www.macmanx.com/blog/2005/11/17/of-handles-and-real-names/#comment-5249 I never considered Ballpoint to be a handle as much as a column name — I've always had my real name up on the website — I thought you did, too, but I can't find anything but "James" right now. Back when I was trying to get picked up by our newspaper, I wasn't trying to be anonymous as much as I was trying to be clever. Sometimes I wish I didn't put my real name out there, because it limits what I can write about, or how i can write about it. Didn't you used to have an "About" page with your name on it? I kind of remember one — or was that was another MacManX?! I never considered Ballpoint to be a handle as much as a column name — I’ve always had my real name up on the website — I thought you did, too, but I can’t find anything but “James” right now.

Back when I was trying to get picked up by our newspaper, I wasn’t trying to be anonymous as much as I was trying to be clever. Sometimes I wish I didn’t put my real name out there, because it limits what I can write about, or how i can write about it.

Didn’t you used to have an “About” page with your name on it? I kind of remember one — or was that was another MacManX?!

]]>