When you fill in a form on the web they generally have some lines that are optional, but others that are required. You push the Send button and up flashes a little red star against the required line that you've missed - and without putting something on, you can't go amy further.

I'd like to see that procedure applied on the Mudcat. No "name", no post. The only reason not to have that would, I imagine, be a worry that it might occasionally discourage some harmless neophyte who didn't appreciate that a "name" could be anything, and doesn't involve any kind of surrender of information. But I think on balance that would be a risk worth taking.

Whatever - I wish people would make a point of saying "nameless GUEST" or some equivalent, in this context, rather than "GUEST". Most GUESTs use "names". They play a valuable part in the Mudcat, and they shouldn't be lumped in with the nameless variety, who don't.