I wasn't online in the days of Usenet, and when I started to go into online forums I was rather baffled by the custom of using pseudonyms - I couldn't (and still don't) see the point, in a world where everyone has a website and pages on Facebook and Myspace and Twitter. I've always posted using my real name, or a fairly recognisable version of it, partly because I've always felt I should be prepared to put my name to my opinions, but mostly because I can't be arsed to think up a nickname when I sign up to a new group.

I do find I am prepared to give more credence to those who don't hide behind pseudonyms, even though in some cases their real identity is not a secret. However I find the assumption that everyone knows posters' real names to be simply arrogant.