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OOH HOW OUR GREAT NORTHERN MINDS REMEMBER SOME RUBBISH.

Well I agree with Roy, if we are to appear to be professional, what's wrong with disclosing who we are. We have enough nameless faceless people in the civil or should it be uncivil service!

Let's be accountable for our actions and statements please.

Ian.

** To whom much is given - much will be expected **

I thought it was the Cookie Monster.

HUW,Is it possible that the people of several origins that Dave mentions could swing this poll simply by voting like mad on their umpteen identities.
Also is it pos to vote more than once from the same identity.

Hi Karl,
Yes I know who you are talking about.

Three of the four identities stem from the same IP. He (they) just change their publically displayed name from time to time.

So, he (they) only get one vote.

You can't 'repeat' vote from a single log-in.

Also - when I get some of the 'odder' login names applying for registration - I check the ip addresses against others in the database.

The majority of people don't abuse the system. There are only one or two - and I've only deleted 3 posts (I think) in the last few years.

Huw,

You've done it again! What is your problem?
Can we not have a bit of friendly banter between EBME bods?

Yes Todd - I have no problem with banter whatsoever.

I've proven that time and again.

But - I have no idea as to whether or not Dave knows who you are - or if he disagrees strongly with what you say about him.

So I have to err on the side of caution.

I would prefer to remain anonymous as I feel I can ask questions with out the fear of being laughed at and rediculed by my fellow work colleagues. If I had to use my real name I would not use the board. I don't see the problem as there is no one misusing the boards. I find some of the discussions very interesting and infomative
As we have to register at the beginning we all can be traced. Anyone who hides behind a pseudonym
to belittle or smear another member should be warned and if he continued his identity revealed.
Using pseudonyms doesn't in anyway make the discussion less interesting.

I agree owl, lets start getting a bit more professional and stop using this site for silly
playground antics.

"As we have to register at the beginning we all can be traced. Anyone who hides behind a pseudonym
to belittle or smear another member should be warned and if he continued his identity revealed."
Posted by Owl.

OK - but how does that work ? There have been a number of comments posted on the site complaining that certain comments or complete postings had been removed. This was referred to as censorship and excessive editorial control, if I remember correctly. So who is going to "warn" the offenders - assuming someone is prepared to make the judgement that an offence has been committed - and who would take responsibility for revealing their identity ?

A couple of years ago a person registered on the site using the name of someone who works with me. They then posted some extremely degrading comments which reflected badly on the person they were pretending to be - and on me. The Trust's solicitors managed to trace the person via their ISP (thanks to help from Hugh and John) but it took a lot of effort and some pretty heavy legal threats to persuade the ISP to reveal the details.

There are serious legal implications around the issues of identity and confidentiality - even on open forums like this. Is it fair to put that responsibility onto Hugh ? Isn't it better to disuade people from posting over-the-top comments in the first place ?

As for being concerned that some of the questions being posed would result in ridicule from work "colleagues" - well all I can say is that you are unfortunate to work with such people. But then I suppose the fact that you have to post what you see as simple, basic questions on the site, rather than ask the people you work with, also says a lot about them ! There's nothing wrong in admitting that you don't know something and asking for help. The dangerous people are those who pretend to know everything and then act on their supposed knowledge ! !