I keep my identity unknown here because I was harassed by another member under a previous username where I was not anonymous.

Two questions:

1. If you care to share, why do you (if you do) keep your identity unknown?
2. Do you think less of the posts of people who are anonymous?

thanks

Nice load of excuses and fabrications why people are hiding their identity. Come on, there are forums all over that REQUIRE people to be real. Maybe not use their real name, but if you want to email or contact them, you can, and you can see who's really posting the messages.

There's a whole anonymous escape hatch for people posting anything they want, without risking their standing up for what they write. There's a whole big problem of spam and just what you pointed out, attacks, bullying, trolls and other issues that are solved by people being required to be real.

Is everyone so in fear of the terrible FT that they won't post the truth here? That's a sad situation, that artists are living in fear of the agencies that are supposed to represent us? That Sucks! No other way around it.

Now if someone was following you and bullying you, why not report them to the person running the site and if we were all real, then that person might think twice before being a PITA and harassing someone else? Right? But as anonymous people can post anything they want without any accountability. There's no reason to be anonymous on a friendly forum like thus, unless someone is being evasive, fabricating, hiding something or wants to avoid standing behind their words. That Simple.

There's the other side. And no I don't find people who are anonymous of any value, I discount what they say to a certain amount. Some are coming here from a site, trying to do some gentile spamming of the forums. "Oh I just found a wonderful site and I'm making money there." Yeah right and everyone else finds the site to be a dud and unresponsive. How's that?  

^^^Is RacePhoto your real name?   

Of course not, but I have links and email and anyone who looks at the profile can contact me. That's the whole point. Yes, I'm a real person.  But you knew that, you've emailed me. LOL

Better yet, I started my Microstock accounts with my real name. I should have known better. I think Prancing Daffodil or Lilly of the Valley would be more mysterious and "mod". No I used my full real name. Oh well, so much for anonymous and hiding.

So tell me, why don't people want to stand behind what they write on forums? I don't get that? Yeah, I know, some days I'm an idiot and some days I'm a little too blunt, but at least people here know I'm just a grumpy old man, (someone once said, salty curmudgeon) and not some punk in Mom's garage, writing nastygrams?  Oh yes, and I have a real name and real email if you want to write and tell me off.

Here's one for you... Tommy Hayden

WOW.

This discussion is making me not want to post at all anymore. Whether it would be anonymously or not.

Just because someone has a "real" identity doesn't mean that it prevents them from flinging nasty remarks around.

So whoever the poster may be (anonymous or not) they either treat their fellow forum buddies with respect or not - regardless of status.

It's the job of the moderators or forum owners to keep their sandbox clean if members are stepping over the line.

It has absolutely nothing to do with anonymity.

at the risk of sounding like a power-hungry admin troll....
I think you are quite right in this post.  Anonymous or not, there is no reason (although apparently it is more tempting) to get nasty.  We should be able to post intelligently and respectfully.  In retrospect I think I have let the language get out of hand in many cases and hope to do a better job at moderating in the future.  I'm not talking about limiting conversation or limiting the debate of an idea or a change in a site - simply the use of the language used to express ones opinion.  I don't think it adds to the conversation to use harsh or vulgar language.  such posts can be expected to be removed and the user eventually banned (at least temporarily) if they continue.

I like a lot this forum but overall what do we "earn" in showing who we are? perhaps one or two persons we may talk and some respect from other

overall it is just screwing us.. I regret two major things since I started stock (just 2 years ago), every time I have asked a reviewer about a rejection and showing my identity here

I've just made an interesting observation...

I've just realised that pretty much everyone in here is aggrevated about one thing or another.  I come in here to give or receive advice and end up complaining or arguing about this policy, or that price, or this low commission or some other issue.  Everyone here seems so uptight!  Then I flip over to my Facebook peeps who are mostly artists and designers and everyone's relaxed, we joke, we enjoy sharing our work and promoting each other.  We come across the odd problem and we discuss them like rational human beings.  We swap witty banter and everyone's pretty chummy... not in the sucky DT forum sort of way but we've become real genuine online pals.  Then I come back here and it's on for young and old again.  The contrast is incredible.  Why are microstockers so agro?  Is this industry making us this way?  I'm glad I have my Zazzle folks to balance things out for me.  Sometimes I wonder what we look like to outsiders.... raging depressed lunatics!  

I think I might have to turn anonymous... I mean really anonymous.  It's getting to the point where I'm going to be embarrassed to be associated with you all but on the other side, your wisdom is valuable to me.  It's a really dilemma!  

Is there any chance we can lighten the f up?  

I don't see what you are talking about. People here are discussing genuine issues concerning their business and/or livelihoods. Of course they are sometimes passionate about it. What you describe of your Facebook experience makes me even less likely to waste my time there. You can stick that on your little 'wall' with hugs and smileys if you want. I think I probably grew out of Facebook when I was about 12, several decades before it was invented.

I don't see what you are talking about. People here are discussing genuine issues concerning their business and/or livelihoods. Of course they are sometimes passionate about it. What you describe of your Facebook experience makes me even less likely to waste my time there. You can stick that on your little 'wall' with hugs and smileys if you want. I think I probably grew out of Facebook when I was about 12, several decades before it was invented.

+1

I'd rather have some passionate (and even rough) exchange of opinions here than the average Flickr post mentality:

"WOW. Love this image. The colors are so great. I wish I could be you."

BTW, we're having laughs here as well but also a bunch of people who take this very seriously because they make a living off of it. If business goes south you can expect some less entertaining discussions here.

.

There have also been times when the frustration here has turned into action that actually did change decisions one site or another was making. So it's not all hot air.

In addition, discussions here often clarify what is actually going on.

There have also been times when the frustration here has turned into action that actually did change decisions one site or another was making. So it's not all hot air.

That was in the past and I very seriously doubt it will happen again. The agencies seem to treat us increasingly worse as time goes by and as a consequence don't give a cr@p anymore about us. Remember all the hot air regarding FT's latest little trick cutting royalties - all the fuss and rage here and anywhere didn't change a thing. It's not going to happen anymore.

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on August 10, 2011, 12:39

There have also been times when the frustration here has turned into action that actually did change decisions one site or another was making. So it's not all hot air.

That was in the past and I very seriously doubt it will happen again. The agencies seem to treat us increasingly worse as time goes by and as a consequence don't give a cr@p anymore about us. Remember all the hot air regarding FT's latest little trick cutting royalties - all the fuss and rage here and anywhere didn't change a thing. It's not going to happen anymore.

Didn't Achilles just say today that he was going to allow someone to keep one account open because he didn't want to make DT a target by appearing to be harsh - even though nobody had actually argued for that?

Photodune seems pretty open to conversation and critique
http://www.microstockgroup.com/photodune/photodune-in-open-beta/

No I'm not talking about the personal side of Facebook... that's crap.  I don't have one REAL friend on Facebook.  I kicked them all out when I let business people in.  It's not about smiley faces and hugs, it's about a group of people sharing the same interests supporting each other... promoting each other... actively doing stuff that leads to increased sales.  Here it seems to be just whinging without achieving anything and therefore it's just a waste of time... for the most part.  Sure there are some useful threads around where people offer good advice and together come up with solutions to help themselves, but these are rare.  

I don't mind the whinging against agents if it means they'll listen and change their polices... but how often has that happened?  Have you ever complained about an agent here and had a policy change that you disagree with reversed?  If not, it's just a waste of time and you'll feel better hitting a punching bag than each other.

I still don't understand why you would want this place to be 'just like Facebook'. What would be the point of that when you already have FB? I presume you venture here precisely because FB does not fulfill all your needs. Anyway there's always been plenty of help and good advice for people here and, as others have pointed out, several changes have been made in the past as a result of discussions here. Can you provide any examples of what changes you and your chums at FB have generated?