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Pseudonyms (fictitious name) in SCN

former_member182378
Active Contributor
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Members,

In SCN, there are members who use pseudonyms (not their real names).

I request you to give explanations, reasons for the same.

Many of these members contribute (via postings) at a very high standard but yet do not wish to use their real names!

In the below thread, members are discussing about how SCN reputation can help in getting a job, getting a raise in the real-world. But for the members who do not use their real names, this "link" between SCN and the "real-world" is "does not exist"!

http://scn.sap.com/thread/3398199

Thank you!

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

former_member42743
Active Contributor
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Since I'm one of the ones...

I started anonymously years ago.  First, I don't believe SAP allows an anonymous name anymore.  Of course you can fake it out unless someone is actually reviewing them. 

Besides T.W. (Typewriter?.. that's your real name and you're asking this question?  Whatever.), how do I really know that Lukas Weigelt is REALLY Lukas Weigelt.  His real name might be John Smith.

First, I started with an anonymous name years ago because I was in an environment where it would have been really frowned upon that I was using SCN.  It's kind of like online video games.  Once you develop your persona you hate to give it up.  Besides, I can't transfer points.  I actually have a few thousand points under my real name that I did use for a time and I can't transfer them.  And Fire Fighter has an SAP ring to it as most of us have used Firefighter ID's to fix something in production systems.  It seemed to be a good name for here as we are mostly troubleshooting people's problems and helping them put out the fires.  And since I am an active fire fighter in my real world, it seemed a great fit.

Second.. I already get several calls a week, not counting emails from recruiters and headhunters.  I am publicly listed in the phone book.  Can you imagine how many would be able to find me and call me if they got my name here?  No thank you.. I have my own preferred vendor list for headhunters and after about 19 years of doing this I know my go to guys will know about any projects I'd be interested in.

Third.  There are several people at SAP and a few SCN leaders here that know me personally.  Some maybe wish they didn't!!   So if I cause a lot of problems, they know how to find me and hurt me.

Fourth.  While I don't know that it would be a problem here, in previous technical forums I've had a few "newbies" reach out directly to me cause they were able to get contact info for me. 

Fifth.  If you follow me long enough, I give away enough info that most intelligent people could track me down.  People I've worked with on projects in the past know who I am if they learned anything about me and my hobbies and volunteer service during our time together.

Sixth.  I don't really care about people actually know me one way or the other.  I've an established career, I rarely lack for work, I hope to retire in a few more years.  So building a "name" here and reputation here isn't important to me.  I do this cause I enjoy it.

FF

former_member184555
Active Contributor
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Fire Fighter wrote:

Sixth.  I don't really care about people actually know me one way or the other.  I've an established career, I rarely lack for work, I hope to retire in a few more years.  So building a "name" here and reputation here isn't important to me.  I do this cause I enjoy it.

FF

Super Like!

Answers (7)

Answers (7)

matt
Active Contributor
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I have only one comment on this subject.

I'm Spartacus.

ThomasZloch
Active Contributor
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Sit down, I'm Spartacus!

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
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DOGBOY 49

I am really surprised to know that this is your real picture its really amazing. And 2nd thing which gave me shock that you started your career in 1971 and I was born in 1986 and from your career history and your age your name should be Doguncle or at least Dogman

I was thinking that you are an Indian guy of age between 20 to 30 but its surprising to know that you are near 60 if I am not wrong. You see this is the reason that why I am in favor of using real picture

Well here in Pakistan we use the same words as you use in your country (Veitnam if I am not wrong) but psycho is the extreme word and we can say crazy managers. I have also not faced any crazy manager like this who don't allow to open SCN at work place and I am not sure why they will stop us by doing this. If they want us to work in SAP environment then how would we do that without SCN support. For me SCN is back bone and if my employer asks me not to open this then I would be looking for some other job or option.

Why you chose this name is an interesting story but do you think this is a valid reason of going with fictitious name on SCN

Fire Fighter

Ok I agreed your reasons and logics why they have real names in About Scn page. But if you see all members here on SCN as a whole you will again see that majority is with their real names. Ratio of members with real names and fictitious names are different and most of the users go with their real names. Do you have any explanation for that

Thank$

Former Member
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MoazzaM,

...surprising to know that you are near 60 if I am not wrong.

I passed 60 quite a while ago, I was born in 1949 (hence the '49' in my screen name).

...you use in your country (Vietnam if I am not wrong)

I was born in the United states.  The US was unfortunately engaged in a military conflict in southeast Asia, and I performed most of my military service in support of that war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

...but psycho is the extreme word and we can say crazy managers.

Pakistan, then, is different from my experiences.  I personally would consider it to be rude if someone were to refer to a manager as 'crazy'.  I also believe it is pretty universally considered to be unprofessional.  Anyhow, I have now learned something new about Pakistan.  Thanks for the enlightenment.  I will now know not to take offense when such referrals are made.

But if you see all members here on SCN as a whole you will again see that majority is with their real names.

The thought had never occurred to me to look, at least not until the beginning of this thread; I will assume that what you say is true. 

Conforming to 'the majority' has never been high on my list of priorities.

Ratio of members with real names and fictitious names are different and most of the users go with their real names. Do you have any explanation for that

No.  I have little interest in studying such a ratio.  Perhaps if this subject is interesting to you, you should conduct a survey; I notice that SCN support polls/surveys. You could publish a nice blog article about your findings.

Best Regards,

DB49

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
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DOGBOY 49

Its good to know more about you. Thanks for sharing that.

...but psycho is the extreme word and we can say crazy managers.

Pakistan, then, is different from my experiences.  I personally would consider it to be rude if someone were to refer to a manager as 'crazy'.  I also believe it is pretty universally considered to be unprofessional.  Anyhow, I have now learned something new about Pakistan.  Thanks for the enlightenment.  I will now know not to take offense when such referrals are made.

For your above comment I would like to request you not to be judgmental about Pakistan because of my opinion. I am Moazzam not Pakistan

There are people with every kind of thoughts and opinions every where in world. Even in western world some people take every Muslim as terrorist and some people who have Common-sense and who use their senses they will see it from different angle. Same like that in arab countries and in other Muslim countries every Muslim don't hate Americans and other white people. Its our approach towards reality that how we see things. The big drawback of media in today's world is that people think and see what media wants us to see and think. Media has control our minds and thinking ability. Again I don't know you will agree or not but this is my personnel opinion

If I am saying that manager crazy who wants me to work with SAP and he also wants me not to open SCN at work place, this is just because of my relation with SAP and SCN. I actually enjoy my work and you can say SAP and SCN are now part of my life and if someone will ask me not to do this then I would say him crazy. Yes it is rude and we should not disrespect our seniors and managers but this is also a fact that managers and seniors shouldn't ask us to do that. By the way I never met any senior or manager like this and I don't think so any manager will do that.

Anyways it was a nice discussion and from this discussion I got a chance to know more about you and now I know two members here who are most seniors here and you are one of them and other one is Jurgen L. I like your suggestion about having a poll and may be   can start a poll better then me. TW could you please start a poll so that we may have some results


Thank$

former_member182378
Active Contributor
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MoazzaM,

I like your suggestion about having a poll and may be T W  can start a poll better then me. TW could you please start a poll so that we may have some results

If it was some related to SD, I would have started the poll "in a hurry"!

Let me think about this...

(firstly I would have to read - again - all the "not so short" posts between you and DB49 )

former_member42743
Active Contributor
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MoazzaM

You said:

Ok I agreed your reasons and logics why they have real names in About Scn page. But if you see all members here on SCN as a whole you will again see that majority is with their real names. Ratio of members with real names and fictitious names are different and most of the users go with their real names. Do you have any explanation for that

***************************************************************************************************************

I would say that was their choice.  I choose to keep a certain amount of anonymity.  And as I indicated earlierr, I had several reasons, (6 I believe), for doing so.  I'm guessing you cannot accept or appreciate my reasons. 

As my mother once said, and yours probably did as well, "So if all your friends went and jumped off a bridge, would you too?"

Anyone who has followed me for any amount of time knows I'm from the Philly area, in Pennsylvania, USA.  If you really paid attention, you'd know I'm close to SAP headquarters.  So if anyone really wants to meet me, they are more than welcomed to follow me, send me a private message and when they are in town, I'd be more than happy to meet them, take them out for a drink, meet for dinner,  offer advice on seeing my fair city, etc. etc.  I've even had a few people visit me at my home and have dinner with my family.  I'm really not hard to get to know!  You just have to take just a TINY, Tiny bit of initiative.

As an independent, I don't have anyone paying my way to SAP conferences and I'm also not in any customer user groups since I'm not a customer! So chances of meeting me at an SAP function at this time is fairly remote.  Hence, no need to know my name.

If SAP suddenly forced real names on everyone, than maybe I'd have to reconsider.  I'd reconsider using my real name AND my participation.  Who knows which way I'd go at that time.  I'm sure SCN would do fine without me. They don't really need me.  I think I gain more from SCN then they from me.  And frankly, what I get from SCN I could get with a "read-only" account as I enjoy reading the questions and figuring out answers.  I could still that, I just wouldn't be typing the answers in!.  I've posted very few questions myself.  Very few of the questions I have asked over the years have EVER been successfully answered by anyone.  Feel free to browse my questions and take a crack.  I got one open one right now.

So maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree about using real names at this time.

FF

PS>. My other picture in my profile of the firefighter on the back of the hook & ladder truck? That's really me.

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
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Fire Fighter

Thank you for all this information. Its good to know about you. Although I am not fully agreed but still you have valid reasons and logics and we are free to decide our name and identity here in SCN so lets go with it

Thank$

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,

Dogboy 49,

Thanks for the insight into your background and thank you for your service. I’ve only been a SCN member for a short while but you are consistently on the top Google search results when I would search anything APO GATP, PPDS related,  so its nice to get some background information on the man behind some quality responses.

I have a shameless plug/request –I wrote my first question a few weeks back. http://scn.sap.com/thread/3401452 We’re working thru some of the initial recommendations we got but I was curious if you had experienced anything similar across your experience in APO gATP. Let me know if you have any further insight on this.

Thanks again

J Gill

Jelena
Active Contributor
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I was also going to note that half of the "Top 20" list are the SAP employees, but FF beat me to it.

It'd probably be more accurate to refer to the names as "pseudonyms" and "real-looking names" since, as was noted far above, it's not possible to know for sure what's real or not until you meet the person in real life (and get them to show you an ID, I guess).

I believe there are actually quite a few SCN users who would agree with you, MoazzaM, but they just might not be aware of this discussion (or chose not to participate).

P.S. Coffee Corner is supposed to be a "no points" forum, otherwise I'd probably be on Top 20 list too.

stephenjohannes
Active Contributor
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The most interesting part about this conversation is that I have seen it before with different participants and similar arguments for and against.  I honestly used to be the "real-name" camp, but I moved over into the neutral camp where I rather see "real-names" but if the behavior with the name is acceptable, then that is what matters most.

That being said with all the lack of privacy news, I honestly think the only way to keep anything private is not to use anything electronic in the first place !

Take care,

Stephen

marilyn_pratt
Active Contributor
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Hi J Gill,

And welcome to you, a relative "newbie" here and thanks for joining the conversation!

I just went through the rather painful exercise of looking for your moderated response to this thread so I could release it and enable you to be a visible part of this conversation.

And I'd like to agree with you that this thread and the interchange of and  make for fascinating reading.

marilyn_pratt
Active Contributor
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I noticed that most of your content on SCN is usually in the form of replies to others and you have achieved a rather impressive amount of point reputation here on SCN by that alone (in the top 100 whether it comes to you as a by-product of acknowledgment by others or an intentional activity on your part, it is quite impressive).  Would enjoy hearing more about you as a person as I assume others would too.  Would a blog be in your purview?  I particularly like to highlight folks that represent multi-generational demographies. Can I induce you to write about yourself in the style of "Blog it Forward".  I noticed that you were asked to do so by Jürgen
L
 

It would be awesome if you chose to do so.....unless I missed something, I didn't see your post.

former_member181931
Contributor
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+1 Marilyn.

I would like to know more about you too!

Laure 🙂

mithu_mukhejee
Participant
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Hi MoazzaM,

I have not used my original name as I dont want others to know about my reputation (whether its highly scored or lower score ).

And the second thing is competition is tough ...:)

Reagrding Pictures :

Its about to contribute the knowledge & Share the knowledge ..if I need some one's help then  all contributers will help me by clicking a reply button to my post only ..not on my picture or real name ..:)

Never matter whats ur name or picture is ....

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
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@ Jelena

Yes you are right that if I google your name you are on top and I also found you on linkedin but if you google my name with SD then you can find me too Moazzam Ali is also an artist here in Pakistan so he always beats me on google because I am not that much famous as he is but is it the way to find someone? If someone will tries to find me he should also know my identity in professional life which is SAP so he will google me with Moazzam Ali SAP SD or simply Moazzam Ali SD

I like your post and specially this that SCN is open community and although we are not agreeing with each other but still we are in this discussion

@ TW

I agreed that this is posts which we like not the author's name or identity and I am not convincing you or other fictitious name profile makers to come up with real names. SCN has given us an option and we are availing it. This is a free world and we are doing whatever we want. You are comfortable with TW and I am with my real name. Its good that we are still posting and sharing knowledge after knowing that we have different point of views for current discussion

I like your example of restaurant and dish and you are right we are not bothered about cook but we just enjoy the dish. But for me if I go to a restaurant daily and I like most of the dishes offered there and its been years for me visiting there then I will ask the waiter about cook and I would go to praise him and I would try to know about him. If we are on a travel and we visit some restaurant where we like some dish and we also know that we are not going to visit there again so we will just praise the restaurant name and will remember it. Its about timing and frequency how often you visit there. May be it is silly and you won't agree again but this is what I feel and think

@ Dogboy 49

I wont be disappointed as everyone is free to chose his name here. I expect people to use their real names but if someone don't want to come up with real name then it won't disappoint me ever.

Yes I really don't have any valid reason yet. Do you have a reason for choosing this name and picture? Would you mind if I ask you to share here?  

I think you had a tough time in your career and you had faced those kind of bosses to whom I have called psycho. I didn't have any other better word for them so I had no choice except to call them psycho. What else can we say to a person who want us to learn new things implement new things but don't want us to open SCN at work place. What does it mean?

And you have quoted my post and answered every point but you didn't shared why you have choosed to use this name and picture. From your post I got to know that you are very much against my opinion but still I want to know that why you have selected this name and picture.

It seems that I am the only person here who is in the favor of using real name but if I go to About SCN page I can see Top 20 Members of All Time - Across SCN are with their real names or at least looked like their real names. I did not see any name like Fire Fighter or Dogboy or SAP Hunter or any other fake name. What can be the reason behind this

Thank$

Former Member
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MoazzaM,

The picture is really me.  It was taken in the '90's, though, so I will admit that I now have a quite a few more wrinkles.....

I think you had a tough time in your career....

You would be mistaken; my career has mostly been a positive experience. I started working in the private sector in 1971 after my military service in Vietnam.  During the subsequent years, I met many many good managers, and, yes, a few not so good managers. However, I never once thought any of these managers should have been categorized as 'psycho'.  Of course, I am not a doctor of medicine, and I am incompetent to judge such issues.

Maybe this word is used differently in Pakistan.  From Dictionary.com:

Psy-cho, noun 

1. a psychopathic or psychotic person.
2. a crazy or mentally unstable person.
This is how I use the word.  My experience is that crazy people don't often make it into management.

but you didn't share why you have chosen to use this name....

"Rabid Dog"  was the name of a motorcycle I once built back when I was in my late twenties.  In those days, my friends started calling me 'Dogboy", and the name stuck, even after I sold that bike.

still I want to know  why you have selected this name and picture.

I use the name because it suits me; it is a good fit, a few people seem to know me by that name, and I have grown comfortable with it.

Best Regards,

DB49

Former Member
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Fair enough and thanks for the insight into the origins of the name and the photo. I have been wondering for some time what the story is behind it.

But not knowing that it is also reasonable that folks might to scared off a bit, or at least be suspect that it is not an encounter with the "normal" application configuration realm...

Some folks out there have to wear suites everyday, process workflows all day long, get involved in meetings about the workflow projects and might use google even...

Personally I changed my avatar picture just to demonstrate how silly the points system is (you get points for changing your avatar), It is also not really professional - I admit.

If SCN gets rid of the silly points system, then I am sure that things (and comparisons, rivalry...) will settle down and more focus can be placed on original and useful content. Folks will be more inclined to use their real names, and if they dont then that is also ok as they behave professionally anyway.

Cheers,

Julius

former_member42743
Active Contributor
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It seems that I am the only person here who is in the favor of using real name but if I go to About SCN page I can see Top 20 Members of All Time - Across SCN are with their real names or at least looked like their real names. I did not see any name like Fire Fighter or Dogboy or SAP Hunter or any other fake name. What can be the reason behind this

******************************************************************

Actually about half of the top twenty are SAP employees.  I don't think too many of them have to worry too much about their employer.  A couple of them are no longer active based on their last log in.  Several of the othes have been around since the early days and have accumulated their points over many years.

Again, just because someone has a ton of points, or few points, doesn't really tell you about the quality or technical content of their contributions.  There is nothing to say that they didn't earn all their points in the coffee corner.  The badges should help.

I would fully expect that given some more years there is absolutely no reason I couldn't be on that list as Firefighter. I just didn't get started early enough.  Actually at this point, there will probably not be any new additions to that list for many years to come.  As long as those people stay active, no will ever "catch" them. 

FF

Marssel700
Active Contributor
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Actually I have a nick name. It's FI_ghter because I am FI and I was military . I create my real profile because I just have entered here for searching answers. After I got a lot of points I decided stay like that.

I agree with FF that isn't so good idea be famous here.

You get no job offers (at last in Brazil, SCN = Zero headhunters viewers), many newbies searching for help (and I'm not able to ignore a e-mail), and there is a risk in take managers and leaders eyes.

Anyway the balance is good. SCN content is great to study and keep informed about SAP world.

all the best

marilyn_pratt
Active Contributor
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I'd say rather it isn't a good idea to be infamous here. See http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infamous

I love the concept of giving anonymously - without being too focused on compensation or recognition (although acknowledgement is something most of us understandably like).

I've had explorations around the concept of giving in different cultures.

One philosophy that struck me as quite interesting is found in a Hebraic "Rules of Engagement" called the Mishnah.

In it, a scholar, Maimonides,who was a medieval Spanish, philosopher and astronomer wrote his

Eight Levels of Giving - the second highest being anonymously to "an unknown recipient via a person (or public fund) which is trustworthy, wise, and can perform acts of tzedakah(giving) with your money(gifts) in a most impeccable fashion" (source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzedakah)

Translate psuedo-named participant for anonymous and sharing knowledge with giving money or gifts to unknown participants via a website that is trustworthy and you have some of the formula for what an online community can be and is at its finest.

Marilyn

Former Member
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Simple, i am afraid my name is an insult in india or another of the foreign languages here.

Seriously i never use my real name in a public internet forum, like i would not wear a name tag walking the streets.

Cheers Michael

Lukas_Weigelt
Active Contributor
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Seriously i never use my real name in a public internet forum, like i would not wear a name tag walking the streets.

Cheers Michael

Lol'd .

P.S. Have you ever taken a look at the URL in your profile?

Former Member
0 Kudos

I believe that "mhooo" in Hindi parts of India is considered a holy noise and gerbil's are a delicacy in Mongolia.

Cheers,

Julius

Former Member
0 Kudos

As i said kind of insulting...

vivekbhoj
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I don't think its an insult in India

I wonder who told you this

Regards,

Vivek

Jelena
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Michael, not sure what's the situation in India, but don't you know what does 'ho' mean in English? No offense, but it's hardly a good nickname.

Jelena
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Yeah, TW, what's your own reason? We, the "real people", demand an explanation!

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Why my name is Typewriter (or in short T W)?

Few years back, I worked as a user of a small (localize) WMS. I had so many questions to ask…so many things to discuss, but there weren’t many willing people. After some searching, I found SAP and the online forums enthusiastically discussing SAP related things. I decided to participate in these, after work hours. But I wanted to compartmentalize (segregate) the two “shifts” (worlds), thus it was clear to me that the person with the day job had to be different
from the person who participated in the “after work meetings” (i.e. participating in the forums)

 

From the start I believed / understood that learning and discovery would be the only goal / reason of participation in these forums.

Not for any other thing (e.g. not for - attention, praise, recognition, connections etc. etc.)

 

Now I work in the field of SAP SD.

Sometimes at work-lunches, friendly banters; colleagues flaunt their “levels” in SCN (the points, or leaders in some group) or sometimes they ask me if I know about or participate in SCN, I ask them what exactly is SCN or I say “Is it that forum where you can post SAP related questions and get answers?”

They politely smile at my ignorance!

But what I say is true…(about not knowing exactly what SCN is!!!) because it is not Typewriter who is answering their questions!

Former Member
0 Kudos

Awesome. Loved your response

former_member184555
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

TW,

What about your photo...is it the real one?

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Ravi,

Yes!

Typewriter

JL23
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

ever thought that your colleagues may smile because they found your face in SCN and you are still deny to know SCN?

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Jurgen,

Very witty!

Thank you!

Ravi,

Please note that Typwriter has replied to you.

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Good catch Sir. I was going to write the same words but when I read that you have already caught TW then I could just hit like button on your post

for your query I just want to say that If someone can't show his identity here then its better for him to just take help from SCN. If someone is going to be a group leader then he must come here with real name and identity because his followers and fans want to know him. May be thats why most of the mentors and group leaders here are with their real names.

Thank$

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

MoazzaM,

Your post has some interesting points!

I just want to say that If someone can't show his identity here then its better for him to just take help from SCN. 

I think just "taking" (from a group or from a person or....) is not right! (not the correct thing to do).

If one takes, then one should give too!

That is how "the system" (i.e. group etc. etc.) would surely sustain. (and there would be balance)

I have read some "strong" replies from on this "only taking" issue.

If someone is going to be a group leader then he must come here with real name and identity because his followers and fans want to know him. May be thats why most of the mentors and group leaders here are with their real names.

What is "real name" and what is "real identity"?

As Fire Fighter mentioned, is there any way to check / validate whether

Lukas Weigelt is REALLY Lukas Weigelt.  His real name might be John Smith.

From another point, a member creates an identity here (e.g. Fire Figher). By his / her contributon here, makes a reputation. He/she  would like to keep that reputaton. That "fictitious name" is the "real" identity here.

(Probably a bold statement) There are no group leaders! Every member is evaluated on post-to-post level.

Every member (not talking about moderators) has the same privileges. At content level, you might disagree with a "group leader" in SCN. And that is absolutely fine!

If "diverse ideas" make sense then that is healthy and makes the discussion richer.

I think members with pseudonyms can not become mentors. (Not sure on this point)

If that is important to a member, he / she should take the "other path".

Jelena
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

TW - yes, the SAP Mentors must have a "real name" due to the nature of that program.

I do agree with you that we don't know what is real and what is not on any web site. (For some time even I thought Former Member was not a real name - sounded too much like it came from a James Bond movie. Hope Otto forgives me.) For that same reason an online "person" is what they build for themselves through their contributions. Everyone is welcome to contribute and get recognized for what they do, not their name, gender, nationality, employer, etc. Probably I would not be part of SCN otherwise.

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Dear TW

My real name is Moazzam Ali and you can find me on linkedin, facebook or twitter because I have my real name and my real picture everywhere. This is something which I expect from other fellow members who are continuously contributing in SCN.

What is "real name" and what is "real identity"?

As Fire Fighter mentioned, is there any way to check / validate whether

Lukas Weigelt is REALLY Lukas Weigelt.  His real name might be John Smith.

From another point, a member creates an identity here (e.g. Fire Fighter). By his / her contribution here, makes a reputation. He/she  would like to keep that reputation. That "fictitious name" is the "real" identity here.

We can never judge about anyone on Internet that whether he is providing true information or not until and unless we know him personally. We need to be sincere with others and our own self here on SCN because this is not facebook or orkut where we used to make profiles with fake names and imaginations. This is professional forum and we should never hide our identity.

I don't yet have any valid reason why people make profiles with fictitious names and pictures. If your employer don't want you to open SCN on your workplace then I must say either he is psycho or he doesn't know what SAP and SCN exactly are and what is their relation. In my opinion no one can work in SAP environment without SCN support and knowledge.

I just want to share a link here which can explain better that why I am emphasizing on using real name and real picture.

http://scn.sap.com/community/getting-started/blog/2012/03/09/the-new-scn-six-tips-for-your-profile-p...

Thank$

Lukas_Weigelt
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Haha, nice one Jelena

I do agree with you that we don't know what is real and what is not on any web site. (For some time even I thought Former Member was not a real name - sounded too much like it came from a James Bond movie. Hope Otto forgives me.)

Back in my first days on SCN I was browsing a lot of Otto's Wiki pages for ABAP Development because they were(and still are) very beginner-friendly. Then I saw the 'Mentor-Lemon' for the first time on his profile which looked like a little glob of gold to me and I thought ... "mhh.. is this a special badge for only him because his name is 'gold' or did he name himself 'gold' on the forums because he got that globby-gold-thingy? very mysterious ó_Ó". Additionally he was "active contributer gold" at the same time which made it even more hilarious

Cheers, Lukas

P.S. You got me, FF

http://dunc-bank.zoy.org/hannibal.jpeg

Jelena
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

MoazzaM, are you aware that you're posting under your first name only? I could also easily go by just 'Jelena' (it's one of the top popular Russian names) and then brag how brave I am. Tsk, tsk. Also I'm sorry, but even your full name is not exactly unique - google it. If I google myself, my profiles are on top of the list. We're in a bit of a different situation here.

I have heard before that SCN is a professional forum hence real names should be used, but this brings me to these questions. What exactly is the purpose of SCN and how exactly is it different from other public sites? I also have a profile on LinkedIn, but the whole purpose of that site is networking, so there is a direct incentive to show my real name and as much of personal information as I see fit. Also I can be somewhat assured that other users would do the same for the same reason.

SCN is not really a social/networking site, at least SDN wasn't. If I come here to share knowledge about SAP and, say, am totally not interested in bragging about my medals on a resume, why do I have to show my real name? Especially since not everyone does the same. Have you checked MSDN, for example? It's also a mixture of what looks like real names and pseudonyms and I didn't see anyone crying about it.

SCN is also not some closed club and is easily searchable by Google, for example. This includes user profiles. On Facebook a non-member can't see anything, but on SCN it's wide open. Why trust your private information to the site that offers little protection and hardly any incentive to do so?

I agree with you completely that the employers that don't understand the value of SCN and discourage the participation are probably wrong. But I am, for instance, the only money maker in the family, so employment is rather important to me. And I never know what will happen with it. Today I might have a manager that is supportive, but tomorrow I might have a different one that could google SCN and then wonder why there are posts with my name in the middle of the work day. Actually sometimes I wish I could change my user ID to a pseudonym, but I'm stuck with it from the years back when SDN was a different place.

It is a good discussion and I liked your post even though I didn't fully agree (which is a beauty of SCN ). I feel that if SCN truly wants to be a social web site with real people only using their real names, then it should just make it a rule and also restrict non-member access to provide at least some form of privacy. Just blowing up cheeks and waving the flag "we're a professional site" won't change anything.

But if SCN decides to remain an open community, then it shouldn't even be discussed whether the members with "real" names are "more equal" than members using pseudonyms. Certainly anyone can take special pride in using their real name (I view it as sort of a "quality assurance stamp" ), but it doesn't make one "better" than the other quality contributors. We're all the People of SCN here.

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

And also, having once started under a pseudonym, if I were to change to my real name, I'd lose all my badges, points, bookmarks, ability to update modify any existing blogs or documents that I wrote, etc..  Plus if someone saw an old posting of mine under FF and wanted to reach out to me, they wouldn't be able to if I switched to a new name/account.  I'd basically lose 3.5 years of my "work".

I'd probably actually be doing SCN a disservice if I switched now.  So until SAP provides a way for me switch, I won't.  When they provide a way.. then I'd have to give it some consideration.

FF

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

MoazzaM,

If you would have used a different name in SCN (other than MoazzaM), still I would have enjoyed your posts, I would have followed you and I would have learnt from your posts

The reason being it is your posts and not your name (for me).

In Fire Fighter's first reply to this thread, he / she had written

Besides T.W. (Typewriter?.. that's your real name and you're asking this question?  Whatever.),

I had purposefully not given my opion / reason, because I wanted to get members' views.

My main point is - The (so called) real me and the contributor here, are two entities that do not have any link!

(Probably the - so called - real me and the "me" in Facebook do not have any link either)

Another point is - E.g. When we eat a delicious dish in a resturant, does it make a difference who the cook is? or if it is Cook 1 and not Cook 2?

We enjoooooy the dish... right?

I want members to enjoy my posts (some times - probably learn from it)

I don't like Facebook just because it does not discuss SAP SD. But if there was a forum ("room") in Facebook that discussed SAP SD just like here, probably I would participate there too.

When I dig in to old posts, I see 's posts - truely great contribution. This member was active in (and around) the 2009's.

I just enjoy, learn from the member's posts.

Not asking what is his full first name or any thing like that.....

Note: I don't want to convince you. I don't want to convince myself.

Because SCN is not an end (in itself), It is just a means to serving...serving our fellow members and more importantly - serving our clients.

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Fire Fighter,

Very nice!

Thank you!

One remark - You would lose all the things you mentioned without get them. But bookmarks, you would "get" to your "new" account (username), it would involve some manual action though.

Former Member
0 Kudos

Sorry to spoil your exit strategy, but you can change your display name and you can create new accounts and merge the contents.

Quite a few folks have changed to real names. The most memorable one was Edwin Harpino. Does anyone remember him and his original nichname?

Cheers,

Julius

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I was told the names and P account number were linked.  The reason I asked is that I actually have another account under my real name here.  That I had set up years ago.  I had used it quite a while. I wanted to merge the two and I was told it couldn't be done.

No one mentioned to me that display names could be changed. 

So I could change my display name every day if I wanted to?

If I changed the display name would all my previous content show my display name I am currently using?  Or show the display name it was posted under?

Interesting possibilities.

FF

JL23
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I am using my S-user ID here - does this answer your doubts?

Account mergers are not possible in the moment, see Jason's replies and

Jelena
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

There was a post on how to 'anonymize' user some time ago:

http://scn.sap.com/thread/3179935

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

FF,

So I could change my display name every day if I wanted to?

If I changed the display name would all my previous content show my display name I am currently using?  Or show the display name it was posted under?

Probably yes! You can change the display name as many times as you like.

All your posts shall display the username that you are currently using.

The content would remain unchanged.

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Yeah. no S-user account for me.  As an Independent I'm at the mercy of clients to issue me one when I come onto a project.  Some do and some don't.  And of course it would change when I move on.  (Some clients don't close them out though all the time, or at least not promptly, )

It's been a request of mine for quite some time that SAP issue a personal S-user ID (Read only in OSS), that could be provided to top contributors in the various spaces.  If you stopped participating it could be locked.  But so far.. no luck.  It would be good incentive for many and it would allow access to search OSS for helping with particular questions. 

Sometimes I have the capability, sometimes I don't.

FF

Former Member
0 Kudos

Yes, you can merge accounts and you can change display names, but changing the display name will check that it is still unique. For this reason it makes sense to claim your real name before someone else does. This certainly applies to P-accounts. S-accounts are migrated automatically (and deleted as well if toasted on the SMP side...) because it once was a KPI for SCN..  😉

Personally I have 8 names in total, but bar Julius von dem Bussche, Jabba the Hutt and Chewbacca I have not bothered to protect any of them.

After I started using an almost correct name, I must confess that I became more polite - until the stupid points system walked over my liver...

Cheers,

Julius

Ps: I also used a pseudonym in the beginning, then changed it in about 2007 to Julius Bussche. I am currently thinking about calling myself Trevor for a while. Any objections?

Former Member
0 Kudos

FF,

It's been a request of mine for quite some time that SAP issue a personal S-user ID (Read only in OSS),

When you take an SAP class, or register for Cert exam, I believe it is required for you to have an S-User id.  If you do not have one, SAP will assign you one, prior to you actually taking the class/exam.

I don't know what types of authorizations are enabled with this particular S-User ID.  If you ever intend to take any SAP classes, or any SAP exams, you might want to enquire.

https://training.sap.com/v2/_/sapapp/pdf/training-sap-com-UserGuide.pdf

Best Regards,

DB49

Former Member
0 Kudos

MoazzaM,

My real name is Moazzam Ali and you can find me on linkedin, facebook or twitter because I have my real name and my real picture everywhere. This is something which I expect from other fellow members who are continuously contributing in SCN.

I guess you must be disappointed from time to time.

I don't yet have any valid reason why people make profiles with fictitious names and pictures.

Which is, I suppose, why you have chosen not to do so.

If your employer don't want you to open SCN on your workplace then I must say either he is psycho or he doesn't know what SAP and SCN exactly are and what is their relation.

Wow!  I never knew that those guys were psycho.  I feel lucky to have escaped with my life.

I just want to share a link here which can explain better that why I am emphasizing on using real name and real picture

I have read the link.  Nevertheless, I choose to use a pseudonym. 

If SAP SCN were to decide to prohibit pseudonyms, I guess I would have to stop contributing.  I would then have to find other ways to work off my Karmic burden.

Best Regards,

DB49

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

That's something new then.  I've actually taught training classes for SAP at Newton Square, at client sites and at several KDC and Micro-Tek centers.  Never got one of them ID's!!

FF

PS>  I like your shirt!

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I bet you'll find other Trevor's out there.  One problem I see with the current system is that there is nothing preventing more than one person from using the same display name. 

Maybe I'll change my display name to "Jurgen L" for a few days when I post something controversial! 

FF

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

DB49,

If SAP SCN were to decide to prohibit pseudonyms, I guess I would have to stop contributing.

Would you consider using a "real name" of some one else...this too would be a pseudonym (in your case)?
(provided SCN permits this)

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Maybe we start up our own SCN "A" team!

Fire Fighter

Dogboy

Lukas AKA John Smith 

The elite unknowns who swoop in on unanswered questions and "pity the fools" who don't research, read the help, and learn to google!

FF

Former Member
0 Kudos

If I change my name to Trevor, then is there any chance I could hang out with you guys? Maybe drive the van sometimes any hypnotize Jelena in the eventuality that we get locked into an old enque trap where there happens to be enough global variables available to put a helicopter together? 😉

Cheers,

Julius

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Works for me! 

FF

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

FF,

The elite unknowns who swoop in on unanswered questions and "pity the fools" who don't research, read the help, and learn to google!

ROFL!

I shall give the Typewriter for servicing. And get it ready.

If by any chance, the A (anonymus) team needs to document all their "adventures", please give me a shout.

JL23
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

T W, see what happened to Firefighter, are you next?

jpfriends079
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I don't see that coming soon...

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Glad to see this change and Surprised because Fire Fighter was not agreed to use real names.

Former Member
0 Kudos

Still looks a little bit like one of those names they use in tabloids when the person is not meant to be identified but in fact does not actually exist...

  • Craig S (38) escapes after fortnight long abduction by aliens. "They treated me very well but took all my money".

  • Craig S (72) from Wiltshire County thanks his neighbour's arrested wife for killing her husband with a frozen ham shank after listening to 20 years of snorring. "The terrible raquet is now finally over".

  • Etc..

🙂

Cheers,

Julius

Steffi_Warnecke
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Aaaaahahahaha!!! Great stuff this early morning while listening to Aretha singing "Think".

I'm just thankfull, FF didn't change his avatar. This way we can still find him easily. *gg*

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Jyoti,

Why do you think that?

Thanks in advance!

former_member182378
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Jurgen,

Thanks for highlighting this "change"!

I have thought of changing T W to Typewriter (my full name) but have not gone through with it for few reasons -

1. In SCN, Both first name and second name are mandatory fields.

I want to use only first name field.

2. For members, it is easier to address T W (rather than my full name).

3. T W is more "away" from an identity...more "non-personified".

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi TW

I am wondering whether this name (Typewriter) is your real name or not? Is it the same name which is written in your ID card or passport?

jpfriends079
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

TW

Check what one can get on search with Google.

- Dr. Jack Brown, Dean of Justice Studies, Beckfield College


On popular social network, people with similar profile pic as yours

- https://www.facebook.com/timothy.pines

- https://www.facebook.com/daiisy.pines

- https://www.facebook.com/coderdojo.pembrokepines

- https://www.facebook.com/timothy.caine.

So, just gut feeling...

Best Wishes, JP

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Please.. don't mention this to the IRS....

Craig S

former_member42743
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

I've only agreed to do this because SAP said I had to serve as a moderator.  Not because I really want to or because I have changed my mind about using fictitious names.

Craig

moazzam_ali
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Good to know this. Congrats sir

marilyn_pratt
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Since I'm a Fire Fighter Fan, I'm glad the url stays the same LOL.

http://scn.sap.com/people/fire.fighter

Lukas_Weigelt
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

The best reason for not using your real name or your real picture for that matter would still be for the sake of anonymity on the internet. Aside from that I agree with FF's and Jürgen's comments, SCN's reputation system might be nice and glowy and motivating but it's not the least bit consistenly representative for one's skills...