What difference on this board does the alias make?  The only thing I see is that you could 'back-channel' if they didn't have an alias. Is it fear of LE?  Don't you think LE would and has operated with a non-alias TER handle just as easily?  Besides, LE usually doesn't do the 'heavy lifting'.  They leave that to 'CI's - confidential informants.  Heck, who knows ... maybe a 'CI' or two have already done the serial dating thang and penetrated this community without anybody knowing.  Maybe the 'CI' is one of your dates from last week ...

Here is something I wrote a year ago (don't know how to link! )

Re:Why aliases? - Just happened over to the SD board...  
Posted by sedonasandiego  , 8/19/2003 9:48:21 PM    [See my TER reviews]  
I posted this on the National Board about a month ago, but..
I didn't have any aliases until recently, and once was talking with a hobbyist/friend and he explained why he had aliases and all the various ones he had. I was so intrigued with his reasons, and even the fact that he gave a few of them complete personalities! He said it really allowed him to have some creative freedom - including the freedom to be schizophrenic! LOL
It got me thinking..
How often do you see a post and simply click to read it, without noticing who posted it? Or, how often do you see who posted it (first) and THEN read it? How often might one pre-judge a post simply based on WHO posted it? I'm sure we all do all of the above..
I created a few aliases for these specific reasons: 1) I wanted the message read without FOCUS (or distraction) on who the messenger was; 2)I wanted to convey thoughts without them bearing GENDER, and 3) the message was regarding delicately 'hot' topics that didn't need certain eyes drawn to ME.
Now, none of these had any bad intent, or was 'hiding', but more akin to finding a secret admirer note in your locker - it's the message that mattered, not the messenger. (make sense?)
So, sometimes those are reasons why people write using an alias.

Also, there may be a question on the boards directed at either the ladies or the gents and the providers might feel that answering using their known handle would be career suicide, but that the answer was important enough for them to respond, and same for the guys. I don't find those posts to be cowardly (imo) but cautious, and even considerate.


and then I'll post for today..

After you've read what I wrote a year ago, you might have more understanding as to why people write under aliases. Here's a few more:

1) Providers and Hobbyists alike have 'others' who read the boards and don't want to be recognized by those viewers
2) P's and H's alike don't want to be recognized by their clients or ATF's..
3) Sheer anonymity ( apart from, but including 1 and 2)
4) Cowardice; or ability to be confrontational in an anonymous way
5) Shy when it comes to speaking or posting publicly therefore they 'hide' behind an alias, and feel freer to write their thoughts and not be judged. More power to them! Whatever gets them to write their thoughts and feelings and freely express!

For reasons #4, which tends to be least favorable, even that can be understood and respected because people might want to voice their opinion without their 'voice' hampering their opportunities in this Game.

Others enjoy the creativity and alter-ego fun of having mutliple 'personalities' (like double lives??), and that alone, is fun.

Honestly, other than being cowardly, it IS no big deal..
And have you noticed, NONE of my reasons had anything to DO with LE.

(just my opinion, of course)

-- Modified on 8/21/2004 7:15:31 PM

Hey Sedona - Your response to my question seems to be perfectly reasonable.  I definitely understand all the reason you mention including the coward factor.  I am REALLY confused though and I appologize in advance if I seem stoopid but you posted the following - http://theeroticreview.com/msgboard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=27009&boardID=7&page=1.

and these by NautiusMax -
http://theeroticreview.com/msgboard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=27009&boardID=7&page=1.
AND THIS
http://theeroticreview.com/msgboard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=26736&boardID=7&page=1.
AND THIS
http://theeroticreview.com/msgboard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=26509&boardID=7&page=1.


As I read those threads, it seems like an alias is the scourge of the earth.

So can you help me reconcile what you said in that post with your response to this post as they seem to contradict each other.  

is for members to post without showing a link to their reviews.

How the heck do you people know when someone is using an alias or not?  

When you click to read a posting, if it's an alias, there is no little yellow envelope next to the name.  
(and therefore you cannot send a personal message to an alias)

-- Modified on 8/22/2004 5:29:48 AM

I've been saying the same things repeatedly for the last couple of years, just not as clearly or as eloqunetly.

The one unnaceptable use of an alias is when cheap shot artists use it as a place to fire from ambush.  Then, as some of you know, I'm merciless.

Nautius says he would PM the guy but can't because he wrote under an alias. When you write under an alias, the little yellow envelope is not present - it's only there under your TER Username. You use the envelope to PM somebody..

Nobody, who understands the nature and motives of many inquirers would be 'right' to answer inquiries done under an alias. It's very important to know 'who' is asking a question, so you can determine best as to 'why' they are asking. Inquiries are not always innocent nor with the best intentions. Therefore, you better know who you're talking to!
Hopefully, for example, if someone PM'd you, asking about so-n-so, you wouldn't respond if you weren't quite sure who the person was that was asking, right?
This is a very discrete hobby, and loose lips sink ships..

Does that help?

Ah, I get it.  With the real TER handle, you definitely know who you are talking to.  I feel so silly asking such a question.  Thanks for the input Sedona - sounds like you have this all figured out.  

My comments are near the bottom of the thread. Please excuse my typing mistakes.



http://theeroticreview.com/msgBoard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=16974&boardID=3&page=5

Thanks scampr and everyone else for the exchange of info.  After reading the Vegas thread, I totally see that this a very black-and-white issue with many.  

I for one don't post under an alias, but have no issue answering questions from alias posters.  I have zero respect for those who take pot-shots under an alias.  I may not always agree with the more vocal providers, but I'm not afraid to back-it-up with my real handle.  If someone wants to snipe at me, I subscribe to the 'give them enough rope ...' theory.  As they keep 'vocalizing', more and more can see what type of person they are.

I've been involved on all sides of this hobby for nearly 20 years and am here to help anyone I can.  You won't see any recent reviews by me on this site but that's a whole different subject.  

A couple 'take aways', then I'm thru.  1. Even though someone uses a real TER handle (as opposed to alias), you have NO CLUE who is at the keyboard and 2. As I said in another thread, where someone was not being nice (IMHO)to an alias's question - "We are all on the same team."