You were told never to give your real name or any identifying info on the internet. It wasn't until facebook that people started using their real name in droves. Another reason to despise facebook.
Lots of people used their real name on the internet early on. Some didn't, especially if discussing particularly sensitive or controversial things, certainly, but most of my early conversations online were with people using their real names.
When I first got on irc in '94, I often exchanged name and phone numbers with people within hours of talking to them, and more than once I met people in real life within hours of talking to them. Nobody batted an eyelid at that at the time.
The panic over people giving out their real name started first years later, especially as people started getting worried about strangers talking to children more than anything.
> When I first got on irc in '94, I often exchanged name and phone numbers with people within hours of talking to them, and more than once I met people in real life within hours of talking to them.
But you didn't use your name as your nick did you? I never did. The same thing with BBS.
> The panic over people giving out their real name started first years later
No. Even before the media generated panic ( of primarily AOL ), you weren't encouraged to use your real name. Of course after you talked to people and got to know them, nothing stopped you from exchanging numbers. But that wasn't the norm.
I can't believe you brought up irc. There is a reason why in irc you used your "nick". The culture of irc was anonymity. IRC clients and many channels discouraged using your real name.
> But you didn't use your name as your nick did you? I never did.
Many of us did, many didn't but left their real name readily accessible by e.g. making our e-mail visible and having Finger enabled.
> The same thing with BBS.
Most of the BBS's I used asked for real names, and from meeting people at BBS meets I know most of the people I spoke to on BBS's were truthful.
> No. Even before the media generated panic ( of primarily AOL ), you weren't encouraged to use your real name. Of course after you talked to people and got to know them, nothing stopped you from exchanging numbers. But that wasn't the norm.
Again, completely counter to my experience. You weren't "encouraged" in most cases, so much as copied what other people did, and most people around me used our real names all over the place.
> I can't believe you brought up irc. There is a reason why in irc you used your "nick". The culture of irc was anonymity. IRC clients and many channels discouraged using your real name.
Not the ones I spent most of my time on. That became more prevalent later, and in certain circles. Certainly if you were spreading warez etc., yes.
You were told never to give your real name or any identifying info on the internet. It wasn't until facebook that people started using their real name in droves. Another reason to despise facebook.