Using another person's real name as a "handle"

It's possible the forum member changed their handle. I know I saw it previously before though. And no, it didn't upset me.

 

Legally my name is James, but I have not willingly been James since third grade.
My grampa Jim was "Slim', my uncle Jim was "Jimmy", my father Jim was "JJ". I have been Jimbo these 59 years.

Last Thanksgiving the last of these gentlemen died and I could take over being Jim Palmer, but.

While I was in college there were 7 'famous' Jim Palmers in the US. (a pitcher, and astronomer, and a trucker leap to mind now) While there are very few Jimbo Palmers (the other one on FaceBook is from Jamaca)

At my first employer there were 21 programmers, 7 of which were named Jim. Being Jimbo seemed to keep the confusion at a minimum.

I have Credit Cards as Jimbo, as Jim , as James, and as James J, the one I use most says Jimbo.

Am I useing my legal name? No, that is James. (Eww)

 

Is this person is somehow committing crimes or profiting from the use of that name? I'd guess no, so doubt there are any legal problems.

 

"Easy"....I can't tell you what to be offended by or what NOT to be offended by...

But misspelling the name aside? I would assume that perhaps the person chose the handle "Dale Earnhardt" perhaps because they liked him and respected him and as an act of tribute, more than for any reason meant to sully his memory.

Or maybe they thought "Dale Earnhardt" posting in a Prius forum was "Funny" .....I don't really know.

But in either case, unless that person is advancing themselves AS the original? Real name, fake name, or EE. Cummings Poem, I assume a handle is a handle is a handle.

I don't really care if someone wants to use a their real name, fake name or make something up they like. THIS MIGHT BE THE ONLY EXCEPTION:

I've seen this happen in various sports team forums, where a troll will register with a popular regulars handle but just one letter off, and post a whole bunch of nonsense "as that person". Especially in forums where perhaps there are NOT big accompanying avatars this can become very confusing and do a lot of damage.

That's different to me, and should be discouraged or not allowed, because that is "impersonation" with intent to upset the real "person" and do damage to reputation.

 

LOL! I'm starting to see where the problem is.

 

Are you certain that the name in question does not belong to him?

On a people search, I'm finding lots of people with that name. It is as common as my own name.

Add in an intentional misspelling, and it is no longer a 'real name'.,

 

As I said, I can't tell you what to be offended by or what NOT to be offended by.

You obviously have a LOT of respect for Dale Earnhardt. So seeing someone use his "name" as a handle bothers you. What would you do if he was obviously NOT THE Dale Earnhardt... (rest in peace) but his name happened to be Dale Earnhardt?

OK I say I can't tell you what NOT to waste time being offended by....but in this case I'm going to say...let it go. Unless the poster is advancing himself AS the original or The Ghost of The Original...then it's just a handle. Ignore it.

A lot of forums have people choosing handles of celebrities both living and dead. I assume the guy posting as "Elvis" isn't REALLY Elvis and take no offense to the choice.

My real name is NOT The Electric Me, and I don't have a girlfriend named Trixie and/or drive the Mach 5. I assume these revelations will not offend anyone.

In the end, it's just a handle and just an avatar.

PS. Unless you are Peter Fonda or Dennis Hopper I would like to suggest you stop calling yourself Easy Rider. That's an Iconic Movie, Dennis Hopper has passed away, and I'm not sure you're worthy of assuming it's title. I'm just kidding.

 

If names were actually unique identifiers, then I'd be more likely to side with you.

But in our country, very few people have unique names. Website administrators really have no practical ability to determine which 30 or 100 or 1000 or 10,000 people actually have a particular name, so name enforcement would be essentially impossible.

I used to work for the same company as Bill Gates. No, not that Bill Gates, but another one, also an engineer, and more senior than the one you probably thought of. He should not have to go through extra hoops to use his correct name on web sites, just because he is overshadowed by some youngster who became far more famous.

 

how do we know you are who you claim you are? please post a picture including your face, your prius, your driver's license and a dated newspaper.

 

over 40 fuzzy1's?a dating newspaper?

 

The Greenwood Commonwealth: E-Edition
May 5th page A03 has my face, my Prius, and is a dated newspaper (I am awarding a Lions Club Scholarship to an area senior in almost the center of the page) No Drivers license but I did sign the Scholarship certificate. I think it is behind a paywall, but I managed 3 out of 4.

But understand, I am not this Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
or this Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer Trucking - Home

 

This thread's ridiculous.