An Open Letter To New Members to the Forum

[musketman]

I noticed that a lot of new members filling out their profile during sign-up are just putting down their screen name and that's it... :boohoo:

We forum members are not a bunch of bad guys and gals here, so fill out those profiles and let us know where you live, what you like, and if you dare, your birthday... :redface:

We have members from every state and several countries, but we don't know where YOU live...

You can always go into the "MY HOME" section and up-date your profile, we are all friends here and want to get to know YOU better... :winking:

 

[bob1961]

very well said, and the truth....i'm going to look at mine right now to see if i filled it out fully...........bob

 

[Rancocas]

At least for me, I don't think that is a good idea. Its not that I'm hiding, but I see no reason to make it any easier for certain people to find me. I have enemies. I have no way of knowing who may be looking at this site.

You may want to try typing your own name into the search engine and see what comes up. I was surprized to see my name come up on a military unit reunion website - there for all the world to see what I had been doing! My brother is there, connected with his job. My son is there, connected with his job. My daughter is there on a list of Cub Scout den mothers. My wife is there on a political list.
There were also a dozen or so pages of "hits" on my same last name, but of people who are no relation to me; and I have a very uncommon last name.
None of us intentionally put our names onto anything that we thought would get on a computer - but there it is! It all may be on harmless websites, but it amounts to a cyber trail for anyone who may want to keep track of you.
You may, or may not, find yourself there.
I'm a retired criminal investigator who did fraud investigations. Maybe I'm just paranoid now, but I am extremely cautious when it comes to protecting the identity of myself and my family.

"Rancocas" is the name of the creek that I grew up near. I have many good memories of days and nights spent around, and in, that creek. I like the sound of it - ran-co-cas. It is a Lenape Indian word meaning "amber water".

 

[Claude Mathis]

At least for me, I don't think that is a good idea. Its not that I'm hiding, but I see no reason to make it any easier for certain people to find me. I have enemies. I have no way of knowing who may be looking at this site.

I don't think Musketman was suggesting that we use real names. At least I didn't read his post that way.

I understand and respect your point of view, that's why we allow "screen names" or "public names", but no one is going to locate you through this web site if you list your city or state. Unless of course, you are the only person in that city or state. :winking:

 

[Zonie]

Even if you have an unusual real name your use of the "screen name" would make it difficult if not impossible for someone to know it is you unless you told people in your area what that name was.

I can see where even with the screen name, if you live in a small town, people who know you or your hobby might be able to figure out who you were but if your concerned with that happening, you can just list a big city in your area. If that's not enough, just listing something like NE Iowa or Lower Miss. River Delta, which gives a general idea of your whareabouts makes talking with you thru this forum a little more enjoyable and a little easier to identify with you.

 

[musketman]

All I wanted was a state or location, because (as older members know) I made a list of how many members per state we have on this forum...

If you feel I was trying to find out personal info on each member, that was NOT my intention...

See old post: http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1961&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
and you will see why...

 

[Rancocas]

Ok. I see that you (Musketman) and some others do give your real names on here, and I assumed that is what you meant.
No problamo.
I have my location listed. To be even more specific; I'm on the sunset side of Chilhowee Mountain, just a little northwest of Big Frog, near where the Ocoee meets the Hiwassee.

 

[musketman]

Rancocas: Please keep in mind that this was an open letter, not directed at anyone in general...

Please rest assured that I was not pointing you out...

I was hoping to update the members location post, that is all...

We also have members from Canada, Europe and Africa...

Oddly enough, New Zealand is big on muzzleloading and we have no members from there yet...

 

[Rancocas]

No, no. I didn't think that you were singling me out.
Know what? I think I'm going to go right now and write something in my Bio.

 

[Sawmax]

Have just found this forum and immediately signed up. Am on a mission for my wife - she is a school teacher and is trying to find an organization that has a box of mountain men/fur trade paraphenalia they loan to teachers for use in the classroom on history projects. She knows such an organization exists as I found their web site, told her about it and now can't find it again. Anyone know about such a group?

 

[sse]

I'm just this side of over there.

sse