Changing my forum name

[VNwalking]

Hello, everyone,
Now that the summer's quiet time is finishing, it's a joy to be back here - at least as time allows.
And a change. I'm needing to be a bit more private so I'm taking a new forum name effective as soon as Ivar can conveniently manage it. I don't know if the name I've requested is available or not, but the avatar will remain the same, for the foreseeable future...
Sorry for the possible confusion and thanks for your understanding!
V

 

[Kanga]

@VNwalking let's see if we can guess it is you when you start posting under the new name! I think it is fine to change the name, but please don't change the persona.

 

[VNwalking]

Well, that would be much harder than changing the name - this persona is a rut that changes reluctantly if at all.
Thanks, @Kanga, for your kind words and for all you do here...And I do hope that PF is improving!

 

[Kanga]

Yes, @VNwalking I think I'm set to go again! Contemplating plane tickets, my bank account, my grandchildren who want me here, and my need for some contemplation and fitness. Maybe a shortish camino.

 

[VNwalking]

I think I'm set to go again! Contemplating plane tickets, my bank account, my grandchildren who want me here, and my need for some contemplation and fitness. Maybe a shortish camino.

Fantastic news. Buen Camino, whenever and wherever it is!

 

[C clearly]

Now that the summer's quiet time is finishing, it's a joy to be back here - at least as time allows.

Glad you're back!

 

[VNwalking]

Thanks. Me too. (Though it was very nice to be quiet, I must say...)

 

[David]

How exciting - hmmm, what will it be ... an anagram of your current name is ..., but you know that already.

 

[VNwalking]

an anagram of your current name is..., but you know that already.

It is too. Ha! If I'd noticed that...oh, well (what I requested was not remotely clever...).
Good one, as usual, @David! Thanks for the enlightening revelation, it's made my evening over here.

 

[Bradypus]

How exciting - hmmm, what will it be ... an anagram of your current name is Nirvana, but you know that already.

So when a new member KurtCobain or TeenSpirit appears we will know who it really is

 

[VNwalking]

I so wish I had your sense of humor, @Bradypus. Something to cultivate...I didn't even think about it. Could have been MileyCyprus or JustinBieber (as different from me as I can imagine), or even Prince.
Geez. Lost opportunities to try on different alter-egos. You're all going to be super disappointed at my lack of imagination.

 

[David]

You could change it to 'Benefits' - then we could all be 'friends with benefits' ??

 

[Harington]

Hello, everyone,
Now that the summer's quiet time is finishing, it's a joy to be back here - at least as time allows.
And a change. I'm needing to be a bit more private so I'm taking a new forum name effective as soon as Ivar can conveniently manage it. I don't know if the name I've requested is available or not, but the avatar will remain the same, for the foreseeable future...
Sorry for the possible confusion and thanks for your understanding!
V

Now there's a coincidence! I have just asked Ivar to change my forum name as well. I have always appeared as "Sir John harington", though I am female. I was nervous at one point before one particular Camino about announcing where I would be when, so took a male name. Now I have asked to be known purely as "Harington."

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I so wish I had your sense of humor, @Bradypus. Something to cultivate...I didn't even think about it. Could have been MileyCyprus or JustinBieber (as different from me as I can imagine), or even Prince.
Geez. Lost opportunities to try on different alter-egos. You're all going to be super disappointed at my lack of imagination.

You should have opened a forum survey asking for ideas and a final vote. Glad you are back.

 

[t2andreo]

For anyone thinking about a forum name change, let me relate my experience. When I joined the forum originally, in late 2012, I used my real name as my forum name.

Soon afterwards, I learned that a Google or Bing search would expose everything I ever wrote in the forum, and every thread I participated in, to literally anyone who knew my real name. Just as an FYI and BTW, Ivar has the forum piped out to social media platforms on the back end. I have no issue with that, but knowing it at the very beginning would have helped. I have since closed all my social media accounts out of privacy and personal security issues, NOT related to this issue.

I do not know about the rest of you, but my forum family here, and my larger Camino family are not something I choose to share with the world, writ large. As I consider all of you my extended family, I confide things here and discuss matters that I would not normally expose to public view or comment.

Some of you may disagree with this, but throughout my life I have relied on colleagues in arms, so to speak. They have nurtured, protected and covered me when needed. I am only still here today because of their sacrifices, friendship and loyalty. I return that loyalty, friendship, compassion and charity whenever possible. I know that if I ever lost everything I own and dear to me at home, I would still have this community.

I know this sounds odd and very saccharine. But, for those of you reading this who have not yet walked a Camino, walk a few hundred kilometers in the boots of me, or of any veteran peregrino here in the forum, and you will come to understand what I am trying to explain.

Ergo, I quickly asked Ivar to change my user name. The one I use now is simply the first ever e-mail address I was ever assigned at work. Back in the day, all e-mail addresses had to comport with the MS-DOS 8.x file naming format. That is 8 alphanumeric characters followed by the @ symbol.

So, my first-ever e-mail name and forum "handle" is devised by using the "t" from the first letter of my given name. The "andreo" is the first six letters of my family name.

As my parents did not bestow a middle name on me, I was assigned the number "2" to mark that required place in the now-obsolete file-naming nomenclature. It is "2" and not "1," as I was the second person in the worldwide organization with the same first initial and beginning of the family name. I know, boring, but true.

Just thought this might help others...

 

[nycwalking]

For anyone thinking about a forum name change, let me relate my experience. When I joined the forum originally, in late 2012, I used my real name as my forum name.

Soon afterwards, I learned that a Google or Bing search would expose everything I ever wrote in the forum, and every thread I participated in, to literally anyone who knew my real name. Just as an FYI and BTW, Ivar has the forum piped out to social media platforms on the back end. I have no issue with that, but knowing it at the very beginning would have helped. I have since closed all my social media accounts out of privacy and personal security issues, NOT related to this issue.

I do not know about the rest of you, but my forum family here, and my larger Camino family are not something I choose to share with the world, writ large. As I consider all of you my extended family, I confide things here and discuss matters that I would not normally expose to public view or comment.

Some of you may disagree with this, but throughout my life I have relied on colleagues in arms, so to speak. They have nurtured, protected and covered me when needed. I am only still here today because of their sacrifices, friendship and loyalty. I return that loyalty, friendship, compassion and charity whenever possible. I know that if I ever lost everything I own and dear to me at home, I would still have this community.

I know this sounds odd and very saccharine. But, for those of you reading this who have not yet walked a Camino, walk a few hundred kilometers in the boots of me, or of any veteran peregrino here in the forum, and you will come to understand what I am trying to explain.

Ergo, I quickly asked Ivar to change my user name. The one I use now is simply the first ever e-mail address I was ever assigned at work. Back in the day, all e-mail addresses had to comport with the MS-DOS 8.x file naming format. That is 8 alphanumeric characters followed by the @ symbol.

So, my first-ever e-mail name and forum "handle" is devised by using the "t" from the first letter of my given name. The "andreo" is the first six letters of my family name.

As my parents did not bestow a middle name on me, I was assigned the number "2" to mark that required place in the now-obsolete file-naming nomenclature. It is "2" and not "1," as I was the second person in the worldwide organization with the same first initial and beginning of the family name. I know, boring, but true.

Just thought this might help others...

I always thought forum name had something to do with Star Wars movie franchise.

 

[Seabird]

As my parents did not bestow a middle name on me, I was assigned the number "2" to mark that required place in the now-obsolete file-naming nomenclature. It is "2" and not "1," as I was the second person in the worldwide organization with the same first initial and beginning of the family name. I know, boring, but true.

Interesting bit of history! I had forgotten those old conventions, even though I studied computer science back when giant machines used punch cards......

 

[VNwalking]

You should have opened a forum survey asking for ideas and a final vote. Glad you are back.

Thank you, Anemone.
Clearly I should have posted this thread before I wrote to Ivar.
So far no word back from him, so it's still the old name this morning...

 

[WGroleau]

let's see if we can guess it is you when you start posting under the new name!

Well, since the change is for reasons of privacy, perhaps we should do our guessing silently.

 

[Kanga]

Well, since the change is for reasons of privacy, perhaps we should do our guessing silently.

Yes, good point!

 

[Desert Bruce]

I have wanted to change my Forum user name but haven't known how to go about it. I have probably missed a very obvious way to contact Ivar, but still can't find it. So my question is: How does one go about changing their Forum user name?

 

[VNwalking]

I wrote Ivar a personal message and he said he could do it, not problemo. (Hit the button under your name at the top right of the page that says 'conversations' and then 'start a conversation.')
So far no response, but he's a busy guy. I have faith.

Well, since the change is for reasons of privacy, perhaps we should do our guessing silently.

Well, the change should be traceable here for those who care to look - as all my old posts will get the new name and the avatar won't change. So guess to your hearts' content...it's 'out there' that is more of a concern.

 

[Felipe]

Yes, it could have been convenient to know in advance that every post in this forum is searchable and viewable from Google. I am not particularly worried, but I was not happy when I discovered it.
Maybe it is announced somewhere in the sign up form, and at the time I did not notice or cared about it -this could be possible.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Knowing all of this about security makes me want to take on a much more boring and anonymous user name....

 

[VNwalking]

Lets drive @ivar around the bend and all change our names.
It might be interesting. We wouldn't have any preconceptions of each other (at least for the first day or so...).

 

[jdpiguet]

Even smarter: to have a function which randomly mix all names every few months... But keep the avatars, so we have to learn to identify peoples by pictogram instead of names...
BTW, I was convinced that Viranani is a real name...

Buen Camino, Jacques-D.

 

[hel&scott]

Okay let's not drive Ivar crazy with our requests, he and the moderators are at pains to point out that the forum is a public site and anyone can read what is posted, which is why it also provides a private message function for things we don't want to share with the world at large.

I feel sorry for anyone who bothers to stalk my postings, it would be a weird mix of beer, beards, hairy legs and the perils of vegemite.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Okay let's not drive Ivar crazy with our requests, he and the moderators are at pains to point out that the forum is a public site and anyone can read what is posted, which is why it also provides a private message function for things we don't want to share with the world at large.

I feel sorry for anyone who bothers to stalk my postings, it would be a weird mix of beer, beards, hairy legs and the perils of vegemite.

(hot buttered toast with a thin spread of vegemite...mmm! instant hangover cure)

 

[KinkyOne]

...
I feel sorry for anyone who bothers to stalk my postings, it would be a weird mix of beer, beards, hairy legs and the perils of vegemite.

You described me perfectly

 

[Tia Valeria]

interestingly regarding privacy. Our names are partly disguised, but it is the reason for our avatars being drawings and not photos of ourselves. They too can be 'tracked' if tagged.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

interestingly regarding privacy. Our names are partly disguised, but it is the reason for our avatars being drawings and not photos of ourselves. They too can be 'tracked' if tagged.

Important to have different avatar than our pic on FB,because then people can make the connection.

 

[Sailor]

Good conversation. Plenty of good reasons to use boring and anonymous user names [such as "Sailor" as there are about one million of those just here in the United States], same goes for the avatar. However, that is a personal decision for everyone to make. Buena suerte y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[ivar]

Hello, everyone,
Now that the summer's quiet time is finishing, it's a joy to be back here - at least as time allows.
And a change. I'm needing to be a bit more private so I'm taking a new forum name effective as soon as Ivar can conveniently manage it. I don't know if the name I've requested is available or not, but the avatar will remain the same, for the foreseeable future...
Sorry for the possible confusion and thanks for your understanding!
V

This is like baptism... You shall from her on be calles: VNwalking

 

[Sailor]

Actually, I like it [the new name]!

Good luck, que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino

 

[VNwalking]

What a lovely image, @ivar ! (And thank you, by the way!)
I am risen anew!
Buen Camino, everyone. And if you want to be reborn in this Forum space, for whatever reason, Ivar can effect that transformation.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Important to have different avatar than our pic on FB,because then people can make the connection.

Better still, don't do Facebook , but thanks for making this point about different avatars.

 

[HedaP]

Important to have different avatar than our pic on FB,because then people can make the connection.

Ohhh what the heck? So do I change my avatar here or on facebook? Decisions, decisions! In fact I think my avatar is also part of my google identity. And to think I was pleased that @VNwalking was back. Now where's that jolly camera?

 

[VNwalking]

Haha. Soooorrrry, @HedaP. Well, you can take your favorite camimo pic and use that here. I'm noticing a few new avatars today. Nice ones.

 

[HedaP]

Haha. Soooorrrry, @HedaP. Well, you can take your favorite camimo pic and use that here. I'm noticing a few new avatars today. Nice ones.

This has made me realise how much of my everyday life is now seen through a camino lens. Rocked me back on my heels a bit. And I'm still saying I never want to do another one. Though a few weeks of Spanish language classes in Leon are calling me.

 

[VNwalking]

This has made me realise how much of my everyday life is now seen through a camino lens.

I think you speak for many people here when you say that, Heda. When I signed up for the Forum (after my 1st Camino), I was oblivious to that, so I naively chose a name that was close to my actual one. I was just going to ask a few questions and that would be it, right? Hence the need for a name change down the road.

Though a few weeks of Spanish language classes in Leon are calling me.

Just wait til you get there and you see all the pilgrims with their packs, and all the yellow arrows. Then you'll see just how much you don't want to do another one.

 

[hel&scott]

Knowing all of this about security makes me want to take on a much more boring and anonymous user name....

Ok, you have me stumped, your new pic looks like a Japanese maple but your location says Oregon so I would have expected a spruce... Sorry to see you hiding your smiley face under a bush, but I understand the security issue.

 

[VNwalking]

your new pic looks like a Japanese maple but your location says Oregon so I would have expected a spruce

Avatars are funny things and don't always align with people's home locations. I'm waiting to see a Kiwi with a Rimu avatar, or a silver fern or something.

 

[hel&scott]

Avatars are funny things and don't always align with people's home locations. I'm waiting to see a Kiwi with a Rimu avatar, or a silver fern or something.

Yeah, but don't expect me to be changing to a punga (fern) any time soon, I know it's a bit confusing to have Scott on my photo and name since he died but officialdom has done its best to errase him and I can't bring myself to take him off this this site, he used to like to quietly stalk the forum and I would often wake up to him on the iPad mumbling about some thread and saying it was time we were off on the road again.

 

[VNwalking]

officialdom has done its best to erase him and I can't bring myself to take him off this this site

Perfectly understandable, Hel...I didn't mean to point a finger at you personally; it was more of a generic comment. Sorry if I caused any offense.

 

[hel&scott]

Perfectly understandable, Hel...I didn't mean to point a finger at you personally; it was more of a generic comment. Sorry if I caused any offense.

No offence taken, I took your comment in the spirit it was given.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Ok, you have me stumped, your new pic looks like a Japanese maple but your location says Oregon so I would have expected a spruce... Sorry to see you hiding your smiley face under a bush, but I understand the security issue.

My avatar is, I'm quite sure, a Norwegian Maple! And it is right here on my home property, in the late autumn, my favorite season.

This particular tree got chewed on by a giant beaver a few years ago, and we thought that we were going to lose it. Fortunately, it came back.

Here on the homestead, we have W. Red Cedars, Pines, Ash, all sorts of maple trees--including three very large Japanese red maples--Weeping Willows (three of those), White Fir, Big Leaf Maple, and at least four Birch trees, a large variety of fruit trees (plum, cherry, pear, apple, Asian pear), and that's just off the top of my head.

I love trees very much

 

[WGroleau]

interestingly regarding privacy. Our names are partly disguised, but it is the reason for our avatars being drawings and not photos of ourselves. They too can be 'tracked' if tagged.

Folks, it takes a heck of a lot of work and some knowledge about the web to keep from being tracked. Google and Facebook are NSA's biggest competitors, but unlike NSA, they are only too happy to tell the rest of the world what they know about you. And there are search engines in China and Russia (and elsewhere) that ignore requests to not track. After more than thirty years in information systems, I know how to not be tracked, but frankly, I don't have the time or energy to apply this knowledge.

 

[hel&scott]

I love trees very much

Thanks for the explanation, sounds like you have a lovely property. One of the many things I like about the Camino are the wooded sections, from live oaks on the Vdp to the old chestnuts in Galicia. We have 1000 walnuts on our farm and a host of exotics and natives, most of which we have planted, luckily no beavers around to gnaw on them.

 

[Walton]

Interesting bit of history! I had forgotten those old conventions, even though I studied computer science back when giant machines used punch cards......

Ah - memories of my old student days - punch cards and cobol. Thank you for the memory Seabird.

Off topic anecdote -----

We had to leave our painstakingly prepared punch cards rubber banded, outside an office in a box for the computer guru to put them through. For those that don't know, the cards had to be in the correct order otherwise the code read from them wouldn't make much sense to a computer.

It wasn't unknown for somebody (probably another student) to mischeviously swap a couple of cards around before they were fed into the computer- hence the saying - Garbage in = Garbage out! There go the grades!

Back to the topic ----

Ivar changed my forum name in 2016 because I had a personal policy of always using my real name. Nothing to hide - right?

This keeps my comments honest and makes me think before I post, of the possible consequences of perhaps unintentionally hurting the feelings of others, upsetting someone or perhaps being sued. So my real name was origionally used.

I was a Tourism lecturer of sorts, and every year I would invite the police to give a lecture about security and other matters to my final year tourism and event management students. I learned that Police generally advise that it is best that you keep your going away plans to only those who need to know.

Professional burglars scan social media, newspapers, perhaps forums like this looking for details of holiday plans. Incidentally, burglars also scan funeral and death notices as well.

Anyway, the thought occurred, that by using my real name, I was possibly advertising our intentions to be away for an eight week period, so I asked Ivar to change my name. Asking questions about the Francis on this forum would make it obvious to any reader that we were about to depart for a lengthy trip away and that our home would be unoccupied.

Being the gentleman that he is, he kindly did so.