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Martyr
11-17-2006, 07:10 AM
I had an old screen name for an old forum once, and i looked it up, randomly, after the screen name had been changed completely and the forum abandoned for years, and as many posts as I posted under that name came up on Google and many other search engines.

basically, if I ever go by that name, and then get googled, everybody will find out that forum aspect of me from way back then. And I was kind of a chump back then, if you get me.

I looked up Xavierlonique, from my profile here, and it came up on Google. The only listing for Xavierlonique, and it nailed a tiny little last name from my tiny profile in all the web.

How does it feel, to think that these names you use, which may have been creative at one point, may be something you can't really use again, even if you think they've ben erased.

Or am I the only person who has a problem with this since ya'll wisely named yourselves Black Mage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10 etc...

blackmage_nuke
11-17-2006, 07:34 AM
Or am I the only person who has a problem with this since ya'll wisely named yourselves Black Mage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10 etc...amateurs

but what is the chance someone but you would google your name, and if 2 accounts came up you can always deny it was you

Martyr
11-17-2006, 07:42 AM
Since it's irrelevant here,

The old screen name has 100 finds on Google, and more for other places. It was to be an ultimate web identity, especially if I started a web business. Now I gotta be more creative, which really isn't too big of a deal, at all, but still...

I won't reveal the name because it's still a link to my identity, and it's also my password here.

but if you want my password, I'll change it and publicize it for everybody. That isn't my concern

NorthernChaosGod
11-17-2006, 08:06 AM
I don't remember my first forum name I used, but my second one is mistaken to be messed up Japanese characters. :(

It really doesn't matter.

Cloudane
11-17-2006, 11:49 AM
It's quite scary really. Everyone knows my internet name, and if say my employer went scouring around it could lead to a lot of trouble and embarrassment :p

Actually, if anyone was thorough enough they could probably find, shall we say, quite a compromising picture of me out there :eek:

Use multiple screen names, people. Or better still, don't act an ass on the internet :D

Iceglow
11-17-2006, 12:01 PM
If searching my history of screen names, one would probably fail to turn up results as it was merely a counter strike name I used for a while. If searching the second one I used (Fallen_angel_666) then you'll get about a million hits as the screen name is VERY common, enough said I only ever had a hotmail account, and a few forum ones including here actually. I still don't know why that screen name doesn't show up in my formerly known as part on my profile but it should do after all this is the same account I registered with. My alternative at that time was fallen1 (or variations of that, no underscore, underscore before 1, l33t speak ect) I used that for about 3 months before I got bored to tears with it. I then changed to Flawed_fallen_angel_666 or Flawed_fallen_angel I used these for about a year and became shortened to FFA so eventually as with all my screen names the numbers disappeared. I changed that screen name to Lasuria, Lasuria was my character on a game and my admin name there. I used this for a long time (about 2 years) It gave me a large number of hits last time I bothered looking. The current one Iceglow was originally a password that I used in places. I stopped using it when I changed e-mail address and screen name. The reason for changing it? I wanted to break away from the game I played as Lasuria.

Though I don't doubt people hunting about would find things to embarass me on the net.

Timerk
11-17-2006, 12:02 PM
I know there are some employers who ask for your internet screen name(s) on job applications now, so it is something to be aware of.

Cloudane
11-17-2006, 12:04 PM
I'd use a fake one in a job application. I'm not that daft :D

Christmas
11-17-2006, 12:06 PM
I used to be called RIKKUYUNA&PAINE69. :bigsmile:

Peegee
11-17-2006, 12:09 PM
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=blackgoku+pureghetto&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=pureghetto&btnG=Search&meta=

etc

(btw I think google.ca will fail if americans click it -- change it to google.com or something)

Bizarre esoteric references can be found by searching my screen name. BTW I also exist on ratemybody.com as a black guy who likes to compliment women o.O

Loony BoB
11-17-2006, 12:10 PM
I'd say over 90% of the valid results (ie, not stuff like "that was loony, bob" for "Loony BoB" are me. Certainly anything with two capital B's. You can find out which other forums I'm registered at, and find my journal and a few other things, but nothing amazingly special.

Nominus Experse
11-17-2006, 12:10 PM
I know there are some employers who ask for your internet screen name(s) on job applications now, so it is something to be aware of.

I don't see how they ought to have rights to such a thing. Having a screen name ensures your anomynity and privacy on the net. Your usage and antics while on the net are your own - it's part of your personal life.

I don't see what grounds employers have to pull that one.

I Googled my screen name, and it came up with 432 results, most of which are from this forum. In fact, I would say that over 96% of them are from this site. The others are from Deviant ART, Myspace, and from the obscure compliment given by a friend who is a member of several other forums.

Hell, it's to the point where I can simply type in my screen name and be taken immediately to my Member Profile here.

Cloudane
11-17-2006, 12:10 PM
I like the '69' idea, but I'm not sure how it works with the 3 of them
:D

{/mind-in-gutter}

Martyr
11-17-2006, 12:18 PM
I know there are some employers who ask for your internet screen name(s) on job applications now, so it is something to be aware of.

I don't see how they ought to have rights to such a thing. Having a screen name ensures your anomynity and privacy on the net. Your usage and antics while on the net are your own - it's part of your personal life.

I don't see what grounds employers have to pull that one.

See, that's the thing, nothing assures privacy and anonymity. Already, if I knew how, I could detect your IP address, which MUST be streamed across the net in order for you to access the net, and that address is linked to your individual computer, and your individual computer is linked to your individual accounts which are linked to you as an individual. Hackers and governments alike can figure this kind of thing out, because this so-called confidential information can be very easily compromised, or so I've heard, if the right price is put up. But apparently even that isn't necessary.

What I'm saying is, in 20 years somebody who looks up my old screen name can probably link it's IP of the post to my family computer at the time, and then i'd have to come forward and admit my, well, not crimes, but my childish and outlandish opinions. Not to mention hobbies (Would you want a president, for example, who played Final Fantasy up to age 21? I don't think so.)

Nominus Experse
11-17-2006, 12:27 PM
I know there are some employers who ask for your internet screen name(s) on job applications now, so it is something to be aware of.

I don't see how they ought to have rights to such a thing. Having a screen name ensures your anomynity and privacy on the net. Your usage and antics while on the net are your own - it's part of your personal life.

I don't see what grounds employers have to pull that one.

See, that's the thing, nothing assures privacy and anonymity. Already, if I knew how, I could detect your IP address, which MUST be streamed across the net in order for you to access the net, and that address is linked to your individual computer, and your individual computer is linked to your individual accounts which are linked to you as an individual. Hackers and governments alike can figure this kind of thing out, because this so-called confidential information can be very easily compromised, or so I've heard, if the right price is put up. But apparently even that isn't necessary.

What I'm saying is, in 20 years somebody who looks up my old screen name can probably link it's IP of the post to my family computer at the time, and then i'd have to come forward and admit my, well, not crimes, but my childish and outlandish opinions. Not to mention hobbies (Would you want a president, for example, who played Final Fantasy up to age 21? I don't think so.)

It is odd, and somewhat disturbing in some ways. They say that the internet is an ever-changing, evolving thing, but I have noticed that some seemingly obscure things never seem to leave. Such things could later on spell trouble...

And if I knew that a president played FF up until 21, it wouldn't bother me much. If anything, it'd be a fun thing to talk of. But I can see what you mean. What should be the past, what shouldn't be permanent suddenly is...


But how many bosses are going to have the audacity to hack into your CPU? And at that point, such a thing warrants a misdemeanor since they're trying to access your personal life.

I realize hackers and their ilk can retrieve this information through a myriad of methods, but what concerned me is this thought of employers having the supposed rights to knowing your screen name.

A screen name is part of your personal, home life - not work. I believe most would agree.

Cloudane
11-17-2006, 01:00 PM
But how many bosses are going to have the audacity to hack into your CPU?

Say what?

They don't need access to your computer to find out what screen name you tend to use. Certainly in a close community like where I live, all it'd take is for you to mention it to a friend who knows someone who works there and somehow mentions it in passing (believe me, this kind of thing happens) and it gets around and gets to your boss.

Gossip spreads very quickly in workplaces (if only relevant work-based communication spread so effectively...) - I happened to mention a job interview I had to a colleague who I thought I could trust and BAM, the whole organisation knew about it within about 2 hours. It wouldn't take much for a screen name to end up found-out.

Or you might slip up somewhere - I happened to have my screen name on my personal website (which I've changed now so that the screen name isn't mentioned). The domain name I used is the same one I use for email - the email address I put on my CV (Resume). From that they could deduce the website very easily, have a snoop around (I keep that site professional), find the screen name, google it... the rest is obvious.

And believe me, they *do* look. My boss commented on my website, so...

One other thing of interest, it'd be very trivial to any reasonably technically minded person to find out my home address.

sephirothishere
11-17-2006, 01:07 PM
i searched my name...and this forum came up...and soem dude from youtube stole my nick....bastard....

Rostum
11-17-2006, 01:07 PM
Interesting...

sephirothishere
11-17-2006, 01:09 PM
Interesting...

indeed...

Levian
11-17-2006, 01:12 PM
I've had my share of unoriginal screennames, so it would be hard to track me down, thankfully. :p Levian is my most original name (not counting Hardwood Hank.), and that ain't so original either. Apparantly there's some french jewelry store hogging all the hits on Google. :D

Giga Guess
11-17-2006, 01:20 PM
This has pretty much always been my name (The only other name I've had, I dare not search...imagine how many hits "Guess" would get...and this is the only place I've used it. Before the boards got wiped. So there's no evidence anyways! AHAHAHAHAHA!)

Fatal Impurity
11-17-2006, 01:23 PM
The feeling that one day my boos could know everything about me just because of my username makes me feel VERY dirty.....must wash the dirtyness off....o_0

fire_of_avalon
11-17-2006, 02:09 PM
That's why you have a fake back up, duh. Mine uses my full name, so it seems more professional.

And you don't HAVE to fill out anything on a job applications. If I don't tell them I frequent a final fantasy website, they never have to know.

EDIT: I just googled fire_of_avalon, and this (http://us.geocities.com/ghettoprops/drunnelolz.html) weird thing came up.

Jowy
11-17-2006, 02:59 PM
Googling my old AIM name brings up the infamous <a href=http://fflegend.com/forums/showpost.php?p=350813&postcount=12>"drunkenly talking to Ally"</a> log at FFL.

Jess
11-17-2006, 03:09 PM
Typing in "Jess" wouldn't come up with me. However typing "Jess eoff" does. :jess:

bipper
11-17-2006, 03:37 PM
I hide behind no other masks. This ego is plenty big to shield me! Bipper has been a rl nickname for life, so if you google it - you might end up finding dirt. I don't care. I am who I am, and everyone will hate me anyways :)

bipper GOES! provides more accurate results. HAHAH search bipper GOES [google] and this site comes up first. Search final fantasy and it comes up second. At least Sean has his priorities straight lol.

starseeker
11-17-2006, 06:05 PM
My old neopets nick gives me tons of links. Thank God starseeker is an amazingly common name/nick. There were 220k google results for it. (none of the first ones were me).

The Summoner of Leviathan
11-17-2006, 06:25 PM
I have a few nicknames, that I use at different places. The only connection between them is the same e-mail account.

Christmas
11-17-2006, 06:34 PM
I've had my share of unoriginal screennames, so it would be hard to track me down, thankfully. :p Levian is my most original name (not counting Hardwood Hank.), and that ain't so original either. Apparantly there's some french jewelry store hogging all the hits on Google. :D

I found your twins (http://forums.eyesonff.com/member.php?u=13686). :bigsmile:

Nominus Experse
11-17-2006, 07:10 PM
Of course, if any boss asked for my screen name, I would give them one that I haven't used for six years, along with an email that I use specifically for bussiness and the like.

It just kind of bothers me that they think such things are seemingly meant to be known by the boss. I have yet to come across it, but if and when I do, it will trouble me.

bipper
11-17-2006, 07:14 PM
I tell companies, if they ask, what my nick name is and where I have posted. I act genuinely online, and I do not see it affecting my chances of getting any job I would want. If they dun wanna hire me cause I am a conservative statical Christian, chances are I would not fit anyways. I am, for the most part, authentic where I can be.

Anaisa
11-17-2006, 07:27 PM
Not so long ago, If I put: "Anaisa" into the search, I dominated it. But now there are more people called Anaisa. I think their copying me. How dare they! :mad2:

Reles
11-17-2006, 10:46 PM
It's actually kind of useful because if you go to a livejournal search engine, you can type your screen name and find all this crazy stuff people said about you. But unfortunately reles is some kind of word in a different language? I think it was spanish, who knows really. Though, however, if I do type my complete screen name, I do come up with an EoFF page. All of my usernames are unique but I don't think my employer would be unimpressed, only maybe a bit because I spend a lot of time online.

ff7+ff10 gurl 100
11-17-2006, 10:57 PM
This was my first ever screen name. It's unique I would say, cause no one but me has it. Last time I checked anyway. Link. (http://www.google.com/search?hs=xHC&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&as_qdr=all&q=ff7+ff10+gurl+100+&btnG=Search) See. :bigsmile:

Cloudane
11-17-2006, 11:16 PM
My employer wouldn't be impressed, from the number of times I've said I'm surfing from work or told people how to bypass filters such as websense etc :p

I'm still not sure whether to phase out Cloudane for anonymity. On the one hand, I really like being identifiable from anywhere (nobody else seems to use this name). I've had people some boards say "hey, I recognise you from that other board!" and that's really really cool. I'm a noisy person on the internet and it's nice to feel one of the 'big' people in the crowd even if that's not necessarily the case.

On the other hand, it means being extremely careful of what I say and where. While I may be happy to let one small community messageboard see me naked, it doesn't mean I want the rest of the world to! Of course that's an extreme example but you know... the more people can piece you together from your various posts around the internet under the same name, the more scared you'll be when they recite just how much they know about you.

Whatever happens I'll still use the name here, as this is where it was invented, some... ooh, many many moons ago. Wow, February 2001 according to my profile, and I think it only says that because of a board wipe back then? I'm thinking I joined in about 1999/2000, I know it was a clever name for the site back then because FF8 had only just been released. Getting on for 6 years (or more) worth of my history on the internet, started HERE - wow. So even though I've been away for a while, this place is very special to me :p

Madonna
11-18-2006, 04:20 AM
How does it feel, to think that these names you use, which may have been creative at one point, may be something you can't really use again, even if you think they've ben erased.What? Why would I not be able to use an old username in a new setting? The taint of my younger days would haunt me? If anyone is embarrassed that they were an immature child at one point in their life, then they are still immature enough to think that it really matters.

Most of my usernames have been rather unique, and if I were of interest, there is enough out there on the web to get a nice story about me.

Martyr
11-18-2006, 04:54 AM
How does it feel, to think that these names you use, which may have been creative at one point, may be something you can't really use again, even if you think they've ben erased.What? Why would I not be able to use an old username in a new setting? The taint of my younger days would haunt me? If anyone is embarrassed that they were an immature child at one point in their life, then they are still immature enough to think that it really matters.

Well, I don't care that I was immature.

But if somebody else is immature enough to care, then it still becomes my problem, no?

Madonna
11-18-2006, 05:45 AM
If you are going to care what others are going to think, then yes, it could be a problem. The point is not to care about any associations; the less a deal you make of it when someone brings it up, the less of an issue it is.

If the question comes up about what an employer may think: why would you work for someone that ignorant? And the suppositions should stop there.