I communicate with people online in four major mediums: aim, the hub, here, and on battle.net. I have friends that are unique to each medium (though for aim that's debatable), though there is obviously a fair bit of overlap. In all of these media, however, my name is either The Taped Crusader or a variation on it. I consider it an extension of who I am. This forum isn't just a diversion for me, because I feel like I actually know some of you people. You aren't just random strangers to me, you're people. People with stories, senses of humor, oddities, issues, problems, advice, and personalities. And all that really ties those things together with every post you make, every line sent on the hub or in aim, is the little name on the left. After all, when you come down to it, the majority of us are just so much text. But somewhere on the other end of the wire is another person. When people change their name, everyone else has to reassociate what they know about the person with a new name. Think how strange it would be to have someone you know, someone you see and talk to several times a week, one day just show up with a totally different body. Everything they say and do and think is the same, they just look nothing like they did before. Well, when all you know about someone exists solely as text, them changing names is pretty similar.

Fortunately, because it's text, people who really do want to change their names can make it a hell of a lot easier on people. Adding a line to your sig or custom title that says "formerly known as..." is significantly less odd than your friend with their new body pinning an old picture of themselves to their shirt.

In before "make some real friends, loser".

I agree that it is difficult to figure out who people are when they are going all crazy changing their names all over the place.

But some people HAVE to do it. Like, to make a point. Or to prove something, like that you love and respect your boyfriend even though he wrongly accuses you of having like 50 internet boyfriends. And even though the majority of your online friends are boys, you love him and only him.

EDIT: also, I accidentally quoted myself instead of quick-editing. Teehee.

I don't think any of you are real people, just playthings with which I amuse myself.

It's mainly the girls that aren't real.

I'm nearly always some variant of Reverend_Null. People who change their names suck at picking names.

I'm almost always enKrypt. Except here now...

Well...it's still in my sig so...don't cry too much about me doing it.

Well I know you aren't real, just a figment of Nate's twisted imagination. Or at least you would be, if Nate were real.

You could alway's change your signature/avatar instead . . . =-O

I say one person-one name!

It was a general statement. Obvious exceptions also include people who change their name to either an obvious variation or play on the old one, like Man wit no Nizzle, or people who change their name to something they're already known as, like Joff.

I'm sorry, Taped. I enjoy talking to you on the hub and you're a good poster but...I'm not reading all that.

Pardon me, but do I know you?

HARDY HAR, A FUCKING ROARING GOOD LAUGH THAT WAS.

Fine, I'll read it.

EDIT: My OG 404 name is in my custom title, so I am exempt from this rant.

You should have changed your name to "Taped Fagoot Homo Sexula"

Okay I am not creative enough to change my ava/sig. And no boyfriend of mine will be able to look at something that says "Last poster: Dagger Jane" and understand what I feel the need to make him understand.

I've been tired of Logik for awhile, and only signed up with it for consistency's sake. I've had the same basic sig/avatar on and off for months now, so I figured people would still be able to figure out who I was pretty easily.

Almost everything I posted before mid-2005 was idiotic and embarrassing, switching my name is a bullshit way for me to dissassociate myself from it.

Yeah, but you've ALWAYS been Logik. I like it better than the new name. It just doesn't sit right in my brain.

Having your boyfriend accuse you of having internet boyfriends is almost as ridiculous changing your name on a forum for your boyfriend. I like you and all...but that's just silly.

Hell, I think it's silly too, but talking to him sure as hell doesn't do anything. The name change approach stemmed from having no idea what else to do. And it seemed to have worked, so no complaints here. If I have to change my name on a forum, then fine. Whatever works is good enough for me.

Eh, I assumed everyone was going to still call me Logik anyway.

E: Actually, I used to go by Higgins at the old site, too.

Fixed my sig for ya.

The funny thing though, is that this is the ONLY place where I use "Ultra Magnus" everywhere else I use "Mumps"

lol

I got sick of Wang Sammich a while ago. It's so....15 year old -ish.

Most of the people that changed their names I've had no problems with. Logik uses or used Brent Black on CS:S. Dagger Jane...was obvious. Wang Sammich had Mr. Mojo Risin' as his MySpace name...maybe he still does...

I do, but I never go on there anymore. No love. I got 3 comments in November. Thanks 210 friends.

I got two comments in a week once. It was awesome. I felt so special.

I think you're on my friends list. Maybe you'll get lucky tonight.

Eh, doesn't bother me.

Feel free to talk about the whole identity thing, too, guys. I can't be the only one who thinks about this stuff.

I've gotten 2 comments ever...and one of those people doesn't have myspace anymore...so it's not there.

Before today I didn't have a comment in 6 days. I only have 96 friends with like 20 unable to comment me. It made me feel like shit.

Myspace is serious business?

You'd probably hate Lost Highway if you've never seen it.

What's it about?

Edit: nevermind, read the wiki. looks interesting.

Sorry guys, I gots two aliases. AIM I use Yasihiko and on here and the HUB I use Codeman. Not that many care but fyi.

Some name changes here confused me, but I've figured out who everyone here is by now so it's no problem.

Eh, I was pretty tired of Paranoid Android, it was too... I don't know. Lame. I just didn't associate myself with it. I kept my ava though, so you'll get used to it.

lol

tsst

wtf, that's supposed to tell me who you are >_<

Man, there is a clear copycat on these boards, and it ain't me.

But yeah, uhh, Studman is like the gayest internet name I've ever heard. Whereas, uhh, Jeff is my name. But relax, from now on I will go by Jeff and Jeffrey only.

Oh, and the above is Kele, who the fuck else listens to Rush and is from Saint Paul?

Haha. This is true.

I realized it was probably kele after looking at the sig, but wasn't sure. And as I recall, you came up with the name because you specifically wanted a stupid generic guy screenname.

It shouldn't matter for some people, though. Take Wang. If you know him (we don't, but you know what I mean), you'd know he liked The Doors so the change to Mr. Mojo Risin' makes sense and combine that with a classic avatar = wuts da problem?
I guess you have to know some Doors tunes for this to apply but shut up.

I originally signed up as The Green Ranger, because I figured nobody would remember me as Joseph. Then the first comment I got after I changed was 'Hey, it's Damian Raider!'

That was years ago and people remember.

Mr. Mojo Risin' is an anagram of Jim Morrison.
And yes, I knew it was wang. But for example, I already forget who Population Index is.

Sezril/Sarrin.

I'm not sure if his signature and avatar are the same as from GD, but I figured it was him by the general color of them and what he posted on the music board.

Get some real friends, loser.

Thank the gods you can only change your name every 90 days. I have been sick the last few days and barely glanced at the boards. Came back and didn't know who anyone was Do you all want to make me cry that bad?

Check my name in groovy purple courtesy of IO. I have come off anon just for that!

Ya know, when I joined here I seriously thought about using the name "Mumps" But I decided not to just for you guys

Bah, it can be confusing but there's nothing wrong with a bit of variety. As has been said, people can just put their old names in their sig or whatever.