Posts & the signing thereof

[Lobohan]

People. Seriously, look at me.

<points at eyes>

You don't have to sign your posts.

Really. You really don't. Your name is clearly posted by the nice people that coded the board software. We know who you are. I understand that many on this board don't frequent other boards... and that by it's (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444321) very nature as a paid board we're selecting for a more educated, stable type of poster. In particular the kind that can with wild abandon toss a handful of fliff at unca ceic for the privilege of posting here. And perhaps in some cases, the kind who would never post on a message board otherwise. It's okay, you're new to this. But stop it.

It's silly to sign your posts.













Really.

[ParentalAdvisory]

Agreed.


Cheers,
PA

[Roland Orzabal]

..

[Red Barchetta]

Agreed as well. It seems pretentious to add your name, again, after the fact.

[Cyberhwk]

I remember when my dad was getting used to IMing. We'd sit there and have a conversation for about 20 minutes and he'd always end it just like a letter...

Love,

Dad

[Liberal]

I've actually run into a problem with that before. Left Hand of Dorkness signs his posts "Daniel". From the time he joined the board, I used his signatory name when addressing or referencing him since, it seemed to me, that by signing his posts with it, it was the name he preferred. Suddenly, he announced to me one day (in the context of a general pile-on) that he would prefer that I not call him "Daniel". Despite the unfortunate timing (I was dealing with enough already, thank you), I've honored his wishes ever since. And now every time I type out his rather long name, I do so with a shrug and a sigh.

[don't ask]

And apart from that sig lines are an abomination. I turned them off when I realised that they were colouring my impression of the poster - "wanker", "poseur", "intellectual wannabe", "only half as clever as you think", "fascist" etc

[Red Barchetta]

And apart from that sig lines are an abomination. I turned them off when I realised that they were colouring my impression of the poster - "wanker", "poseur", "intellectual wannabe", "only half as clever as you think", "fascist" etc

Don't even get me started on sigs; I turned that shit off the very second I found the option. Although I have been thrown for a loop a time or two when a poster refers to something I can't see, but that is very rare.

[Liberal]

I'm "No Sigs" too. The PTB used to make people limit them to one showing per thread (or page or something — I can't remember).

[ParentalAdvisory]

Suddenly, he announced to me one day (in the context of a general pile-on) that he would prefer that I not call him "Daniel".

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9184631&postcount=29

:D

Even though you've come to grips not to call him Daniel, if he continues to sign his posts with "Daniel", I don't see a problem what so ever with anyone calling him just that. If he doesn't like it, he can sign with "Left Hand of Dorkness". What a concept that would be.

[ivylass]

Well, I like my sig, so there. :p

Cheers,

ivylass

[Shodan]

Bite me.

Regards,
Shodan

[olivesmarch4th]

Shodan makes a good point. The fact that he always signs his posts the same way makes him memorable to me. I don't think I often sign posts here, unless I'm the OP, and that's to use my actual name, to add some humanity to what would otherwise just be a jumble of words. I don't think it's necessary to sign posts, but it's just one of those human quirks that adds some individuality to the poster.

Olives,
Christy

[Green Bean]

Yes. Please stop signing your posts!

I don't necessarily mind the "regards, Shodan" thing so much because it's clearly a sign-off. But it does irk me when people just type their username at the bottom. It can be really confusing. Like this one poster, Sailboat...I'll be reading his post, and it will say "Sailboat" at the end...and I'll sit there wondering what the heck a sailboat has to do with anything. It's confusing and annoying.

[twickster]

I do it occasionally, when there's some "qualification" or relevant aside to my post -- like in AA-related threads, I'll sign off "twicks, sober 21 years," or in threads about academia, I'll sign off "twicks, PhD."

twicks, who has also turned off sigs :D

[TheLoadedDog]

I don't mind sigs within reason. Y'all should consider yourself lucky IMAGE-BASED sigs aren't allowed here.

Just don't sign off with "Cheers", or then I shall have to kill you.

Cheers,
TLD

[What Exit?]

My Og, no one has ever brought this up before. What an original thread.

Your right, it is a terrible habit to sign off on a form of communication. No reasonable person would do this, especially for us posters whose sign-offs match our user name. Oh wait, mine does not.

Jim (Besides, where else would I include my silly little asides that have often nothing to do with the rest of my post)

[WhyNot]

I do it occasionally, when there's some "qualification" or relevant aside to my post -- like in AA-related threads, I'll sign off "twicks, sober 21 years," or in threads about academia, I'll sign off "twicks, PhD."

twicks, who has also turned off sigs :D
Exactly. This is how I (occasionally) use signing off as well. Sometimes it's just a nice punchy ending to a post that reads better with some "oomph" at the end.

WhyNot,
who thinks twickster rocks

[wring]

On occaision, I find it helpful - when it's a long post, then I don't have to scroll back up to find out who posted it.

I confess that I don't get the signing real name when your user id is different, but it doesn't bug me enough to make me ask why.

I have routinely kept sig lines turned off, and have never turned it back on again, even when folks post 'finally, a perfect opportunity to use my sig line'.

Oddly I don't mind the sign offs like a letter ('regards, Shodan' is the most obvious in my eyes- though in his case, the juxtiposition between the 'bite me' type of thing and 'regards' is amusing. Not in a belly busting way, but, still).

[vetbridge]

And now every time I type out his rather long name, I do so with a shrug and a sigh.
Maybe use LHoD? Thirty five percent fewer letters than Daniel! ;)

Respectfully suggested this seventeenth day of November,
vetbridge

[koeeoaddi]

Bite me.

Regards,
Shodan
:D

...and when may we expect Steven to wish us joy?











ko
(just making it easier)

[What Exit?]

Let me ask the Op a question.

Do you also not sign your Emails as the software conveniently includes your name up in the header?

Jim

[Savannah]

I'm in the general "no need to sign your posts, your username's right there" camp, but for a few exceptions. One of them is

love,
yams!!!

That just makes me smile. It's so cheerful.

(Actually, I can't recall if it's 'love' that's used. But I like it.)

[Cluricaun]

Let me ask the Op a question.

Do you also not sign your Emails as the software conveniently includes your name up in the header?

Jim


Just for the record, I've referred to you as Jim before in the past because of the way you sign your posts, but after reading Lib's post upthread about LHOD I apolgize if I shouldn't do that. Just to be on the level and checking preferances is all.

[Lobohan]

Let me ask the Op a question.

Do you also not sign your Emails as the software conveniently includes your name up in the header?

Jim


Dearest What Exit,
Your thoughtful words have missed a simple, yet exciting fact. This is not an email. Do you say, "Regards, Jim" at the end of phone calls? When you IM do you type in your contact info, phone and fax numbers at the end of the message?

OMG we have different rules based on the sort of communication we're using!!!
The email version of my name may be small, buried in a lump of formatting text, or may simply show my e-mail address, whereas I may want the people I'm contacting to know my actual name. Emails are generally used for personal or business reasons, and for those reasons I want my full contact info very available.

This however is a message board which displays my name in glorious blue type for all to see. Perhaps you can study up on the differences in the various forms of communications we as 21st century intarwebby types use, and then rejoin the conversation where you're up to speed.

Your humble servant,

Lobohan






Also it comes across as smug and arrogant.

[Lobohan]

Bite me.

Regards,
Shodan

Please do present scotum! Kthxbye!

[SpazCat]

I'm "No Sigs" too. The PTB used to make people limit them to one showing per thread (or page or something — I can't remember).

I only show mine once per thread. Any more than that'll cost you. And it ain't cheap.

Signed,
Your Humble Servant,

Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bobesca IV

[ZipperJJ]

On the show Big Love, there is this crazy third-tier character who is the leader of one of those creepy polygamy sects in Utah. He's an old man (not Harry Dean Stanton) and he's big on using video calls and/or phone calls.

When he's ready to end the call he says "Very truly yours, Hollis Green" just like he's ending a letter or something, even if he's right there on the video screen.

Whenever I see people sign posts now, I think of that creepy old polygamist man.

[John Mace]

I've actually run into a problem with that before. Left Hand of Dorkness signs his posts "Daniel". From the time he joined the board, I used his signatory name when addressing or referencing him since, it seemed to me, that by signing his posts with it, it was the name he preferred. Suddenly, he announced to me one day (in the context of a general pile-on) that he would prefer that I not call him "Daniel". Despite the unfortunate timing (I was dealing with enough already, thank you), I've honored his wishes ever since. And now every time I type out his rather long name, I do so with a shrug and a sigh.
I never thought that LHoD had a long name. :)

[What Exit?]

Just for the record, I've referred to you as Jim before in the past because of the way you sign your posts, but after reading Lib's post upthread about LHOD I apolgize if I shouldn't do that. Just to be on the level and checking preferances is all.
Actually the point of my signing off as "Jim" as much as it is habit is so people can refer to me by name. So please feel free to use my user name or Jim. When coming up with my user name, I mentioned I wanted it to have Jim in it and several other users with Jim in their names suggested this was a bad idea as it already gets confusing.
I only show mine once per thread. Any more than that'll cost you. And it ain't cheap.

Signed,
Your Humble Servant,

Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bobesca IV
May I call you Dot? ;)

Dearest What Exit,
Your thoughtful words have missed a simple, yet exciting fact. This is not an email. Do you say, "Regards, Jim" at the end of phone calls? When you IM do you type in your contact info, phone and fax numbers at the end of the message?

OMG we have different rules based on the sort of communication we're using!!!
The email version of my name may be small, buried in a lump of formatting text, or may simply show my e-mail address, whereas I may want the people I'm contacting to know my actual name. Emails are generally used for personal or business reasons, and for those reasons I want my full contact info very available.

This however is a message board which displays my name in glorious blue type for all to see. Perhaps you can study up on the differences in the various forms of communications we as 21st century intarwebby types use, and then rejoin the conversation where you're up to speed.

Your humble servant,

Lobohan

Also it comes across as smug and arrogant.
Well Okay, but why does it upset you? I can't see why you are getting worked up over this.

Why on earth is a simple "Jim" arrogant? It's my name and it's not in my user-name.

Jim

[Wallenstein]

I like Tripler's sign-offs... dunno why, they just seem to round of the posts nicely. :)

[El Cid Viscoso]

I've actually run into a problem with that before. Left Hand of Dorkness signs his posts "Daniel". From the time he joined the board, I used his signatory name when addressing or referencing him since, it seemed to me, that by signing his posts with it, it was the name he preferred. Suddenly, he announced to me one day (in the context of a general pile-on) that he would prefer that I not call him "Daniel".Yeah, I remember that bizarre exchange. It went something like this:

Liberal,

Please don't call me Daniel.

Daniel

[What Exit?]

Yeah, I remember that bizarre exchange. It went something like this:

Liberal,

Please don't call me Daniel.

Daniel
Really? Now that seems retarded. I assumed if someone signs their name that is an open invitation to use it. Was it specifically Liberal he did not want to use it or all posters? :confused:


The space above left blank for the Op.

[Sapo]

Now I want to change my username to "and I am right, so shut up". That way people won't now if I am signing or telling them off.

[Sarahfeena]

Just for the record, I've referred to you as Jim before in the past because of the way you sign your posts, but after reading Lib's post upthread about LHOD I apolgize if I shouldn't do that. Just to be on the level and checking preferances is all. I think you were perfectly in the right to do that (etiquette-wise), despite what Left Hand of Dorkness said to Liberal. If a person signs with their real name, I would thing that it's an invitation to refer to them that way. It's like signing a letter...you use the name you would expect the recipient to call you by.

[Hockey Monkey]

Am I the only person so far to catch the glaring flaw in the OP? He links to the It's, its, it's thread using the wrong it's. (It should be its.) :D



I am aware of the law that states there will be a grammatical error in this post,

Hockey Monkey

[John Mace]

I think you were perfectly in the right to do that (etiquette-wise), despite what Left Hand of Dorkness said to Liberal. If a person signs with their real name, I would thing that it's an invitation to refer to them that way. It's like signing a letter...you use the name you would expect the recipient to call you by.
Me, too. But if that person really gets upset about it, maybe he'll stop signing his friggin' posts in the first place!

[Martian Bigfoot]

It's my name and it's not in my user-name.
This is the part that seems bizarre to me. It just seems like a split personality disorder. Dude, on the interwebs, your username is your name. It's what people will think of you as and refer to you as. If you sign with a different name than your username, I don't even know who the heck you are anymore. If you want to be know by a different name than your username, just change your username already. If you want your username and your real life name to be identical, the option is obviously there for you. It's like if IRL my name was "Joe Bloggs", but I insisted on signing all my correspondence with "Buzz Aldrin". Mucho confusing.

But then again, what do I know.

[Lobohan]

Am I the only person so far to catch the glaring flaw in the OP? He links to the It's, its, it's thread using the wrong it's. (It should be its.) :D



I am aware of the law that states there will be a grammatical error in this post,

Hockey Monkey


That's why I linked it! Why would I link to a thread about the incorrect use of its and it's (which is completely unrelated to my current post) by spelling it correctly!!!

It's a joke!!!1one

Aaarrgh!

Your's truly,

Zanzibar Otis

[LilShieste]

I'm going to keep signing my posts with my username, until I reach 1,000 posts.

After that, I'll just have to find some other way to work my arrogance, smugness, and general pretention into my posts.


LilShieste

[Lobohan]

I'm going to keep signing my posts with my username, until I reach 1,000 posts.

After that, I'll just have to find some other way to work my arrogance, smugness, and general pretention into my posts.


LilShieste

I'm not saying it is smug, I'm just saying it seems smug. I'm sure you're a peach in actuality.

Lobohan

[Red Barchetta]

Oh another reason why I hate these stupid "sign-offs" is that they eat up valuable screen real-estate. They often take up 3 or more lines, and even more when combined with the stupid sign-offs of others. I like being able to do other things without having to scroll every few seconds, and this attention whoring behavior doesn't help maters.

Why can't you all just add your sign-offs to your signature, that way people have the option of not being exposed to their silliness?

[descamisado]

Yes. Please stop signing your posts!

I don't necessarily mind the "regards, Shodan" thing so much because it's clearly a sign-off. But it does irk me when people just type their username at the bottom. It can be really confusing. Like this one poster, Sailboat...I'll be reading his post, and it will say "Sailboat" at the end...and I'll sit there wondering what the heck a sailboat has to do with anything. It's confusing and annoying.Actually, Shodan's disconcerting "Regards," sig is why I clicked into this thread.

Besides being annoying in general, sometimes the "Regards" doesn't fit the jist of what he has just written, coming off as snarky or condescending, whether that's what he intended or not.

What twickster does is occasional, specific to ther response and is, therefore, okay.

[What Exit?]

This is the part that seems bizarre to me. It just seems like a split personality disorder. Dude, on the interwebs, your username is your name. It's what people will think of you as and refer to you as. If you sign with a different name than your username, I don't even know who the heck you are anymore. If you want to be know by a different name than your username, just change your username already. If you want your username and your real life name to be identical, the option is obviously there for you. It's like if IRL my name was "Joe Bloggs", but I insisted on signing all my correspondence with "Buzz Aldrin". Mucho confusing.

But then again, what do I know.
Maybe, maybe this is because I am a late comer to message boards. Also I have met quite a few dopers off the boards now and I would rather they know me as Jim then "What Exit?". In fact it gets confusing with a few posters to ensure I refer to them by their user name as they don't generally invite the use of their real name.

I still don't understand the "smug" or "arrogant" part. That throws me for a loop. I could see if I signed as Jim "Super Genius" or Jim "Awesome Dude", but just plain Jim? Where's the smug in that?

Jim

[Mtgman]

My sign off is a double entendre. One of my big weakenesses is double entendres. A couple people have picked up on it over the years, and commented. More may have picked up on it and just commented, I don't know.

Enjoy,
Steven

[Triskadecamus]

I sign my posts.

I don't do it to piss anyone off. However, if it pisses you off, uh, kiss my ass. You got a real bleak view of life if that sort of minutia has gas for you.

I turn off sigs. Mostly because nothing anyone ever said needs to be repeated every time they speak.

I use hand made sigs, and you can't turn those off. If that pisses you off, see above sentiment.

Tris
--------------------------------
"A nihilist? That must be exhausting! " ~ Lebowski ~

[Red Barchetta]

My sign off is a double entendre. One of my big weakenesses is double entendres. A couple people have picked up on it over the years, and commented. More may have picked up on it and just commented, I don't know.

Enjoy,
Steven

And this is worth exposing everyone to it for perpetuality because?

[Red Barchetta]

I use hand made sigs, and you can't turn those off. If that pisses you off, see above sentiment.

Hence the "smug" and "arrogant" comments of former.

[Lobohan]

Hence the "smug" and "arrogant" comments of former.

Awwww Snap!

[descamisado]

. . . Peak, in this case I'm gonna need a sig/signoff, so as not to have to scroll back up to prevent confusing you with Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bobesca IV.

Really,

[Mtgman]

And this is worth exposing everyone to it for perpetuality because?
For the same reason you exposed your opinion of my practice to everyone in perpetuity. Because I want to.

Enjoy,
Steven

[Red Barchetta]

For the same reason you exposed your opinion of my practice to everyone in perpetuity. Because I want to.

Enjoy,
Steven

The difference is that my opinion won't appear in every single post beyond the one where it was relevant.

[Triskadecamus]

Hence the "smug" and "arrogant" comments of former.If that trips your smug and arrogant trigger, you must live in a very insulated social matrix. Page down, man. Or, if you really need it, go to the User Control Panel, and put my name on your ignore list.

Tris
----------------------------
"As I know more of mankind, I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man, upon easier terms than I was formerly." ~ Samuel Johnson, 1783 ~

[Cat Whisperer]

People can turn off seeing other people's sigs? But but I put a lot of thought into mine and only use it when I feel it will be appropriate! Dang it all to heck anyway.

Love,
Queen Feather of Lou

[LilShieste]

I'm not saying it is smug, I'm just saying it seems smug. I'm sure you're a peach in actuality.

Lobohan
I see the distinction between the two, I'm just not sure it's one worth making.

Oh another reason why I hate these stupid "sign-offs" is that they eat up valuable screen real-estate. They often take up 3 or more lines, and even more when combined with the stupid sign-offs of others. I like being able to do other things without having to scroll every few seconds, and this attention whoring behavior doesn't help maters.
How about a compromise: we Signers can reduce our line usage by 33%, thereby saving you a bit of scrollwork. In fact, I'll get the ball rolling by just using up 2 lines instead of he usual 3 for mine.

The difference is that my opinion won't appear in every single post beyond the one where it was relevant.
But our usernames are relevant to all of our posts! :p

LilShieste

[Red Barchetta]

If that trips your smug and arrogant trigger, you must live in a very insulated social matrix.


False dilemma fallacy. Rest assured, while you may reside lower than some on the "smug and arrogant" meter, you've exuded more than most posters at this stage.

[Cat Whisperer]

OOh, that was my 15,000th post! How exquisite!

[LilShieste]

OOh, that was my 15,000th post! How exquisite!
Hey, who said that!?

LilShieste

[Sarahfeena]

Me, too. But if that person really gets upset about it, maybe he'll stop signing his friggin' posts in the first place! Well, I would think he would, you know? I mean, really, if someone is going to get bent out of shape about it, best to hide what your real name is in the first place, isn't it? With Sarah being part of my user name, I think it would be pretty obnoxious of me to request people not to call me that, since it's right out there for everyone to see, and I don't hide the fact that it is, in fact, my name.

[El Cid Viscoso]

OOh, that was my 15,000th post! How exquisite!Dear featherlou,

May I use this as my sig?

Yours truly,

The Cid

[What Exit?]

Do I get any points for not having a sig at all?

[Red Barchetta]

Do I get any points for not having a sig at all?

You should.

[What Exit?]

You should.
So I am only half and asshole then? ;)

[El Cid Viscoso]

Do I get any points for not having a sig at all?May I call you "Jimmy"?

[Red Barchetta]

So I am only half and asshole then? ;)

Cool with me. We should have stickers ;)

[DudleyGarrett]

I've actually run into a problem with that before. Left Hand of Dorkness signs his posts "Daniel". From the time he joined the board, I used his signatory name when addressing or referencing him since, it seemed to me, that by signing his posts with it, it was the name he preferred. Suddenly, he announced to me one day (in the context of a general pile-on) that he would prefer that I not call him "Daniel". Despite the unfortunate timing (I was dealing with enough already, thank you), I've honored his wishes ever since. And now every time I type out his rather long name, I do so with a shrug and a sigh.

How odd. He shared publicly that his name was Daniel by signing his posts, but he asked that you not use it?

Just curious, does anything think it's message board protocol to call each other by usernames only?

[Cat Whisperer]

Dear featherlou,

May I use this as my sig?

Yours truly,

The Cid
Of course, my darling.

Yours as ever,
Featherlou

Dudley, I think that depends on the message board. My husband is on a much smaller board where they pretty much know everyone, and they all use first names almost exclusively. I know a couple of posters here, and I still use their usernames while interacting on the boards.

[What Exit?]

May I call you "Jimmy"?
Actually I would prefer you didn't. I go by Jim and I sign off as Jim. Jimmy isn't me, I am not sure who that is. On the other hand, I won't really care enough to protest.

- Not Jimmy

[Red Barchetta]

- Not Jimmy

Right-o, Not-Jimmy.

[Cat Whisperer]

How about Jimmy-lips? Jimmy-poo? Jim jim jiminy? Jimjimjeroo? Jimbo? Jimbob? Jimmo? Hymie? Jimbobsuperpants?

[DudleyGarrett]

Dudley, I think that depends on the message board. My husband is on a much smaller board where they pretty much know everyone, and they all use first names almost exclusively. I know a couple of posters here, and I still use their usernames while interacting on the boards.

Yeah, that's always kinda been my protocol, but usually I learn people's identities by conversation off the boards, so my gaining knowledge of their identity usually falls under the proverbial "personal information rule." The LHoD/Daniel thing is a bit puzzling -- the only thing I can think of is that it was a slam aimed at Liberal, which certainly isn't a foreign concept here.

[Triskadecamus]

How about Jimmy-lips? Jimmy-poo? Jim jim jiminy? Jimjimjeroo? Jimbo? Jimbob? Jimmo? Hymie? Jimbobsuperpants?This is exactly why I don't use my real name on line.

Just sayin' is all.

Tris

[Mtgman]

Do I get any points for not having a sig at all?
I have a sig, I think. The number of posts I've used in is probably under .1% of my total number of posts. Every now and then I'll see something clever, or think of something clever, and I'll update the sig with it, but then I don't use it. I dont remember if I deleted it in my most recent update or not. Now I'm curious.

Enjoy,
Steven

[El Cid Viscoso]

Of course, my darling.

Yours as ever,
FeatherlouActually, even if you are a guy that's one of the nicest things I've read this week. Thanks! (Sincerely.)

[Hazle Weatherfield]

I'm in the general "no need to sign your posts, your username's right there" camp, but for a few exceptions. One of them is

love,
yams!!!

That just makes me smile. It's so cheerful.

(Actually, I can't recall if it's 'love' that's used. But I like it.)


I like that, too...it's cute!

[crowmanyclouds]

... Because I want to. ...My reason too, well that and the hidden part of my sign-off lets me find MY posts in a long thread (much longer now that we have the option of showing 100 or 200 posts per page) with great ease.

CMC +fnord!
... I still don't understand the "smug" or "arrogant" part. That throws me for a loop. I could see if I signed as Jim "Super Genius" or Jim "Awesome Dude", but just plain Jim? Where's the smug in that?

JimHmmmm....

C "Super Genius" M "Awesome Dude" C +fnord!

[Sarahfeena]

Of course, my darling.

Yours as ever,
Featherlou

Dudley, I think that depends on the message board. My husband is on a much smaller board where they pretty much know everyone, and they all use first names almost exclusively. I know a couple of posters here, and I still use their usernames while interacting on the boards. I have met some SDMB members, and know their real names. I wouldn't use them here, because they haven't made them public on the boards. Once you do, I think it's fair game for others to use it.

[SpazCat]

May I call you Dot? ;)

Dottie. Call me Dot and you die. :cool:

[What Exit?]

I have met some SDMB members, and know their real names. I wouldn't use them here, because they haven't made them public on the boards. Once you do, I think it's fair game for others to use it.
Agreed, I am really curious if LHoD was just specifically asking the particular poster not to use it.
Dottie. Call me Dot and you die. :cool:
Dottie it is. I play one online game. Part of my name is Wacko.

[Sarahfeena]

Agreed, I am really curious if LHoD was just specifically asking the particular poster not to use it. I'm guessing yes, because I have called him Daniel, and he never said a word to me about it. It's very weird. He's never struck me as the kind of guy who would get huffy over that kind of thing.

[miss elizabeth]

I have to say, I like the sign offs, especially from Jim/What Exit? I always get his user name confused with Why Not, and it makes it easy to tell them apart. I think they are all cute, honestly. The posters that sign off are the ones I remember, for the most part. It's sweet, I think.

[descamisado]

I have to say, I like the sign offs, especially from Jim/What Exit? I always get his user name confused with Why Not, and it makes it easy to tell them apart. I think they are all cute, honestly. The posters that sign off are the ones I remember, for the most part. It's sweet, I think.You might be right.

Good day and felicitations to you, Ma'am (<bows low with a broad sweep of his Panama hat>),

P.G.T. Beauregard

[ChattyChattyBingBing]

Threads are conversatioins. We're not wriing letters here. I have to agree that signing posts looks pretty dumb.

[Cat Whisperer]

Actually, even if you are a guy that's one of the nicest things I've read this week. Thanks! (Sincerely.)
Well, you're sincerely welcome. (And I'm a lady, not a guy. :) )

[OtakuLoki]

This is the part that seems bizarre to me. It just seems like a split personality disorder. Dude, on the interwebs, your username is your name.

Nope. It's the handle I allow strangers to use to contact me on the internet. It's available for anyone who reads my posts, and wishes to address me.

My name is something else, and I may be neurotic about this, but I prefer to give it out individually to persons whom I wish to know it. I have given my name to a number of Dopers in private correspondance, but that is a sign of a more personal relationship, IMNSHO, than simply being someone I've exchanged posts with on the net.

Obviously, YMMV, but I really do see a difference between my name and my username.

And this is someone whose username is the same for almost all my internet activity and has been for more than 10 years, now.

For the OP, what I don't understand is why the frustration with this behavior. Even if one thinks that the custom is useless and quaint, what does it harm anything? To pick an example not at random, I'll admit that I tend to think of What Exit? as Jim, because of his signature, and it makes him a bit a more human for me. Different customs and different usages are part of what I like about the internet. And especially The Dope.

[Liberal]

Really? Now that seems retarded. I assumed if someone signs their name that is an open invitation to use it. Was it specifically Liberal he did not want to use it or all posters?What difference does it make? If I asked you not to refer to me as Lib, the way most people do, would that seem reasonable?

[AskNott]

When I opened this thread earlier today, I was mystified. That is, after I figured out it was about signing, and not about singing Posts. I was surprised at how little it took to get some folks from calm to furiously fuming and fulminating. What power there is in the letters of one's own name! I had no idea.

Then, just now I came back, and I see it's turned a corner into absurdity and grandiloquent politeness. You never know where an SDMB thread will go next.

I daresay there will be some sudden emotions this week among us US Dopers. The anticipation of Thanksgiving stirs a variety of very good and very bad echoes of Thanksgivings past. It's a time of getting together with family (some of whom you don't want to see) and of being apart from family (some of whom you really miss.) Maybe I shouldn't have said any of that. I did. :rolleyes:

[Idle Thoughts]

I always loved Trunk's...(hmmm..is it Trunk I'm thinking of? It might be Tripler. I always confuse the two. But anyway! It's one of them.)..sign off the best, because he always writes something different (and post related) right after it in the parenthesis.

[susan]

..

[Sapo]

What difference does it make? If I asked you not to refer to me as Lib, the way most people do, would that seem reasonable?
Yes, why not?. I think people should expect to be addressed by their username (or maybe acronyms for really long usernames). Anything else is somehow a sign of intimacy that may or may not be welcome by a specific person.

If you like your friends to call you Lib, but prefer that people you don't particularly like call you Liberal, that sounds reasonable. You should still expect to have some people call you Lib without you telling them to, but I think you have the right to ask them not to, if it bothered you.

In the particular case of LHoD, well, using it as a signature somehow gives anyone the right to call him by that name, I think.

[Scissorjack]

I only show mine once per thread. Any more than that'll cost you. And it ain't cheap.

Signed,
Your Humble Servant,

Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bobesca IV

I think SpazCat's sig is brilliantly witty and I never get tired of reading it.

[What Exit?]

For the OP, what I don't understand is why the frustration with this behavior. Even if one thinks that the custom is useless and quaint, what does it harm anything? To pick an example not at random, I'll admit that I tend to think of What Exit? as Jim, because of his signature, and it makes him a bit a more human for me. Different customs and different usages are part of what I like about the internet. And especially The Dope.
Cool, that was part of the reason I like having my first name out there. If there were not as many Jim's on the board as there is, I probably would have had my user name changed to Jersey Jim instead of What Exit?

What difference does it make? If I asked you not to refer to me as Lib, the way most people do, would that seem reasonable?
Strangely enough Liberal, I think you did ask me at one point not to call you Lib and I have honored your request almost all of the time. So, it would seem reasonable to me. Excalibre was another poster that asked me not to call him Exy, I was diligent about not doing so, even though I think he was just making a point at the time and not really upset with me calling him Exy.

The only difference I see is that if Daniel signs his posts with his name and expects no one to use it that is very odd behavior. If he specifically did not want you to call him Daniel as he did not like you and did not want you to take a personal liberty with the use of his name, I could actually understand it to some degree. Either way it was still humorous for him to ask you not to use it and sign off on that very post, humorous at his expense by the way and not yours.

I hope this helps,
Jim

[DudleyGarrett]

Cool, that was part of the reason I like having my first name out there. If there were not as many Jim's on the board as there is, I probably would have had my user name changed to Jersey Jim instead of What Exit?


Strangely enough Liberal, I think you did ask me at one point not to call you Lib and I have honored your request almost all of the time. So, it would seem reasonable to me. Excalibre was another poster that asked me not to call him Exy, I was diligent about not doing so, even though I think he was just making a point at the time and not really upset with me calling him Exy.

The only difference I see is that if Daniel signs his posts with his name and expects no one to use it that is very odd behavior. If he specifically did not want you to call him Daniel as he did not like you and did not want you to take a personal liberty with the use of his name, I could actually understand it to some degree. Either way it was still humorous for him to ask you not to use it and sign off on that very post, humorous at his expense by the way and not yours.

I hope this helps,
JimMaybe Daniel's just a tad weird?

[elucidator]

A Doper? Weird? C'mon.

[Sailboat]

I've been on older message board software that didn't clearly indicate a poster's name atop a quote box when quoted. I've seen people change their user names and been very confused reading older posts by them. I guess over time it became a habit. I sign emails at work too.

Sometimes I add a closing sentiment, such as "regards" or "respectfully," which works better if my name follows.

I feel a sense of closure when I "sign" a post.

Is it really bad enough to constitute arrogance? Is it really eating up board space, compared to posting something like "ummmmm....boobies!"?

I don't pad my post count in forum game type threads...on any board...although I must admit sometimes I try to make jokes and puns. I don't have sig lines or ascii art. I hardly ever use text size settings. I try not to make the sort of sweeping pronouncements that look like arrogance to me. I try, imperfectly, not to confuse my personal opinions with laws of nature or arbitration of taste.

Except for indulging myself in occasional grammar and spelling nitpicking, and offering what I consider mild corrections in some history topics, I try not to dictate word choice and stylistic changes to others.

I have a hard time seeing myself as a major sinner when it comes to arrogance or clogging the board. But, if there's really enough outrage, I guess I could force myself to change my ingrained habit. If you really want to assert control over my posting style, that is. I would prefer to see a consensus of some sort before struggling to permanently alter my habits, though. Does it really bother people that much? It seems like a small thing to me.

[Liberal]

Strangely enough Liberal, I think you did ask me at one point not to call you Lib and I have honored your request almost all of the time.No way. Never happened. Must have been a misunderstanding. Please feel free to call me Lib. Or asshole, or whatever... :p

[El Cid Viscoso]

I always loved Trunk's...(hmmm..is it Trunk I'm thinking of? It might be Tripler. I always confuse the two. But anyway! It's one of them.)..sign off the best, because he always writes something different (and post related) right after it in the parenthesis.Are you thinking of Merijeek? He used to sign off with "Joe" and a pertinent comment but I haven't seen it in a while. He was pithy with that.

Thometimeth pithy ith good.

[Randy Seltzer]

Listen. Everyone's missing a crucial point here...





























You can use sign-offs to make yourself seem much smarter than you actually are.

Stranger

[Malacandra]

For some odd reason, I've never signed my posts.

--The Honourable Antony deVere-Tollemache-Cholmondely-ffarquharson-Vennegoor of Hessellink-McCorquodale Of That Ilk

[Patty O'Furniture]

My sign off is a double entendre. One of my big weakenesses is double entendres. A couple people have picked up on it over the years, and commented. More may have picked up on it and just commented, I don't know.

Enjoy,
Steven

But how many people have actually enjoyed, Steven?

[What Exit?]

No way. Never happened. Must have been a misunderstanding. Please feel free to call me Lib. Or asshole, or whatever... :p
Must resist way to obvious joke.
...

Ok, I overcame that, thanks Lib.
Listen. Everyone's missing a crucial point here...
...
You can use sign-offs to make yourself seem much smarter than you actually are.

Stranger
If only it was that easy, but the readers would still see our content and just quickly scroll back up to see why Stranger appeared to have got a sudden case of the ordinary.

Doper #1, "Why do you respect his opinion so much? I mean it's not like he is a rocket scientist of something."

Doper #2, "well actually ..."

Jim

[bbs2k]

May wombats tear you apart, bit by bit, in a vicious disemboweling.

Love,
yams!!












See, doesn't it just sound nice?!

I love yams!!

[woodstockbirdybird]

From now on, I'm going to sign off with a completely different random line for each of my posts. Since only about 1% of my posts are actually replied to anyway, I assume most posters skip whatever I write, so I can't see it causing any problems.

Jesus loved grapes,
Woody

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

From now on, I'm going to sign off with a completely different random line for each of my posts. Since only about 1% of my posts are actually replied to anyway, I assume most posters skip whatever I write, so I can't see it causing any problems.

Jesus loved grapes,
Woody

This cries out for attention. {{{{{{{{Woody}}}}}}}

Some of us hang on your every words since this is the only place you write anymore ;)

[woodstockbirdybird]

This cries out for attention. {{{{{{{{Woody}}}}}}}

Some of us hang on your every words since this is the only place you write anymore ;)

Well, gee, thanks. Now I feel really bad, 'cause I have absolutely no idea who you are.

Stop - Hammer time!,
Woody

[Liberal]

Since only about 1% of my posts are actually replied to anyway, I assume most posters skip whatever I write, so I can't see it causing any problems.No problem, and I'm glad it's behind us. But should I call you What Exit? or Jim?

Just kidding. I read your posts, woodstockbirdybird. :)

[Nzinga, Seated]

Well, gee, thanks. Now I feel really bad, 'cause I have absolutely no idea who you are.

Stop - Hammer time!,
Woody


I am only quoting and replying to you because I can't wait to see what your next sign off will be.

[lobstermobster]

I actually just turned on the option because I was curious as to what phrase people would find awesome enough to put at the end of their posts.

May I always live to serve you and your crown,
Leslie

[woodstockbirdybird]

I am only quoting and replying to you because I can't wait to see what your next sign off will be.

As if I'd ever fall for such a cheap ploy.


Oh, and thanks, Lib

I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!,
Woody

[faithfool]

Both Lobohan and Woodstock are cracking me right the hell up. Is there a way to subscribe to y'alls newsletter? ;)

Regarding the topic at hand, I only sign my posts (and with my real name at that) whenever it's something important. Like the memorial thread I posted about my brother when he died and it just seemed so impersonal and ungrateful to post only as faithfool. Further, on a couple of other message boards I'm on, my username is different and entirely too long to have people call me that. So, I prefer Kemi and no matter what the context, it never bothers me when someone uses it.

Finally, I like people signing off. Sometimes they amuse and others (like when a reply is really long) remind me of who said what. Also, I do not have signatures turned off and yet there truly are very few folks who use them repeatedly. Most not at all. So I enjoy reading those too. Despite what anyone else may say about Bosda, I like to keep up with them because they're always colorful and different, usually once a week. I understand that I'm in the minority on this, but I just might learn something!

Magnanimous love to the little people,

Alice's girlfriend ~or~ the future Mrs. Cooper

[Hostile Dialect]

I think SpazCat's sig is brilliantly witty and I never get tired of reading it.

Same for yours.

Strangely enough Liberal, I think you did ask me at one point not to call you Lib and I have honored your request almost all of the time.

But, ask a few people to stop capitalizing your username and you go up in a ball of flame. Oh well. (This isn't targeted at you, Jim.)

[descamisado]

Same for yours.



But, ask a few people to stop capitalizing your username and you go up in a ball of flame. Oh well. (This isn't targeted at you, Jim.)Oh hell, drop it already! I'll treat you to a hockey game so we can make up. :D

I know you're probably not talking to me either,

5

[Hostile Dialect]

Oh hell, drop it already! I'll treat you to a hockey game so we can make up. :D

I know you're probably not talking to me either,

5

I actually wasn't. It was a long pattern of being continually surprised at peoples' reactions to my wishes, to the point where I eventually had to stop saying anything at all. If I ever make it to the Depths of Depravity, though, you're on. ;)

(Unfortunately, I've already been offered tickets to one hockey game, and haven't been able to take the kind Doper up on her offer since I still haven't been able to make it to Canadia--and it's been two years!)

[Bryan Ekers]

The unnecessary signature bugs me, and I admit, so does the unnecessary title line over a post, as the people who use it are uniformly clueless about writing an good title.

[Osip]

I almost always sign my posts.

It helps me find threads I have posted in reasonably quickly via an ego search.
(a trick I learned from Opal) *hi Opal!

for Pits sake,

It it bugs ya touch shit!


Osip

[Hostile Dialect]

You could always, you know, use the "find posts by" feature in the search window.

As for me, I can't do a vanity search without tripping a few hundred GD and Pit threads, so consider yourself lucky.

[Q.E.D.]

It helps me find threads I have posted in reasonably quickly via an ego search.
But, you don't need to sign your posts to find threads you've posted in. The search engine has a "Search by User Name" option. Just type in your username and it'll find every thread you've posted in whether you signed your posts or not.

[Osip]

But, you don't need to sign your posts to find threads you've posted in. The search engine has a "Search by User Name" option. Just type in your username and it'll find every thread you've posted in whether you signed your posts or not.

very true, now it will, but back in '00 there was no such fancy things on this here bare bone message board. is a habit *shrug*

Osi....

just kidding I already signed off once in this thread

[El Cid Viscoso]

You could always, you know, use the "find posts by" feature in the search window.Yeah but that's a lot like work.

I don't know why but your username always cracks my shit up. fetus :D

[Liberal]

It helps me find threads I have posted in reasonably quickly via an ego search.
(a trick I learned from Opal) *hi Opal!Opal should have taught you the "Search by Username" trick. ;)

[Hostile Dialect]

Yeah but that's a lot like work.

I don't know why but your username always cracks my shit up. fetus :D

It was originally something my basketball teammate screamed at the top of his lungs when an opponent was about to take a shot, to throw him off. Worked every time :D

The refs didn't like it much, but they couldn't do anything except warn him to cut it out.

[El Cid Viscoso]

It was originally something my basketball teammate screamed at the top of his lungs when an opponent was about to take a shot, to throw him off. Worked every time :DHoly crap I'm howling here, man. That is some inexplicably funny shit.

[Cat Whisperer]

I think it would make a good cussword, too. As in, "Holy FETUS that was hot!" or "Would you just get the fetus out of here?"

(Was that hockey tickets, fetus? I though it was lacrosse tickets. :) )

[Osip]

Opal should have taught you the "Search by Username" trick. ;)


No no, I think it is retaliation for the fad a few years ago where every list had to have "Hi Opal" in it just to screw up her vanity searches.


a long drawn out payback to be sure.

[Man With a Cat]

Read the first page of the thread, then skipped over to here, so responding to the OP:

This is what you have to beef about??????

PS: Hi Jim, we need another beer and sandwich night soon.

Also, yo Shodan - regards back at ya.

[Hostile Dialect]

(Was that hockey tickets, fetus? I though it was lacrosse tickets. )

I'm pretty sure it was hockey, since the thread that inspired it was about NHL tickets.

Signed,
Whoever.

[Cat Whisperer]

I'm pretty sure it was hockey, since the thread that inspired it was about NHL tickets.

Signed,
Whoever.
Okay, now you've got me wondering who the heck I was talking to about lacrosse games. :confused:

[Stranger On A Train]

Listen. Everyone's missing a crucial point here...

You can use sign-offs to make yourself seem much smarter than you actually are.

StrangerYou just made me laugh more than any three people today.

I never realized people got so worked up over sigs. I was always taught that finishing off correspondence with some kind of signature--even informally--was standard practice. In a world full of nuclear proliferation, resource imbalance, and exponential inflation of Starbuck franchises, it seems an odd thing to worry one's self about.

Stranger

[What Exit?]

PS: Hi Jim, we need another beer and sandwich night soon.

I need another excuse to get back to Chicago again. I've barely traveled this year.

[Triskadecamus]

You know, back in the olden days, when the board was young, and HTML code was ON, I not only used a signature, but also began it in the center of the line. I indented each paragraph five spaces, as well. This ancient typographic convention predates the computer, and even the typewriter. I happen to like it. But, I don't know how to do it with vB code. I suppose those who find personal affection in writing style arrogant and smug can consider themselves fortunate.

Tris
-------------------------
"Fat bottomed girls, you make this rockin' world go round." ~ Freddy Mercury ~

[What Exit?]

You know, back in the olden days, when the board was young, and HTML code was ON, I not only used a signature, but also began it in the center of the line. I indented each paragraph five spaces, as well. This ancient typographic convention predates the computer, and even the typewriter. I happen to like it. But, I don't know how to do it with vB code. I suppose those who find personal affection in writing style arrogant and smug can consider themselves fortunate.

Tris
-------------------------
"Fat bottomed girls, you make this rockin' world go round." ~ Freddy Mercury ~
____The indenting is not worth the bother, but when I first started posting here, I tried to include it. I just put 3 or 4 underlines in white. My signing off occurs without thinking about it or effort, so it has continued. (Along with my poor grammar and oft misspellings)

As I said, it isn't worth the hassle.

Jim