Oh, for pete's sake, this is getting into the rediculous...

If you didnt have a nickname, or username registered, someone else may use it - by having someone register, they "lock down" the usage of what nickname they are going to be using - thus, it accomplishes two things - both of which are necessary for honesty, consistancy, and "knowing" who the heck you are talking to...

1 ) it ensures that the person who is posting, is, in fact, the same person... If you wanted to, you could view ALL of my posts, and find out what I am running, how I am running it, what I use, and why, and what hardware I have... This can be VERY handy, if say, I havent made a "connection" of something I have, and something that hasnt, or isnt, working... Say, I am having problems with my VIDEO, and the problem may be with my USB Flash getting in the way -=- something I wouldnt think would cause a VIDEO problem, but, someone who locates, in previous posts, that I have installed and running a SanDisk USB Flash Drive, and maybe the driver, or the hardware itself, could have an issue with "whatever" video card I have... Having, or requiring someone to register a nickname, allows a HISTORY to be maintained about the poster...

2 ) it locks out someone else using that nickname, unless you want to count for someone "borrowing" that persons computer, and posting, which has happened... Having, or requiring someone to register there nickname, locks out someone else from using it... Hence, trying to remember that the person you are trying to help is Guest000 and not Guest101, and then again, that nickname may actually be the same poster. I actually LIKE having to register my nichname, it allows people to KNOW that this is ME, and has always been ME. If you want an ANONYMOUS account, one in which, you can hide yourself behind, or "lurk" within, hmmmm, sounds familiar, this kind of process does not allow for "community", it doesnt promote "sincere" posting, and ANONYMOUS postings only lead down a path of someone who just wants to FLAME others, or give out "unaccountable" information. i.e. If I post something, my NAME is attached to it, so, when I post, I MEAN WHAT I SAY, kind of thing. As a wise man once said: If you cant say something, knowing that YOUR WORD is attached to it, then, it might not be worth saying...

And heres one thing that YOU ( tmp00000000000000 ) havent figured out yet... If you have a FORUM, or MESSAGE BOARD, or CHAT ROOM, or whatever, that does not have registered users, or posters, you do not have a way of "control", or allowing people to realize that there IS some form of control, of the system. If I wasnt a "registered" account, I would not be "recognized" as being a moderator, hence, the MODERATOR that is assigned to my posts and avitar, same true with Eadz, being the Site Administrator, or Harry Kuhman, as another moderator... ( it should be noted that, I CHOOSE to have the word MODERATOR left on my account and avitar, Eadz, and I am sure other moderators, ones that dont have the "word", still have the power to do as a moderator. Eadz can have that "moderator" not be displayed, if I chose it to be that way. There are some moderators that have choosen not to have that be displayed, but are still moderators )

This "control" is not being used to "censor" or "stifle free speech", but, rather, to help "keep the peace". tmp0000000, you need to see this for what it is, a place to help, and get help... It is the way it is because, either thats the way it is, or, thats the way it needs to be. Guests being able to post, even if they COULD "freely" use any name they wish, without having to "register" it, would cause havoc, chaos. If someone liked your nickname, they could use it whenever you werent, no one would know WHO they were talking to, or possibly, trying to help. And, as you said, if it was a "freely" open system without having to register your nickname, some would choose to use something "uniquely" identifying themselves, but, I think a whole lot of others, would simply use a "generic" one, that EVERYBODY would use.

Its kind of like downloading from an anonymous ftp site, you can login as "guest", but, it is "expected" that your password be something like your email address - that way the systems administrators, the ones letting people do this for free, can justify the reasoning why they are giving away a service for free. Or, when you start some internet service account, they usually want you to provide an email address, so they can "verify" that the person who is creating this "access" is the same person who should have that access. You can go off on a "paranoid" issue of this, they want my email address so that they can sell it to marketers, and give me floods of junk mail, but, I think you have to base where you are setting up this "account" against its benefits... Setting up an account with a "porn" site is probably going to give you more email junk mail, then setting up an account here...

I also, dont think Eadz is asking people to set up accounts for the purpose of "selling" your email address to a marketer, I dont think that the reason for having accounts - if it was, I should have been over run with junk mail by now, and I havent. I think the only sole reason for having account on this site, is, for accountability, community, making it friendly, and knowing that "who your talking to" is "who you are talking to". Considering this site is maintained by volunteers, and on there free time, no cost, no access fees, and pretty much, no advertising, I think its a SMALL PRICE to pay for having to register yourself to make posts... As for the original topic that has been set on this thread, you call it WHATEVER you want to call it, if you want to call it a "registered user message board", then fine, if you want to call it a "forum", fine, you want to post, the rules are, and have been set up, to only registered users. You want to use a nickname that isnt your real name, fine, you want to use your full LEGAL name, fine, you want to use something like I have done, which I might add, has been my nickname since I started out in computing ( almost 25 plus years ), fine.

As for the "post count" issue that was raised, being over one thousand, myself, I dont belittle anyone with a lesser count than mine. I have helped people with only ONE post, the one they are posting with an issue with. I dont demean, belittle, or give any negative attituide to the fact they have less posts than me, it doesnt change the fact they are having a problem, and if I can, if I know an answer, or resolve, I will assist, period. I treat people with the SAME respect that I expect in return. I account for any frustrations they may be having, and simply want to help... So, tmp000, you have posted five times, at the time of my posting, I dont care, good or bad, its not the quantity, but the quality, its not the topic, but the attituide... As an old saying goes: you'll get more flies with sugar than vinegar.

Considering the two "initial" posts that you started out with, were, pointing out symantic descriptions of the choice of words used, people responded in kind, definitions, of which, I might add, pointed out the flaw in your "incorrect usage of words", and now, we are on the subject of "improper use of software"... I think that has been proven, invalid as well... its the way the software is... and even if it was being "improperly" used as it should, doesnt change the fact that the person who runs the software is using it the way THEY want to use it. Old saying: Golden Rule: those who have the gold, make the rules....

E'nuf said, I'm gone...
Ms. Cuddles