Request to Use Your Real Name
It is common for people to use a pseudonym (false name) when participating in forums online. I can see the attraction to doing this, especially if you are involved in an activity that centers around alternate egos. (gaming and what not) This forum is not about that kind of thing. It is about real people, living in real places, doing real things. Using real names is more personal, and that is a good thing. (one example: people aren't as likely to fly off and spew hate at a real person)
The best way to do this is to go to the main menu bar, click on 'profile' then under Modify Profile, click on 'Account Related Settings', then type in your name in the 'name' area.
If you ask a question and don't receive a positive response, it might be because the people reading your post don't feel inclined to help.... and maybe making the question come from a real person will help.
The most common reason I've seen for not using your real name is something like 'I don't want some lunitic to hunt me down and kill me because they know who I am'. (I might be exaggerating a little) My response is to use your head and think about this. We live in a world full of risk. What is the actual risk of that happening? Almost zero; you might be letting irrational fear control your actions. What is the benefit of being real? Is it worth the 'risk'? I hope you agree it is.
