Quote Originally Posted by Marlin View Post
'cause it's cooler than my real name...
Same here.

Quote Originally Posted by gnihcraes View Post
well... I don't figure on using my real name as a screen name/id/profile unless really warranted. Lots of information can be gathered from the internet, thus using different names and ID's helps keep things a little more descrete (sp).
While I'm more open here on this forum that most other online activities Im involved with, even the most seemingly unimportant information can be the final piece of the puzzle an identity thief or online predator needs to make you a victim. Using a nickname adds another level of security.

My handle is a nickname I got while working for U.S. Space Command while I was Active Duty. As an IT guy I always carried a leatherman tool on one hip and a Gerber Gator on the other. Apparently that, coupled with my real name, led a co-worker to call me Ginsu (yeah, like the knive people; shirtly thereafter adapted to Ginsue). The name stuck - especially with another co-worker who is a hunting partner and my best friend. Now, that's all he and his family and all of my other hunting partners call me. In fact, anyone who knows me through this guy only knows me as "Ginsue", or "The Ginsue". I was told (by this guy) that it's actually more of a title, "like 'The President' ".

Now you know the rest of the story.