DLfan

Seems like I'm one of the few that agree with you on this topic. Handles are used when posting on a bulletin board to preserve ones anonymity and privacy. Once you out yourself by attending a do or even introducing yourself in an airport, your relationship with that person has taken on another dimension and the "handle" is no longer necessary. To me, it seems quite impersonal to continue to use a FT handle once you have met and established a relationship that transcends FT.

Imagine being in a supermarket, separated from another FT member whom you know and calling out to get his/her attention. Yelling out Canarsie!, Cholula!, indufan!, etc. would just seem down right odd to me.

Lehava

There is a down side however to using "real names" when you communicate with FT'ers, it makes it more likely you will slip up when posting....more than once I have been posting to Canarsie and had to go back and edit my post because I used his real name, particularly right after seeing him!!!

SkiAdcock

It varies. If someone is meeting other FTers for the first time at a Do (whether small or large) I think it's totally appropriate for them to ask for one's 'handle'. That's what they know from FT & probably from the rsvp list of a Do. Unless someone posted prior to that my handle is this & my name is this, they won't know (and quite frankly won't remember).

Some will still address folk by their handles (does anyone call Spiff anything else? ), and some once they know their names/have met them a few times by their real names. Some will forget the real names & fall back on the handles when introducing folk. Been there, done that. Sorry....

It truly varies. Also I think it varies in terms of how often you meet someone. I am the worst at both handles & real names!!! Just having a handle doesn't guarantee one an instant intro....

I happen to use my 'handle' for both FT & other stuff (life's too short to figure out the gazillion identities & emails some FTers use, but that's just me) & in the course of bizness for goodness sake, I find so many people just shorten my email/handle to 'Ski' or 'yo Ski', that it doesn't bother me.

If I've gotten to know an FTer pretty well I'll probably switch to their 'real' name, but short of that I'd probably use their handle. And also, even if I know someone well, if I was introducing them to another FTer for the first time, I'd use their handle. Just because I know them well doesn't mean the other person would so a 'real' name would be more confusing.

Cheers.

essxjay

Having been to countless Dos over the years and meeting prolly ~350 FTers, I find it impossible to address most of y'alls by anything other than yer handles.

Once I get to know someone a bit, or get happen stuck in the middle seat between two FTers in UA C to DUS in 2-3-2 seating *cough* auh20 *cough cough* kokonutz, then maybe first names start to come naturally. Of course, I'm used to being called "ess" (phonetic for my first initial), so I think nothing of addressing someone as PuddingGuy or BBQPorkSandwich or stimpy -- it's the only way to keep it straight!!!!

Jenbel

That one is going to be testing Biggest I've done so far is 40-50 for a London do.

ozstamps

I do think it generally depends on how easy the FT name is to pronounce and how long it is, and often whether it is easy to abbreviate.

I have met bhatsnasx in person many times and have never called him anything other than Sam.

I've attended probably over 100 FT Doos and dinners and gatherings and my guess is I get called "oz" most of the time by most people. Randy generally abbreviates my handle to oz when posting, as do many others.

Some handles when abbreviated are used widely.

I doubt I've been to any FT do where folks would not know who "koko" was, despite that not being his real name nor his full FT name. It just abbreviates well.

I don't think I have ever called doc anything other than doc and Punki anything other than Punki, and I have met them both many times.

Yet posters above like SkiAdcock and GoingAway I have also met many times and they have always been Sharon and Debbie, so there really is no firm rule IMHO.

As always Rudi has shown himself very wise, choosing a handle that is totally impossible to mess up.

meducate

Really?

I have thought of this often, and having met a few FTers I have realized that there are some who will always call me by my FT handle, and others who are comfortable calling me by my given name. I answer to both...

Marysunshine

As mentioned above, I never realized when I signed up that my username would be used this way. The first time I met flyertalkers in person was at a Freddie's Award dinner. I can still remember Analise and then GoinAway saying their FT names as an introduction and I was taken aback. The next day, many FTs were streaming into my house and as each one approached, they spoke their FT handle. I had no idea what they were saying...my mind making no sense of the words they spoke. It was quite an awakening and I am still not comfortable being called by my username.

Efrem

Depends on the people. In this case Punki has been her nickname forever, and she prefers it (or said so when asked). Hunki was invented as a pun on Punki, and he prefers his real name in person because he's never used it other than as an FT handle.

Yes, it can get confusing. I generally go with real names when I know them, except in situations like Punki's.

And count me among those who avoided the problem by using my real name as my handle. I couldn't think of anything better at the time.

PUCCI GALORE

Jen darling - that may come back to haunt you.

I think that the one that made me die was when my mobile went off and I answered with my real name (the one that Mother saddled me with) and the person at the other end said in a very Australian twang "Oh Sorry, I thought that I had got through to Pucci Galore!".

After I managed to collect my jaw from somewhere beneath my knees, I realised that I was speaking to someone really high up the BA food chain. I had known this man when I was really Puccette Galore and was a Caledonian Girl. This man had a voice I would never forget.

Basically, I was told that certain people at BA had sussed me after all these years and - dare I say it - were actually quite pleased with what I was up to. I think that it was the Tales from the Galley that were my undoing - as they were recognised by someone who was aboard or working and the little grey cells started to roll. So - I was outed - but only known to a handful (a term he used about me). That apart - I only know one other FTer who introduced me in the first place and he sometimes says - Who is saying that? *** or Pucci?

beaubo

I don't mind being called beaubo, but don't even THINK of calling me bobeau!!

abelscc

I agree that it varies. It can be confusing especially for someone with a very short memory. At one of my FT DO's, I took a small notebook and made notes. It was easy to learn names but I knew when I returned home, I would have trouble connecting all the "real" names to the FT handles.

It doesn't help if you are uncreative. When I signed up, I used my standard email handle. I didn't think of using a new name. Abel's Child Care Plus is my business name. My husband was in the service and is still called Abe or Abel. It was a little strange when I was addressed as Abel and I would look for my husband but now it just makes giggle.

I agree that "Life is too short" to remember extra info if not necessary. I did think of changing it when there was the 30 day window but just couldn't come up with anything that was appropriate or that I would remember. dawn

Cholula

Dawn, your posts are an example of when I use a FT'ers real name. When they sign all their posts with their name or use their name in their signature line, it suggests to me they prefer their name to their handle.
Another thing that has occurred to me in reading through this thread is that most folks never thought their handle would be used as their "name". When I signed up for FT, I had no idea what a DO was and I just intended to ask a quick question and never post again on FT. So I didn't give a whole lot of thought to what handle I selected.
Now that FT has a hook in me, I'm glad I didn’t pick an even weirder handle.

GoingAway

What I found interesting is that I used to read the posts and rarely paid attention to whose post it was. Since I started meeting FT'ers, however, I notice who is posting where and the type of responses they offer. I can see the posters personality in many of the posts. It's really added another dimension to the FT experience.

magic111

My general philosophy of life is you can call me anything you want. Just don't call me "late for dinner" :-:

Have probably met at least a couple of dozen other FTers who live under the same philosophy.