[Haskell-cafe] Re: Hackage accounts and real names

[wren ng thornton]

Ertugrul Soeylemez wrote:
> Human identity is much more than just a file descriptor or a map key,
> and people from academia often don't get this, because they don't have
> to fear using their real names.  Particularly in economically illiberal
> countries being known as the author of a certain Haskell package can get
> you into trouble either at work or even with the government.  It can
> also prevent you from getting a job.

FWIW, I think this reason alone is enough justification to lift the 
restriction.

Personally: after using a consistent pseudonym for years, I was 
eventually convinced[1] that real names are best when you're involved in 
contributing to online communities--- and I do mean *communities*, not 
mere interaction. But, while I feel it's probably in my best interest to 
have my community deeds associated with my real name, I'm under no 
delusions that it is in everyone's best interests that their deeds be 
so. I've never had to deal with illiberal governments. I have, however, 
worked with a number of excellent hackers who live with them.

Also I don't believe there's anything sacrosanct about "real" names. Is 
the persona we have in the work place more "real" than the one we have 
with friends? To say nothing of the countless friends of mine who've 
legally changed their names for this or that reason. Our identity and 
the status accorded to us does not come from a name legally given at 
birth. It comes from the personae with which we participate in the world.


[1] http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html#status

-- 
Live well,
~wren