Anonymously yours

I'm on a mailing list for technical writers, called TWIN (Technical Writers of India) and recently there have been many members who refuse to use a name to identify themselves. They won't even chose a pseudonym, but will use names like Tech Writer, Tech Comm, and other such wonderful nicknames.

You can't get creative enough to come up with a pseudonym? I use my middle name when I'm writing. Make up something. Do what Samuel Clemens and so many other writers did.

Maybe one of the reasons "they" don't want to identify themselves is because there are lots of technical writers on TWIN and you don't want to piss off someone who might interview you when you're out there looking for a job. Fine by me.

Yesterday, however, something happened that wasn't fine. There was a post from someone who called himself/herself TWIN Hater. What a mature way to identify yourself--as a hater of an Internet mailing list! Identity crisis? This person had a long rant about the mailing list (this was apparently his/her first post to TWIN) and then berated an Admin (who is basically a volunteer) publicly on the list. Here's a clipping:

Here are a few adjectives that was commonly used in context of (not abusive lingo):

Assclown, Jackass, (my favorite, hence I put it up first)
...
Gay (!!)

When I read that last part, my first reaction was, Where is this person from? The dark ages? Wake up, it's the year 2005.

The sign off was original too.

Thanks and Regards,
I just hate TWIN so much....Wake Up It's Monday

Ah, the glories of anonymity.