I think generalizing all sockpuppeting as cruel or nasty or childish is a big mistake. Sockpuppeting may have the potential to get out of hand, and has on occassion, but I wouldn't characterize most of the SPing as anything other than good humor.

Yes, this. Except I don't recall any time that did nasty. The annoyance factor seems to vary dramatically.

Here's the original proposal:

Historically, we've encouraged people to use real names, but that's withered as the Internet got waaaaaay too crowded. I would like to propose that we expect people to use precisely one name; pick a pseud, if you must, but stick to it.

So. Formal proposal: Add to Buffista etiquette the following: "One account per customer. Please don't set up multiple accounts under different names. Anybody showing up as a concept or any other abstract noun will be asked to prove it."

Please ignore the final sentence; people quickly convinced me it was unnecessary.

I always got a kick out of the FLO and Clovis, and I saw March and the Universe as equally harmless and fun. I think it's a matter of intent. Both of the more recent examples were a direct response to something someone in thread said--in the first case, I said, "I hope March doesn't hear me" (it had become a running thread joke that March was out to get all of us), and then "March" showed up to taunt me sporadically over the next few days. It was one of more fun exchanges I've had on the board recently. It appeals to my sense of the ridiculous.

Without humor it seems that is isn't much of a posting board either.

I need to schedule my humorectomy soon.

Here's why I suggested this.

One of the things I like, a lot, about Buffistas is that I know who I'm talking to. Sure, WeremonkeyGus and NoiseDesign and Wolfram are all pseudonyms, but I have personalities for them. I know that ND does stage work and Wolfram's a lawyer and Gus is a magician. I have a history with these people, and expectations.

I don't like it when somebody shows up and claims to be new and isn't. This isn't a masked ball, it's a cocktail party.

At the risk of upsetting just a whole bunch of people on both sides:

I can see why people get upset about the sockpuppeting, it's happened SO much lately, that it's begun bothering even me.

But now we're having a vote and a proposal to make a rule about it or something? WTF??? Are we the United States Congress now?

I see the sockpuppets as any other "person" who signs up on the board. Until they violate the etiquette, why tell them they can't be here?

Are we the United States Congress now?

We certainly seem to be headed that way.

Look, people objected to it in Bitches. People said "You're just a big old party-pooper." I thought it would be smart to have a discussion about it that couldn't be trampled by accusations of humorlessness.

I don't like it when somebody shows up and claims to be new and isn't. This isn't a masked ball, it's a cocktail party.

I can respect this, but I think that a proposal and voting are the wrong way to deal with this, and is a very poor solution.