How about your real name, a real pseudonym or a fanciful name? If you try and change your name to something offensive, no judge will allow you to do that, but most places allow people to use any name they want without any formalities if the use of that name is not meant to be confusing, misleading or fraudulent. Using a famous name as a pseudonym can be confusing, misleading and/or fraudulent.
How about a bright line rule: no historical or actual public figures i.e. "absolute person of contemporary history"? see: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_rights#Personality_rights_in_Germa...
No one should be allowed to use a name that could be considered offensive, misleading or fraudulent, that includes IMHO calling onself Albert Einstein, Beethoven or Blaise Pascal (amongst others). Alex756 ----- Original Message ----- From: "james duffy" jtdirl@hotmail.com
I think out policy on user nics should be:
<,,snip>
Any observations?
JT
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