I suppose it's because I am new to the whole forum thing, but I hadn't realised there were rival forums. That's kinda interesting. Was the good forum the one the made you post your real name or was it the other one?

I guess over time people who have been on a forum a long time with each other develop a certain repore. I can't wrap my head around why you wouldn't post under your own name though actually. Maybe it's just me, but when someone posts under their own name I feel that persons information is a little more trustworthy for some reason.(I have a feeling I am about to get rubbed through the coals for that comment) but it's true. A forum is still a forum and I believe you use what your read at your own risk, but if someone posts advice as who they really are as opposed to hiding in the shadows it gives theam a tad more personal credibility IMO. A +1 to put it in forum jargon.

How does one authenticate their claim?

I was named after the French song “Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle.” I have no intent on proving it.

Jeanette Isabelle

ETS has a lot of knowledgeable and experienced folks who are not afraid to speak their mind. In general, I think it's pretty hard to get much by us, collectively.

By "credibility" if you're just talking about misrepresenting yourself, I don't know if that matters that much to me as much as the quality of what you're posting. Facts are facts and facts can be checked from other sources. As for personal histories, stories or opinions, I always take those with a grain of salt. "You were raised in a Shaolin temple after your missionary parents were killed by heroin smugglers in China and now you're a Navy Seal, you say? I see..." And if it turns out that you weren't a Shaolin monk? <shrug> I don't know if that would bother me much.

Well, I think I would be shocked if a stand up guy that I've enjoyed reading and interacting with for a long time turns out to be a child molestor or something.

As for how we would react, I think the person could be banned by the mods or else I'd just start ignoring the person. Someone who is going to lie like that gets their jollies from observing the reaction of others. If no one responds to their lies, they get frustrated and leave to find greener pastures elsewhere.

Of course, you also have the people who get their jollies viciously stomping on people that they perceive are trolls, liars, etc. and those people can be just as damaging as the original offender in these drawn out flame wars. But we've kept those to a minimum here.

I do not believe that is true. However, I can see where you are coming from.

Jeanette Isabelle

Stephen,

Just because your name is "Bear" and you play a survival expert on TV, it doesn't mean that your book is full of wisdom (not to knock Mr. Grylls, just an example). Several people here have impressive credentials (feel free to look some of them up). We also have listened to them for a while and have something better than a script to judge them by.

The reputation of a forum has little to do with the forum itself (except how it is run & this is one of the best for that). It has to do with the members, their posts and the quality of what they have to say. There are several members here that (given no other information) I would trust my life to. Would I prefer to compare that information to other sources? Of course, but if those other sources differed I not trust them until they were as well proven.

Respectfully,

Jerry (my real name)

Yes Jerry, several people on the forum do have impressive creditiatials, no one was disputing that. Those same people most likely have things published outside the forum as well and that would add to their creditibility considerably.

I found this forum completely by accident. I decided to post here because I liked the format more than the other ones. I personally don't think the information on this forum is better than survival topics, survivalist boards, survival bill, hoods woods, or the other 50 forums out there. In fact, I have seen that some of the same people who post here post on several of those as well.

I like the place so far, but a talk forum is a talk forum. If this place has more credibility than the next I believe it may be due to the reputation of the owner of the forum, and not the content of the forum.

Just my thoughts, respectfully

Stephen

While I do think this forum is unique in many appreciable ways, it's hardly the only game in town. We'd migrate to other forums. They're out there, different cultures, definitely more raucous, but still interesting and worthwhile.

As to a subtle hijacking, I say good luck. The longer I spend on this forum, the more I realize (and am humbled by) the depth of skill and experience that is to be found here.

The other key point is that we are all guests here, and we all know it. If this forum gets out of hand and becomes a liability to the Foundation, well, Mr. Ritter carries a titanium briefcase with the launch codes inside. This forum has been at five seconds to midnight more than once. We only get to keep it if we keep it civil. The sight of the gallows focuses the mind wonderfully.

Pretty much agree w/ all that's said. This forum tends to be relatively civil. Even our arguments usually tend to be straightened out a page or 2 later - usually a result of misspeaks or other errors in communication, as opposed to outright hostility or deceit.

While I tend to agree that most of us are just handles on the computer, I notice most of us put pictures up. I assume we're posting our real faces. That says a little about honesty, I guess.

Like some others, I think that this forum, as opposed to many others, has a lot of respect. There's at least a dozen folks on here I wouldn't mind having dinner with, going camping with, etc. No pen pals, though! I'm waiting for the first big ETS wedding (and, no, I'm not hitting on Jeanette, or Dagny, or any of the other gals, so don't think it's going to be me!)

And, btw, we did have a pretty big credibility hit last year (or was it 2 years ago?). One of the mods might have over-exaggerated some claims. Not really sure the specifics - by the time I was aware of it, things had started to blow over. And yet, it was handled pretty professionally and life moved on. I don't know if that person was ever proven to be an imposter, an over-exaggerator, or actually was bona fide, FYI.

I always enjoy reading through ETS because it tends to be a little more focused in its discussions (little talk of TEOTWAWKI, Zeds, and politics; more how do I go about surviving a night while lost in the woods). There are lots of places for the former but ETS is fairly unique in its focus on the latter.

As a result, it seems to attract a lot of folks with special skills in the field and sober, thoughtful discussion. It's cool to see folks with practical, real life medical, outdoors, piloting, military, SAR, etc. experience on this board and I probably learn more here per topic than most anywhere else.

This forum is often more than just a forum,It is a Think Tank!There are folks from every walk of life,& from Every Continent,less Antarctica,that post their Q&A,Experience,Knowledge,&General Interest that pertains to being Equipped To Survive or at least in the vicinity thereof.Everyone has a valid reason for Not posting their names,&I give respect to that,Afterall this is all part of the info highway,things can get misconstrued or exploited or worse!I readily admit,I, personally have given my share of poor quality & distasteful humor at times,but I also have apologized for such as well!99% of the folks here act within this realm,That's what makes this place,So Enjoyable & Credible!I have used & trusted a Whole lot of info from this site,Thank You to Doug Ritter,for creating this place! CHEERS!