Why worry it is easy to tell who the real people are; so caveat emptor.

I don't care what name people are using if he or she: 1) gives great advice, 2) makes me laugh, 3) doesn't show pettiness, or 4) doesn't insist their answer is the be all/end all.

I post under several different names and use my own only when I request info. Sorry, folks, this works best for me.

My real ALTERNATIVE email address by the way. Agree with the last two posts. It doesn't take a rocket scientest to figure out who is for real whether in posting or in replying regardless of what name or email adress they use. I really don't see what the problem is.

Jessie: The problem is that this forum is so full of nameless/anonymous posters and totally irrelevant commentary that the integrity and usefulness has almost completely evaporated. What used to be a valuable forum, chock full of useful and interesting recommendations and advice, has diminished to a pitiful outlet for those posting fake inquiries to impress their friends with the number of emotional opinions and those who vent their frustrations by just venting their mean and critical comments anywhere and everywhere with nothing valid to offer anyone. Had you been a "regular" some years ago, you would be appalled by what's going on (and not going on) here now. Those with incredible insider information have ceased bothering to participate. And, with good reason. Because the current throng of participators simply "don't see what the problem is". Such a shame.

I "don't see what the problem is". I would defy anyone that suggests that less than 95% of all posts are meant to be of aid to others. Those thinking anything less than 100% is not acceptable (or deplorable) don't live in the real world. This is after all a public forum. Go cry in your beer and turn off your computer if you can't handle it.

Oh how delightful, the reason there is a problem is because of us newcomers "who don't see what the problem is". This use to be such a nice neighborhood until "those" new people moved in. I don't mean to be sarcastic ,well actually I do. The vast, vast majority of what is posted and responded to here is helpful , on the level and undoubtedly useful. There seems to be to be a rather unrealistic expectation that somehow this will be a pristine site. We do not live in a pristine society. The idea that there are "worthy" people who are no longer willing to have their invaluable advice soiled and have done the noble thing by removing themselves form this unsavory mess seems to me rather silly and extradinoraly self rightous. I do sympathize with your sense of loss but unfortunately this process has always taken place as anything becomes more popular and once small communities become so large that you can no longer know everyone personally. The origional question had to do with people no longer posting their real email addresse and Jayne's inability to "personally" follow up on this. There seems to be valid reasons , partly in response to the changes that have taken place in the "internet community" and the increase in spam and the understandable desire not to leave yourself vulnerable to personal responses of any sort. Jayne could have just as easily have posted her questions on site. I think she asked a valid question and I think there have been numerous valid responses to it. The downside of popularity ,whether that be Fodors in specific , but really just the internet in general, is that it will increasingly resemble the outside world. The vast majority of us manage to negotiate our way through real life. I think just as in "the real world" , if your reaction to the lack of perfection is to lock yourself behind closed doors you'll miss a great deal. "I don't see what the problem is" for people , usually for very good reason , choose not to use their "real" email.If you drop out because , like life itself ,Fodors is no longer perfect it will be both your and possibly everyone else's lose. But more than enough said.

God people, to me you are lacking in appropriate danger awareness if you invite unknown persons into the privacy of your own personal e-mail. That's for intimates. I've seen on other forums in Fodors that when respondents chain response to one another and feel there is a relationship, the magical e-mail address shows up for home correspondences. This is a public forum available to anyone who logs on. Just because you don't leave your real e-mail address doesn't imply you're giving bogus info. either. This is a travel forum and the vast majority of us who use this site are here to learn more about our love of travel and/or to try to help educate. If you can't discern a serious response from a cynical response to a post, I'm supprised you were able to log-on at all.

Insightful assessment, Jessie.
The sad fact is that as the internet grows, it, like society, will suffer a variety of pains and ailments. Among these, security issues, policing problems, etiquette evolution.
Fodor's is simply a microcosm of the internet as a whole in many ways.

I'd love to go back to the early 1960's when I was a kid too, Lynn, but that's not an option. The good old days are past and our job is to make the best of the present. Fodor's still has lots of value.

If you are interesting in learning about 'spam' e-mails and taking action against it, look at: http://spam.abuse.net/

I *WAS* a "regular" years ago, and believe me, I prefer the site today, even with the crap. Does anybody else remember when there were only a few new topics per day? Bore-ing!! (My addiction was way lower because checking once a day was plenty.)

Why does Fodor's want an e-mail address in the first place?

Sad to say, but some people will take advantage of a real email address for unsolicited marketing. (See my post "DON'T SOLICIT ME" on the Europe pages). I continue to use my real email address, but I can understand why others don't.