What's an "ALT?"

[bashfullyshameless]

So in following the nominations thread on the contests page (You! Reading this! Go put in nominations for your favorite stuff! Make a writer happy!), I have found several references to people being "ALTs."

What exactly is an ALT? Is that like an alternate handle/identity?

Is there something bad about that? We're all essentially anonymous here anyway, right?

(Except me, that is. 'cause it totally says "Bashfully Shameless" on my birth certificate. I was named that by my father, Dreadfully Shameless. And my mom, Tina.)

 

[sr71plt]

Take nominating yourself for the best of anything and then multiple that by your five alts--and what you get is a very, very needy person, none of which has anything to do with being the best of anything.

 

[Darkniciad]

"ALT" when used in the derogatory around here, refers to someone creating an alternate, secret identity for less than honorable reasons.

The accusation that many are throwing around about the contest threads is that writers are creating alts to nominate themselves for the awards. It doesn't help that at least one person admits doing it. In the same vein, someone could create alts to leave a string of signed, positive comments on their own stories, favorite their profile, etc.

There's also the practice of creating alts to give the impression that an opinion or vendetta has some sort of popular support. Alts could also be used to attack someone while keeping the "real ID" insulated.

On the other hand, many of us have alts for other reasons. Some have pen names that are for when two authors combine efforts on one or more stories. I personally have three pen names, which I use to separate different types of stories and themes. Some have alts for professional pen names.

There are any number of reasons to have alts. Some are benign, and some are nefarious.

 

[TxRad]

You've got it. An alternate handle/identity.

Most people just have one and some two, one to post to the boards and another to write with as an example.

I have two, this one and another for when I co-write with another writer here at Lit.

 

[Bebeslut]

So nobody's going to mention the elephant in the room?

 

[TxRad]

So nobody's going to mention the elephant in the room?

The gray one or the pink one?

 

[Ellafun]

So nobody's going to mention the elephant in the room?

Hey, did somebody mention my name?

 

[Bebeslut]

The gray one or the pink one?

You'd know which one better than anyone.

 

[Darkniciad]

Frankly, the delusional, butt-hurt rabble-rousers don't deserve a mention. Like any other troll, they thrive on the attention, and this question is more general. No sense feeding them without reason

 

[cloudy]

"ALT" when used in the derogatory around here, refers to someone creating an alternate, secret identity for less than honorable reasons.

The accusation that many are throwing around about the contest threads is that writers are creating alts to nominate themselves for the awards. It doesn't help that at least one person admits doing it. In the same vein, someone could create alts to leave a string of signed, positive comments on their own stories, favorite their profile, etc.

I don't know why anyone that's been around any length of time is surprised at the behavior in the nomination threads. The same shit goes on every single year: a bunch of "people" that are never seen in the forums all nominate the same damn author (that no one's usually heard of). They all have just the one post, and are never seen again after flooding the threads.

It happened with brightly-i-burn-out one year, DanielleKitten another year, ad nauseum.

I have to wonder who they actually believe they're fooling?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I use my real name. No alts.

 

[oggbashan]

There are alts and alts. Anyone can create any number of alts on Literotica and use those alts as they wish.

I have two alts - Jeanne D'Artois and Fag-Ash Lil who is a character in one of Jeanne D'Artois' stories. I originally created Jeanne D'Artois to write stories from a female POV (point of view). I wanted to see if the response to 'her' stories would be different from stories posted as oggbashan. 'Her' Laundry Tales have been reasonably successful but some of 'her' other stories have flopped. Jeanne D'Artois is a nom-de-plume, as is oggbashan, to conceal my real-life identity.

Fag-Ash Lil is a running joke, constantly demanding 'ciggies'. 'She' doesn't write stories.

I have a third alt that I never use. I created that one to write in a different style from my work as oggbashan or jeanne_d_artois, but so far I haven't used the third alt. I do write stories that are not in my normal style and still post them as oggbashan.

I am currently ineligible to compete in the themed Literotica contests because I won the Winter Holiday Story Contest. In theory, I could use an alt to enter but that would be dishonest.

That brings me to the other sort of alts are those used secretly to harrass, promote your own work shamelessly, and to be a general nuisance. Some people have a multitude of alts who might, for example, nominate their creator for Literotica awards, leave rude comments on other people's work, or fulsome comments on their creator's stories. Some people use their alts so obviously that most people know who the creator is. A clue is that if a number of new names with very few posts start nominating an author, then some at least of those new names are likely to be the author him/herself.

Og

 

[Bebeslut]

So, is that not your picture in your avatar?

There are alts and alts. Anyone can create any number of alts on Literotica and use those alts as they wish.

I have two alts - Jeanne D'Artois and Fag-Ash Lil who is a character in one of Jeanne D'Artois' stories. I originally created Jeanne D'Artois to write stories from a female POV (point of view). I wanted to see if the response to 'her' stories would be different from stories posted as oggbashan. 'Her' Laundry Tales have been reasonably successful but some of 'her' other stories have flopped. Jeanne D'Artois is a nom-de-plume, as is oggbashan, to conceal my real-life identity.

Fag-Ash Lil is a running joke, constantly demanding 'ciggies'. 'She' doesn't write stories.

I have a third alt that I never use. I created that one to write in a different style from my work as oggbashan or jeanne_d_artois, but so far I haven't used the third alt. I do write stories that are not in my normal style and still post them as oggbashan.

I am currently ineligible to compete in the themed Literotica contests because I won the Winter Holiday Story Contest. In theory, I could use an alt to enter but that would be dishonest.

That brings me to the other sort of alts are those used secretly to harrass, promote your own work shamelessly, and to be a general nuisance. Some people have a multitude of alts who might, for example, nominate their creator for Literotica awards, leave rude comments on other people's work, or fulsome comments on their creator's stories. Some people use their alts so obviously that most people know who the creator is. A clue is that if a number of new names with very few posts start nominating an author, then some at least of those new names are likely to be the author him/herself.

Og

 

[oggbashan]

So, is that not your picture in your avatar?

That is me, in costume as Henry VIII, a role I have now retired from because I am much older than Henry was when he died. Several UK Literoticans have seen me in person at our get-togethers.

Locally, very few people have seen me as Henry VIII, and I don't think any of them know about Literotica. It might be mildly embarrassing if the connection was made between me as oggbashan and the real me. Now I am retired and self-employed for 15 years before I retired, I don't have to worry about an employer's reaction.

Og

 

[Fag-Ash_Lil]

I'm an alt.

Got any ciggies?

If not? Why not?

Go get some. I need a nicotine fix - now!

Fag-Ash

PS. Og donated a cigarette case to a local Museum yesterday. It had a photo portrait of a pub's landlord inset at the feet of a naked goddess. He had to explain to the Museum's curator that the naked goddess was in fact Nicotina - holding tobacco leaves to cover her snatch.

The Museum curator had never heard of, and never seen, a picture of the goddess Nicotina. He's too young!

PPS:

Ezra Pound - Nicotine
Hymn to the Dope

Goddess of the murmuring courts,
Nicotine, my Nicotine,
Houri of the mystic sports,
trailing-robed in gabardine,
Gliding where the breath hath glided,
Hidden sylph of filmy veils,
Truth behind the dream is veiléd
E'en as thou art, smiling ever, ever gliding,
Wraith of wraiths, dim lights dividing
Purple, grey, and shadow green
Goddess, Dream-grace, Nicotine.

Goddess of the shadow's lights,
Nicotine, my Nicotine,
Some would set old Earth to rights,
Thou I none such ween.
Veils of shade our dream dividing,
Houris dancing, intergliding,
Wraith of wraiths and dream of faces,
Silent guardian of the old unhallowed places,
Utter symbol of all old sweet druidings,
Mem'ry of witched wold and green,
Nicotine, my Nicotine:

Neath the shadows of thy weaving
Dreams that need no undeceiving,
Loves that longer hold me not,
Dreams I dream not any more,
Fragrance of old sweet forgotten places,
Smiles of dream-lit, flit-by faces
All as perfume Arab-sweet
Deck the high road to thy feet

As were Godiva's coming fated
And all the April's blush belated
Were lain before her, carpeting
The stones of Coventry with spring,
So thou my mist-enwreathéd queen,
Nicotine, white Nicotine,
Riding engloried in they hair
Mak'st by-road of our dreams
Thy thorough-fare.

 

[Artina Heartflash]

There are alts and alts. Anyone can create any number of alts on Literotica and use those alts as they wish.

... Some people have a multitude of alts who might, for example, nominate their creator for Literotica awards, leave rude comments on other people's work, or fulsome comments on their creator's stories. Some people use their alts so obviously that most people know who the creator is. A clue is that if a number of new names with very few posts start nominating an author, then some at least of those new names are likely to be the author him/herself.

Og

Do the mods decide what is valid feedback and what is alt ego, and delete comments and/or votes?

 

[Artina Heartflash]

I'm an alt.

Got any ciggies?

If not? Why not?

Go get some. I need a nicotine fix - now!

Fag-Ash

PS. Og donated a cigarette case to a local Museum yesterday. It had a photo portrait of a pub's landlord inset at the feet of a naked goddess. He had to explain to the Museum's curator that the naked goddess was in fact Nicotina - holding tobacco leaves to cover her snatch.

The Museum curator had never heard of, and never seen, a picture of the goddess Nicotina. He's too young!

PPS:

Ezra Pound - Nicotine
Hymn to the Dope

Goddess of the murmuring courts,
Nicotine, my Nicotine,
Houri of the mystic sports,
trailing-robed in gabardine,
Gliding where the breath hath glided,
Hidden sylph of filmy veils,
Truth behind the dream is veiléd
E'en as thou art, smiling ever, ever gliding,
Wraith of wraiths, dim lights dividing
Purple, grey, and shadow green
Goddess, Dream-grace, Nicotine.

Goddess of the shadow's lights,
Nicotine, my Nicotine,
Some would set old Earth to rights,
Thou I none such ween.
Veils of shade our dream dividing,
Houris dancing, intergliding,
Wraith of wraiths and dream of faces,
Silent guardian of the old unhallowed places,
Utter symbol of all old sweet druidings,
Mem'ry of witched wold and green,
Nicotine, my Nicotine:

Neath the shadows of thy weaving
Dreams that need no undeceiving,
Loves that longer hold me not,
Dreams I dream not any more,
Fragrance of old sweet forgotten places,
Smiles of dream-lit, flit-by faces
All as perfume Arab-sweet
Deck the high road to thy feet

As were Godiva's coming fated
And all the April's blush belated
Were lain before her, carpeting
The stones of Coventry with spring,
So thou my mist-enwreathéd queen,
Nicotine, white Nicotine,
Riding engloried in they hair
Mak'st by-road of our dreams
Thy thorough-fare.

This is GREAT. Wish we could see a visual of her on a billboard, now that the smoking ads have been removed.