I agree with you about real names/badges for most fandoms. However IMO there is one exception that I have encountered - and that is -furry- fandom.
As I have learned more about furry fandom [especially when working reg for FC 07], I noted that 95% of -everyone- uses their fan name - and not much else. There are people that I know -only- by their fan names - and if you do not refer to someone by their fan name [when speaking to a 3rd person] they won't know who you're talking about.
So in the furry case, it looks like if you use real names -that- would make the person more annonymous than by use of a fan name. ^_^
no subject
As I have learned more about furry fandom [especially when working reg for FC 07], I noted that 95% of -everyone- uses their fan name - and not much else. There are people that I know -only- by their fan names - and if you do not refer to someone by their fan name [when speaking to a 3rd person] they won't know who you're talking about.
So in the furry case, it looks like if you use real names -that- would make the person more annonymous than by use of a fan name. ^_^