i use an alias on stackoverflow, and i use an alias here on HN!

My google profile is also an alias. My facebook profile is also an alias. My twitter, same. And if i had a linked-in profile, it would be an alias too. Some of those alias may be the same, but some i deliberately make different, so that i can choose whether others can associate different aliases together as the same person.

Why anyone puts their real name online is beyond me. When i tell my real life friends, they are shocked, and also ask whether it's inconvenient. Yes, i would answer - it is inconvenient, but it is more control. It gives you the option to prevent others from being able to track all my activities online across different services (at least, not easily).