Anonymity is always an issue on fora. I am a member of a medical website forum, it allows anonymous profiles (due to several cases of comments made in a restricted forum not available to the public being made public- example below)
However in theory to be a member their requires proof of identity as a doctor. It is not a publicly accessible forum. "What's said in the doctors mess, stays in the doctors mess"?type of thing, we need a safe place to ask clinical questions and have a whinge about work in privacy.
I would support basics ie real name and location on profiles. After all, isn't this meant to be a useful informative place to share knowledge, ask dumb questions, criticise, whilst recognising there may be comebacks if you act like a dick?
Feel free to ask dumb questions- I have, as a newcomer. But gratuitous abuse shouldn't be tolerated, just ridiculed. Friendly banter between the true enlightened fisher folk (aka string pullers) and the bottom dwelling breath holders (spearo's) is fine, just read twice before posting potentially offensive comments.
The case in question was a junior doc. who referred to one of those behind the restructuring (total balls up mess) of medical training as a "f$$cking ****" in this private doctors only forum.
http://www.ganfyd.org/index.php?title=Scot_Junior
Anyhoo, just my long winded view of things, for the record my name and location are real, so piss easy to find out who I am!