>You may note my username is simply a plain old name and it's my real name. I cannot any longer support anonymity save for cases where safety demand it.

Please ask yourself how you would feel if this site did that -- or even, in fact, if HN didn't actually make anon accounts (without even requiring an email confirmation) so easy that it's an incredibly common occurrence.

One of the things I like about HN is that while anonymity is certainly possible having an identity which is known to the community (whether that be one's actual identity, or in my case a pseudonymous one), allows us to build (and/or repudiate/destroy, as we choose) credibility and engage in discussions over time.

I will say that 'nobody9999' is not the name on my passport, nor is it the name I use with my bank or (when I actually used such things) social media accounts.

However, a search through HN's archives will, nonetheless, provide a history of my comments and submissions.

Should I turn into a raving asshole, the admins/moderators can sanction/ban me without ever knowing my 'legal' name.

That makes a lot more sense than forcing folks to tie their legal identities to everything they do online.