I have to admit that PPRuNe was my first and only forum. When I joined, I understood (perhaps wrongly) that it was intended that we remain anonymous, so I tried to comply. After a slagging match a while back, I strted a thread for posters here to honour up their credentials. Few takers... There are enough PPRuNers whom I have met in person, that I'm not at all worried about being suspected as a fake or Walter Mitty (yes, we do know him in Canada too!).
As for my opinion about Guppy, he or she ( see "Fraternity", I'm not getting caught in the sexist thing again!). obviously articulates a lot of knowledge. As IO, and a few have pointed out, the ability to articulate knowledge can come from more than one background. I have no idea about Guppy's. I know nothing more about him/her than what can be read here.
What makes me suspect that Guppy's basis for knowledge might not be what is first perceived, as that every pilot I have met (and there have been many) who have the vast experience which Guppy would have us believe he/she had, was very mellow about it. I have never had a slagging match with a truly hightime pilot, they have nothing to prove - they've done it all. If you don't flow in with them, they just quietly walk away.
Guppy's posts were different, there were often slagging, chest thumping sessions, and for what? It's not really possible to actually win or loose here, you just post for whatever reason motivates you, and hope that someone takes an interest in what you've written. I can say that there were threads which I stopped reading once Guppy got going.I read and post for my entertainment, and I hope, to the benefit of others. I am not entertained by slagging matches, so I just don't play. From my clubhouse experience of past, this reminded me of a lesser experienced pilot, who was very well read, trying hard to impress everyone else, and railing against any challenge to their standing in aviation. I do recall one poster trying to ""meet in the middle" on a topic with Guppy, and Guppy stating that he/she never compromizes a point - must make two crew cockpit relationships challenging!
Guppy offered lots of knowledge, but the price was higher than other knowledgable posters.
Is Guppy gone? What stops him/her rejoining under another personna, and going 'round again?