Well, I can't really give a reply, because, generally speaking, I'm not active enough on forums to ever gain any sort of recognition. I usually join, so a few things every once and a while, and then just read what other people say. I find that, most of the time, when I try to comment regularly, I usually say something stupid that makes people laugh at me and/or something that somehow pisses someone off, and then I get into a big long argument with them about it, and then I get sick of it and give them the last word, and then I just don't feel like saying anything[\i] anymore...
Where was I going with this...?
Oh, right. Well, I would think that after you established some kind of personality, (i.e (s)he really likes this, really dislikes that, is prone to making silly puns, always uses words I don't really understand, etc. etc.), people will start to know you for that. But in the short time I've been here, I'm starting to recognize people by their avatars, so I think your concern there is pretty understandable.
Bottom line: keep it consistent until you rack up a respectable post count and gain some notoriety, then change it all you want. (If you were a total d-bag, you wouldn't even have to worry about the post count: people tend to recognize the d-bags faster, because they know enough to avoid them/know how to goad them into going off on long and amusing rants).
CAPTCHA: no stinkin badges
Captcha's right: you could also sign off with a catchphrase every time you make a post. I don't know how many people know The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, but I guarantee a lot more know the (misquoted, thank you very much Blazing Saddles) line about badges.
