Knowing about someone from the past that's walked away before you got there isn't going to be as much use as knowing what is current.
Unless you've met someone or been so sad that you've stalked them on Facebook most people aren't going to have a clue what someone else on a forum looks like and the image you associate with their name is going to be their avatar.
I'm just a brunette in a purple jacket and you wouldn't recognise me if you ran me over
