Changing usernames

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thirdcrank
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Changing usernames

Post by thirdcrank »

Is there a policy on forum members changing their username?

In particular, when this happens who decides whether their new name is associated with the old one, eg for search purposes?
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Paulatic
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by Paulatic »

AFAIK new name associated with old posts
viewtopic.php?t=135884
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thirdcrank
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by thirdcrank »

Paulatic wrote:AFAIK new name associated with old posts
viewtopic.php?t=135884


My point is that I don't think that always happens. ie Username changed, old posts still there but as the old name is retired, for want of a better word, searching under either name is unsuccessful.

Thinking it through, there must be more than one way of doing it.
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admin
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by admin »

Two ways this could be done:

  1. Change the username for the account
  2. Create a new account

If the username is changed for the account, all posts from that account will show the new username.
thirdcrank
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by thirdcrank »

Thanks for that but is there a policy on which method is appropriate?
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admin
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by admin »

Whichever the person requesting a change of username prefers. The first option requires an admin to do the change, the second can be done by anyone.

We generally don't allow username changes, because it confuses other Forum users and is sort-of "rewriting history". But we do allow changes if there are Good Reasons to do so.
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simonineaston
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by simonineaston »

I can think of at least one other forum where certain individuals who are prone to a lack of judgement when posting, have been banned and who pop up again and again in an attempt to air their views, thus requiring the moderator / admin staff to engage in a game of Wack-A-(username)Mole... not on this forum, tho' obs! :wink:
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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admin
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by admin »

Yeah, it's impossible to stop banned users from coming back with a new username.

If they behave themselves this isn't a problem. If they continue to abuse then they'll find their new account blocked pretty quickly.
thirdcrank
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by thirdcrank »

It hadn't occurred to me that a member might be banned then re-emerge in a different disguise. I suppose that's because there's no formal Dreyfus-type procedure when it happens. Not that I would want that, but the point remains that if the former username is killed off (or whatever is the correct expression) then all existing posts remain, but cannot be searched using the username.

Unfortunately, if somebody makes the change for an understandable reason eg disguising their identity to avoid online loonies, then two minutes checking for their original username being quoted will reveal/confirm their new one.

Anyway, it's hardly a big deal. In the past, I've always used the "remember me" feature which enables wind-up merchants to be ignored. I'd pretty much given up using the forum until I needed something to pass the time in lockdown and I was slow to notice a change.
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Mick F
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by Mick F »

Remember Asdace?
He started the "Where were you in 1973" thread.
Met him and rode with him up in N Yorks to Whitby. Nice chap.

He wanted to delete his profile and his posts because he was being ....... I don't remember, so I don't want to use the wrong expression ....... so wanted to remove himself. He deleted all his posts, so there were empty gaps everywhere.

He came back as Rapidfire something or other.
Long-since finished on here.

Point I'm making, is that it goes on all the time.
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by thirdcrank »

One of the things I'm hinting at, is the people - like asdace - who feel they are perhaps being targeted, don't really benefit, while it's just another facility for wind-up merchants.
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Mick F
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Re: Changing usernames

Post by Mick F »

thirdcrank wrote:One of the things I'm hinting at, is the people - like asdace - who feel they are perhaps being targeted, don't really benefit, while it's just another facility for wind-up merchants.
Yep.
Agree.
Mick F. Cornwall
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