Allowing limited username changes

[jersey_emt]

Currently, the Opiophile rules state that username change requests will not be granted. In this thread (http://forum.opiophile.org/showthread.php?t=16393), roxi*stardust stated that there are too many requests for this and that administrators do not have the time to change usernames.

I would like to propose that username changes, with limitations, be allowed.

On one forum that I administrate, username changes are granted whenever they are requested. Upon receiving a username change request, we just put up a post in the private staff forum, and whenever someone has time to get to it, it is done. Sometimes its done pretty much instantly, other times it is a while before an administrator gets to it. This of course may not be a good option for Opiophile.

What about allowing username changes with restrictions? Another forum that I am a staff member of does the following, and it really helps to minimize the number of username change requests.

1. You must be an active member for at least six months before being eligible for a username change request.
2. Once an administrator is able to change your username, you cannot make another request, even to go back to your previous username, for another six months.

The six-month restriction keeps username change requests at an absolute minimum. It forces people to be very sure that they really do want that new username, as they would be stuck with it for at least six months. Stretching out the time restriction, to one year for example, could help minimize the number of requests even more.

It would allow people to change their name but the time restriction would minimize impulsive username change requests.

Optional extra: on this other forum where I am a moderator, to help keep track of username changes, the administrators have created a custom profile field (uneditable by users of course) that lists users' previous username(s). When a username change request is granted, their old username is pasted into this custom profile field. This would obviously be a tiny bit more work, but it does help people figure out who is who, even if someone changes their username to something drastically different.

[bronyraur]

User name changes are reviewed on a case by case basis. On occasion, we do allow a name change, although the reason has to be a good one, and the admins have to agree on it.

[Shadowsblaze]

This could be a nice position for you to fill J emt. How bout it? You might get 2-3 thousand first day.

[Synack]

Wasn't there something about the ability to have your name change if you make a nice donation... or have an actual reason that isn't one everyone and their mother gives us.

[hydro chris]

i myself would like to have a user name change only because i wasn't smart enough to think of one before reg. opened up..and i was afraid they close while i would be siting there thinking.
i already missed two prior. lol
so all you super great mods, bronyraur- awesome dude, bi11i the man. where im from..btw
*hint*hint* ;)
Dabucket

[SHELLEY]

i like my user name
plus even if i did change it, everyone would know it was me :)

[TheJuggla1207]

thats sounds good and all, but that would cause so much work form the mods/admins and probably other issues to come up. i actually asked if i could get my username changed a couple weeks ago cause im afraid that people will find me very easily with this name since i use it for everything (xbox live, email..) but it was denied and backed up with a very good reason. iknew it was a long shot but i figured id try, and when i was told no it didnt bother me, cuz i shoulda realized when i signed up not to use this name and use another one. i can just foresee alotta issues poppin up with allowing username changes

[Restharrow]

How about charging a fee for a name change. That would reduce the requests.

When I joined, it came down to a choice between "Restharrow" (which is a flower in a plant encyclopedia I was reading) or "BigTenIncher" (which was.... well I think thats self-explanatory).

Sadly I chose "Restharrow" and now suffer from user name envy when I see people with cool user names.

Will

[Duckfeet]

Yeah: I figure now, with the "waiting process" they've got plenty of time to come up with a cool username...not that it means all that much anyway: people make their names, not the reverse...and I kind of agree w/the poster that maybe you could rig up a way, where you send certain amount of money to Jacky, then u can change it...but that's not up to me...most people I actually remember, it's thru their cool avatar, or better, they post interesting shit...

User name changes are reviewed on a case by case basis. On occasion, we do allow a name change, although the reason has to be a good one, and the admins have to agree on it.

[Shadowsblaze]

The administration would due well by charging $10-$20 a pop to make the changes. I bet there would be a regular income if this went into effect. Initially there would be a surge cause some names really suck, of course thats a matter of taste, Restharrow "did I spell that right flower boy I thought you were a hotel LOL". Later from Antidisestablishmentariasm.

[SeVeN]

. i actually asked if i could get my username changed a couple weeks ago cause im afraid that people will find me very easily with this name since i use it for everything (xbox live, email..)


Dumb duh dumb dumb ......duummbbbbb. Maybe you shouldn't admit to it if you don't want people to know. Huh?

[InfectedMushroom]

Donate 100 bucks, there ya go...

[bronyraur]

Wasn't there something about the ability to have your name change if you make a nice donation... or have an actual reason that isn't one everyone and their mother gives us.

We did have this option, but we no longer can use the online billing provider we had previously, so the option is no more.

[InfectedMushroom]

Damn, sorry Brony I thought it was still available. Even with a snail mail donation?

[bronyraur]

Damn, sorry Brony I thought it was still available. Even with a snail mail donation?

That would be acceptable.

[TheJuggla1207]

Dumb duh dumb dumb ......duummbbbbb. Maybe you shouldn't admit to it if you don't want people to know. Huh?


shut up. i didnt mean u guys findin me on other things, i meant people inthe outside world that know me and dont know i used somehow stumblin across me on here and readin everything ive writen. os leave those smart ass comments at bay.

[SeVeN]

shut up. i didnt mean u guys findin me on other things, i meant people inthe outside world that know me and dont know i used somehow stumblin across me on here and readin everything ive writen. os leave those smart ass comments at bay.


Uhhh. Yeh, the whole point is that you worry about some one you know IRL "stumblin across" this web site....so in which case you should watch what you say (are you really this dense?)

Edit: Oh well, I guesse his days of annoying posts over now. Take care of yourself Juggla and be safe.

[bronyraur]

Uhhh. Yeh, the whole point is that you worry about some one you know IRL "stumblin across" this web site....so in which case you should watch what you say (are you really this dense?)

Edit: Oh well, I guesse his days of annoying posts over now. Take care of yourself Juggla and be safe.

He might be back...the jury is still debating his sentence (and it wasn't related to this thread).

[SeVeN]

He might be back...the jury is still debating his sentence (and it wasn't related to this thread).

No. I had no reason to believe it was because of this thread. All in all he wasn't a bad kid (though I don't know the extent of his temporary/perm ban) Just got annoying some times.

Anyways....carry on,........carry on.....

[limitless_euphoria]

When I signed up, I thought you had to have a handle with no spaces.

I always wanted to just be "limitless euphoria" minus the underscore. I was never quite sure if that was too much to ask for or not... would THAT be a reasonable example of the circumstances under which a request might be considered?

[hydro chris]

When I signed up, I thought you had to have a handle with no spaces.
I always wanted to just be "limitless euphoria" minus the underscore. I was never quite sure if that was too much to ask for or not... would THAT be a reasonable example of the circumstances under which a request might be considered?
i kinda like it with that dash space or whatever it call it bro. shit i cant think of the name of it?

[Morfiend]

isn't there a way to allow aliases? So you have a fixed name you are registered under, but the displayed name can be changed as long as it isn't being used?

Not that I think this should be an option here... just curious if this option is available in vB

[Opiyum]

What a lot of people here don't realize is that in the past some people have requested and then had their names changed for any number of reasons. They were afraid of being blackmailed by someone in the real world, passwords and entire accounts being handed over to parents, fear of consequences involving LEO, people hooking up (sexually) through the site and shit turning sour, hiding from people they ripped off etc etc etc. The list goes on and like I said some people had their name changed multiple times.
Constantly granting these requests and asking that the person please be more careful about what they post and do here was not helping the situation at all and it was becoming very annoying.
The solution, which has for the most part worked, was to make people aware of the fact that if they wanted a name change they would have to pay for it.
It would help bring in desperately needed money and reduce the number of incoming requests and make people more cautious about what they post which you shouldn't have to worry about if you follow the rules of the site.