Can forum names be changed?

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:59 pm

To something similar, I mean, and on a case-by-case basis.

It would obviously be very confusing if members changed their names as much as they changed their avatars, and even moreso if the new names didn't bother to bear any resemblance to their predecessors. But what about a name that is outdated or otherwise obsolete to the user? To use myself as an example, can something like Li'l Lemmy (from four years ago) be altered into just Lemmy or something similar? Or are all names final?

It's not something that I'm absolutely decided on, but I figured it'd be good to inquire about policy for the future.

~Da Lemmy

Post by **VegettoEX** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:08 pm

Can it technically be done? Of course it can.

Do I ever do it? Very rarely. There needs to be an asininely-convincing reason why it should be done. If you don't want to post as the name you use, you shouldn't be using that name.

Welcome to the internet

.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:12 am

Oh, this isn't an official inquiry to change my name-- "Lemmy" in and of itself is an internet moniker that for me will never die. But for this particular forum, I was curious to know the rules governing such possibilities.

When I first showed up, people had a tendency to abbreviate me to "Li'l". I thought about asking to have the name changed then, but that was four years ago and it never happens anymore; nowadays it's just the occasional "Lem", which I don't have any particular problem with. My only reasons for considering a name change this late in the game is to make my forum name here uniform with how I'm known everywhere else, which is by just the plain "Lemmy".

Is there a pressing need for the change, though? Nah.

At any rate, thanks for the quick reply! The forum policy regarding names was something that I had always been curious about, regardless.

~Da Lemmy

Innagadadavida · Post by **Innagadadavida** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:15 am

VegettoEX wrote:Can it technically be done? Of course it can.

Do I ever do it? Very rarely. There needs to be an asininely-convincing reason why it should be done. If you don't want to post as the name you use, you shouldn't be using that name.

Welcome to the internet .

I don't understand your reasoning, like, at all. It seems like a total asshole thing to do, to have the ability to do something that doesn't take any time or effort, but refuse to do it.

Remix · Post by **Remix** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:26 am

Innagadadavida, your avatar juxtaposed with your post made me laugh out loud.

Just saying.

RoarkVegeta · Post by **RoarkVegeta** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:29 am

Remix wrote:Innagadadavida, your avatar juxtaposed with your post made me laugh out loud.

Just saying.

Oh my god...

My friends and I love your videos! ;D

Back on-topic. I'd liked my name changed, kinda...

Freeza Heika · Post by **Freeza Heika** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:31 am

RoarkVegeta wrote:Back on-topic. I'd liked my name changed, kinda...

Alas, I guess that not everyone can come up with an amazing suername on their first try.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:34 am

Innagadadavida wrote:
VegettoEX wrote:Can it technically be done? Of course it can.

Do I ever do it? Very rarely. There needs to be an asininely-convincing reason why it should be done. If you don't want to post as the name you use, you shouldn't be using that name.

Welcome to the internet .
I don't understand your reasoning, like, at all. It seems like a total asshole thing to do, to have the ability to do something that doesn't take any time or effort, but refuse to do it.

I can understand his reasoning just fine. He didn't say that he refuses to change names per se but rather that he needs a damned good reason to change ANY name. And most people just don't have one outside of sheer want.

Say that a second Lemmy registered and became a regular member like me. I might then have a valid reason to request a change in my own name to help further differentiate one Lemmy from another. Otherwise, outside of similarly valid reasons, it probably shouldn't be so simple as "change my name plzkthx" and it's automatically changed, because then it would be too common a request-- given a year, the board would look as if it had a completely different population when in fact it's the same members with different names, which is just confusing to both the new members and the old ones trying to keep trck of who changed their names to what!

At least with the current system, Rocketman from 2004 means the same member from here in 2009 and will be the same person ten years from now, as opposed to ChiChi's Sex Slave who would be a completely different whore and not just a pointless name change.

As for being unfair, well . . . that's a matter of opinion, really, although keep in mind that you're talking to the same guy who imposed the word filter mainly for the sake of amusement derived from "WTF why does it say Mr. Satan when I typed Mr. Satan?"

~Da Lemmy

Freeza Heika · Post by **Freeza Heika** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:37 am

Li'l Lemmy wrote:As for being unfair, well . . . that's a matter of opinion, really, although keep in mind that you're talking to the same guy who imposed the word filter mainly for the sake of amusement derived from "WTF why does it say Mr. Satan when I typed Mr. Satan?"

You're saying that's not a good reason? I had forgotten how funny that can be until you did it. The world filter is funny and educational...it's edutainment!

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:59 am

I never said that the above was not a good reason. It is most certainly a good reason.

~Da Lemmy

Saiyavenger2941 · Post by **Saiyavenger2941** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:08 am

I wouldn't mind having the "2941" dropped from my name... (Mainly because one driver doesn't drive the 41 anymore, and the guy who drives 29 is about to leave that team... Yes. NASCAR runs all my decision making when it comes to names.)

Post by **VegettoEX** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:46 am

Innagadadavida wrote:I don't understand your reasoning, like, at all. It seems like a total asshole thing to do, to have the ability to do something that doesn't take any time or effort, but refuse to do it.

I'm flabbergasted that it's even an issue.

I've had... maybe... three or four people in the entire length of this particular forum's existence even ask if it's possible. Note that we're approaching 3000 registered members.

Like the Lemster confirmed from what I said... there's nothing in there from me saying I won't do it; I said there needs to be a reason. A good reason. Especially on a forum of this size, if everyone's thinking about changing their names, you have a couple problems:

(1) Extra (pointless) administrative work
(2) Confusion among members as to who's who

And none of us want either of those

.

Amigo Ten · Post by **Amigo Ten** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:52 am

I'm kicking myself for not joining as "Chaoz". I have no idea why I didn't.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:09 am

VegettoEX wrote:Like the Lemster confirmed from what I said... there's nothing in there from me saying I won't do it; I said there needs to be a reason. A good reason.

ZOMG NAME CHANGE TO LEMSTER NAO PREEZ

Well . . . okay, not really. But I've never heard that variation directed at me before, so s'kinda cool.

At any rate, I agree with the board administrator(s) on all points. I'll inquire again as to the policy in . . . oh, say another four years or so and see if anything's changed.

~Da Lemmy

Tweaker · Post by **Tweaker** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:13 pm

The issue of confusion as to who's who is a pretty big reason why I generally oppose changing forum usernames in most situations. Times when I am willing usually occur when the user's original name is... well, less than appealing, with tons of numbers tacked at the end of a poor premise of identification. For example, I would consider Saiyavenger's name change because the name itself isn't really changing all that much--the numbers are just getting stripped, which leads to an overall better aesthetic feel. Lemmy's name change is kind of in the same reign, but at the same time it's a bit trivial.

I've considered a possible situation before where I may request a name change at some point in the distant future in case I decide to abandon this particular alias for the purpose of avoiding a certain group of people from being able to identify and contact me. Would that be a reasonable basis on which to request a name change, or would you consider it just as trivial as any other reason? Out of curiosity, anyway; I don't think I'll actually need to get to that point, but it would be nice to know that I could if I needed to.

MCDaveG · Post by **MCDaveG** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:35 pm

Amigo Ten wrote:I'm kicking myself for not joining as "Chaoz". I have no idea why I didn't.

It's cool that you're not Chaoz, I'm having such an agony from names like SSJ16Goku and it's more natural for me to use nicknames, which are not inspired by show which is the theme of message board.....

Actually I will have different nickname nowadays, because I joined in 2005 and my english wasn't that awesome in those days so I'm physically here from the beginning of this year

But this nickname was used a lot by myself in past, so I'm feeling really different about it today, but well, it's only nickname

Innagadadavida · Post by **Innagadadavida** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:14 pm

VegettoEX wrote: (1) Extra (pointless) administrative work
(2) Confusion among members as to who's who

If you've only been asked four times, then what's the big deal? I mean, I could understand if he wanted to be renamed something completely different that what his original name was, but he just wants three letters removed. I've been an the administrative area of a PHPbb forum and it's not hard. A couple of clicks and key strokes and you're done.

It's not really an issue. I'm not losing sleep over it or anything. Just...
"Hey, can I have my name changed real quick?"
"Sure, buddy, as long as it's something we can recognize!"
"Gee, thanks pal!"
"No problem."

VenomSymbiote · Post by **VenomSymbiote** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:32 pm

Freeza Heika wrote:
RoarkVegeta wrote:Back on-topic. I'd liked my name changed, kinda...
Alas, I guess that not everyone can come up with an amazing suername on their first try.

<---

Umm... wrong. XD

Saiyavenger2941 · Post by **Saiyavenger2941** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:54 pm

Yeah, the only reason I even have the numbers is because my original "Saiyavenger" account got irreparably messed up when I changed my skin setting way back in the day. Thus, I had to create a new account with the numbers.

B · Post by B » Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:18 pm

I'm inclined to the notion that names do not matter, but I'm well aware I'm the only person on the planet who thinks so. So then, when OTHER members of a forum whine how they can't identify someone, all that does is create problems for higher-ups. I used to go to a forum where I had my name changed to a completely different one, and everytime, at least ten people go apeshit that some guy has 4,000 posts whom they've never seen before, and even go as far as to DEMAND to know who I was before, for whatever comfort that brought them.

From an administrative standpoint, and the human need(?) of identification, it's probably best to not do it.