Should long-time users be allowed to change their name at will?

Meh. Different name, same person.

The real question should really be whether or not it is something that has the potential to become a huge pain in the ass.

I would say it should only really be allowed in extreme situations. If lurve really means nothing, then people shouldn’t have a problem with just starting a new account if they want to change their name. I’d say keep it under 5K or even 3K to keep it from getting ridiculous. If someone really wants to change their name, they should be able to suck it up and lose their lurve.

I would very much like to change my user name, and I will tell you why in private. I don’t think you can make a rule which covers every circumstance. I guess generally it’s better for the site if you control name changes, but to make a hard-and-fast rule could cause unintended damage. I think everyone would trust you to decide fairly on a case-by-case basis.

Any member should be allowed to change their name, and thank you for helping me with mine when I first joined. There should be a “formerly” placed in their profile, however.

@pdworkin Well, it’s really about making it the lack of a rule. And putting in a ‘change username’ thing in the settings.

@andrew No, please don’t put a “change username” thing in the settings. That would disrupt too much around here, in my opinion.

It’s one thing to change a username by deleting an account, but it’s another to just change a username on a whim or every few weeks. It would have to be something reserved to those under 1K lurve if it was to work for me. But then again, reserving it to 1K people does create another little unnecessary lurve barrier.

Ahh. I think you might want to keep it discretionary for the sake of the integrity of the site. If someone wants to make a frivolous name change, I believe it should cost them their status, and they should have to rebuild. Have you looked at Plurk? There you can change your username from minute to minute, but it is always linked to your original, unchangeable profile. That can be fun, and everyone would still know who is who.

Yes.
I just want to be simply, ~.

But really, I think it’s just confusing to have people changing their names. I won’t know who’s who any more.

I do not like the idea of letting long term users change their usernames. One of the reasons I asked this question was that I found it disconcerting to see a user I had never heard of having over 20,000 lurve points, being a member of my fluther I didn’t remember adding, and having public comments from people who seemed to know this person very well. It was very unnerving and I had to do some digging to find out who this person used to be. While it is possible that some cases should be considered individually I loathe the idea of a “Change Username” setting. I think it will be detrimental to the familiar feeling of The Collective if people can change their identity willy-nilly, regardless of the new identity being linked to the old profile.

and isn’t this a question more appropriate for the Meta tab?

Can I change my name to jonsbitch.~

I agree with those that don’t like the ‘change username’ thingy.

@Blondesjon It is in the meta tab, did you see it elsewhere?

@Blondesjon It is in the “meta” tab.

@andrew Jinx!

@jonsbitch, that has a nice ring to it.

I have debated whether or not to ask if I could change mine many times in the past. In the end I never do, because this is who people know me as, but I can certainly relate to users who want to change their name.

I do think that if this was a common occurrence, it could destabilize the community. The front page (or the new meta section) could get bogged down with “Where did _____ go?” questions, and there would be numerous debates about what happened to some users.

As it stands, I think it’s less likely to be a problem if under 5K users were allowed a name change. I still wouldn’t ban it outright for long-term users, but they should have a reason for doing so (and not just decide to change it on a whim). Perhaps they should have to have a PM conversation with one or a few Mods, and a consensus could be reached.

I guess I just don’t see the need for a strict No name changes rule being put into effect, but I do think the final decision should be weighed on a case by case basis.

I think people who have names that might have been funny when they first came up with it, but in the time since has become combersome and obviously a bit daft could have realized their mistake before they hit 5000.
Imagine someone having a name like BarneyFranksEmbarassingRectalWart, or jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities being stuck with a handle like that…

Ooooohhhh…. bummer

I like the way it is now… once I completely understood it if you’re new and want to change your name, we’ll allow it. If you’re established and want to change your name, you need to have a very compelling reason to do so. I’d rather it stay in the hands of the admins.

@andrew . . . That’s where I first clicked on it.

Very ambivalent about this. It is confusing and disorienting when someone disappears and reappears under a new moniker. I even have problems when people change their avatars often; I’m a creature of familiarity. On the other hand, I don’t know that my comfort level should subsume someone else’s right to change their identity. Perhaps, if they want to keep their accrued lurve, they shouldn’t be allowed to delete their old account but the new name should link to their old profile as has been suggested above.

@filmfann That’s exactly what I did. It was an inside joke at the time I joined up, and sometimes I still chuckle at it, but at other times I think it detracts from my credibility if I am trying to make a valid point. That’s why I’ve considered changing it so many times. Alas, I’m keeping it.

@augustlan my only problem with the very compelling reason stipulation is wondering compelling to whom? On every other site I am a member of, my handle is HouseMouse. I might consider that an incredibly compelling reason to change my Fluther name. I could make the argument that all of my friends and family know me as HouseMouse and would not be able to find me here with a different name. It is very important to me that they can find me here because of course I want to hear their input on my questions and answers. Who are you – or any of the mods or site owners – to discount that? I think it should be a solid consistent policy of no name changes after 5,000 lurve.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities I for one cannot imagine how the guy with the best username of Fluther would ever want to change it!

Modified to Add: I hope this didn’t come across as too snippy! That was not my intention!

Just read what Auggie said and I’m inclined to agree it should stay in the hands of the admins after a certain amount of k and not be a tab on your profile.

@SuperMouse We’ve allowed name changes usually for things like legal issues and some privacy things.

I think established users want people to recognize them and are the least likely to flippantly abuse a name change option.

Maybe you could make it so you could only change once a month?

@nikipedia There isn’t a huge distinction between once-a-month and at-will in my mind.

Can you imagine how trolls would love this option?

Personally I prefer it to remain as is- only allowed with good cause. This way I know who I am conversing with. Some folks would change it often like they do their profile pic and it would be very confusing.

I, as you know, believe that long-time users should be able to change their user names. I asked (I think it was well before 5K) and was not allowed to change mine.

I would still like to change it.

I don’t think it takes away from the integrity of the Q&As what someone’s user name is.

Maybe I don’t get it here, but I don’t understand what the big deal is with deleting your account and just starting another with a different name. The only possible reason I can think of holding you back from something like that would be lurve, but many users have said lurve doesn’t really mean anything, so that shouldn’t really be an issue.

@all Long time members. If you would like your name changed PM auggie with your reasons.

@Marina You, unfortunately, were in the crappy end of our policy on it. After long saying no name changes, I had a user make a really, really compelling argument for it, so we switched to the current policy (name changes under 5K, provided you figure out how to contact us).

any curious individual may wish to peruse my profile for an explanation for my changed user name.

Thanks very much.

@dpworkin Your kind of name change- so subtle- I can deal with. :)

What if users were only able to change their user name once every XXX days?
I think perhaps that would keep the function from causing too much chaos.

I agree with the current situation. Name changes only under 5K and above 5K for when really necessary. It gets confusing if someone keeps changing their name. Imagine wanting to leave someone a PM but unable to figure out who they are anymore due to a new name. Plus people who don’t log in all that regularly will be even more utterly confused.

I do think it should not be a tab and be randomly done. I think it should require asking.

Part of what makes Fluther a community is the process of getting to know each other. A random name change can only disrupt that process.

What would be the purpose of a new name? A new start, without any preconceived notions? Why not start an alternate account? Or delete your account and begin anew? Surely, randomly changing a name while keeping the same lurve, comments, etc., defeats that purpose?

I agree with @SuperMouse, compelling to whom? Allowing some to change their names, but not others, stinks of favoritism.

Personally, I like change and I would rotate about 3 or 4 names if I could.

@tinyfaery See my comment above.

I’m not in favor of being able to change names so easily. I don’t think it’s fair to others. I wasn’t on when all of this came down this afternoon, but if I’d have seen the new name, I’d have known who it was just by putting 2 & 2 together. IF, like some have said, there’s a legal or safety reason, that’s another ball game. But just to change your name because you are either tired of your name or you want to go incognito for a while is deceiving. Personally, it pissses me off & offends me.

How am I offending you if I want to be smallpixie for a time instead of tinyfaery?

@tinyfaery If you’re talking to ME, I’m offended because I feel that it’s deceitful. If I came on here tomorrow morning as columbofan, wouldn’t you wonder who I was with as much lurve as I have? Would you not want to know who I was? I like to know who the hell I’m talking to if it appears they’ve had an account here for a long time. We all have perceptions of who we are on here. Different friendships, different personalities that carry through. You learn to trust who’s who. You obviously have your opinion on this, I have mine. We are each allowed that.

All one has to do is click on the profile or pm to find out. I think it could be fun to guess who it might be. I think you are taking this a bit too seriously.

If I do change my name, I’ll be sure to let you know so you don’t think I’m trying to deceive you. Assuming I haven’t been deceivng you this whole time.

@tinyfaery LOLLLL.. I bet you’re not really a faery at all, are you? :D

What the hell is going on around here?!?

Marina is now @marinelife
pdworkin is now @dpworkin

WTF?! – Do you people have any idea what this is gonna cost me in therapy?

OK, all kidding aside – I understand if a name change is needed for legal reasons or such (as described by @andrew), but to allow changes for the heck of it (or worse, a “change username” button on your profile) – I think – contributes to degrading the community.

We are who we are who we are. All relationships are circumstantial. Your name is a circumstance. Changing it risks altering those relationships.

If you really want to risk that, you can PM @andrew (or a mod, I guess) – but I wouldn’t do it personally.

I am @cprevite, I am the cookie.

I am…exhausted.

@jbfletcherfan . . . No. She is a fairy.

Columbo was superior to Murder She Wrote.

I guess I just consider this place as a community. A community where I love a lot of its’ residents. I just don’t like to play guessing games.

@cprevite I agree with you. You’re getting it. Thank you.

@Blondesjon Ho’ de’ phone!!! She really IS a fairy!!! Wow. ;-)

Yeah, Columbo came next. But not first, just next.

Oh look…@Daloon is crafting a response.

Um, er…I mean @Rancid…no no – it’s, uh…@wundayatta

oy, my head hurts.

I think I would get confused and I also think it would be somewhat disruptive if people could change willy-nilly, so I don’t feel that it should be a tab or feature. I feel slightly hypocritical, considering I changed mine, but mine was a privacy issue where I experienced some unnecessary drama because someone in real life got nosy and took issue with things I said here.

I changed my mind. I think that all long-term users should be forced to change their names to Will. Once you hit 10K, your name is Will. Where’s @andrew?

I started a new account after I deleted my old one. I had no expectation of being anything other than who I was in the new account. It was kind of interesting being new, since I found people saying things to me or dismissing me or not giving out lurve to answers I’m pretty sure they would have lurved had I been the old avatar and name.

Lurve does mean something. It tells you how often other people have liked that persons answers. This can be either because they say something people appreciate or because they’ve been around a long time or both. It’s a kind of imperfect algorithm for experience and seniority. Insofar as those things are related to quality, lurve also stands for quality.

Anyway, I was perfectly happy to kill off daloon because that’s not who I want to be any more. However, I was concerned that people would wonder what happened to him, and so I wanted to do something about that (which would have required his resuscitation). Also, because I do think the lurve means something that is very important to me—respect—I was interested in having the old account reopened.

Having earned respect once, I’m happy to earn it again. It’s not all that different from real life where it’s always “what have you done for me, lately?” I never expected to be offered a chance to resuscitate the old account and change it’s name. However, when that option was offered to me, I decided to take it. If it bothers people, I’d also be happy to give it back and kill it forever. I don’t want to be treated in any way I haven’t earned. I can’t say I have a particularly compelling reason for a name change. I certainly don’t think I should be treated in any special way if people don’t think that I’m special.

@cprevite I disagree that names are just circumstance. Online, we choose our names and they have special meaning because of that. If we no longer want to be associated with that name, we can kill it off and choose another name. There are consequences when people disappear and reappear and no one knows who they are, nor has a chance to know. There are people here who spend their lives, it seems to me, sniffing out banned people who reappear under new names and avatars. What a waste of time! I think that it makes it easier to track people if they can change names.

And I can’t believe you remember “rancid”! Hmmm. If you can remember rancid, then I think you’ll have no problem with other name changes. Sheesh! ;-)

I’ll stick to just changing my avatar.

@wundayatta As you have aptly shown one can kill off a user name and chose another by starting a new account. For most the loss of lurve and connections discourages them from switching. Making it easy means names will be changing a lot more often and confusion will ensue. I liked how @dpworkin did it- adding the reason in his profile as a courtesy to others.

I am no longer Blondesjon.

Henceforth I shall be known as Blondes-ekki-ekki-ekki-pitang-zoom-boing.

@Blondesjon That name is way too long (and I should know). I’m just gonna call you Ni.

@wundayatta: I respect what your saying about being willing to earn back the trust of the community. I don’t doubt you on that.

The problem is (IMHO) that that rebuilding process effects not only you, but the people you’ve created relationships with. We’re now on this “rebuilding of trust” journey with you.

We’ll probably do it ‘cuz we’re your (online) friends, but it does strain the relationship a bit and damages your credability.

Now, you could say, “A real pal wouldn’t care” or “I don’t care if I lose credability in your eyes cookie-man” – but then that just pushes someone even further away. A vicious cycle as it were.

Anyway, at the end of the day, you gotta be happy, but as you so aptly pointed out, “There are consequences when people disappear and reappear…”

And it’s not so much that I remember “Rancid” as the circumstances around the whole Rancid thing. I remember a huge outpouring of warmth and support when you had your last identity crisis. Will that happen again?

@cprevite I’m sure my credibility is damaged. It’s ok. I can still answer questions, and if it’s a relationship question or a psychological question, people can take my behavior into account when deciding whether there’s any worth to it. I’m sure they will. But for my part, it will still be the best answers I know how to give.

@Blondes,-ekki-ekki-ekki-pitang-zoom-boing I love your new username. Between you and jonsbitch it is starting to get exciting around here.

@cprevite I agree with your points 100%.

I guess one issue to take into account here is motive. I am fairly confident that @wundayatta didn’t make the change in order to deceive anyone, but I found it disconcerting nonetheless. His credibility is not damaged as far as I am concerned, I just found the situation perplexing and as I mentioned up-thread, disconcerting.

That being said, I must say I do have more patience/understanding for folks like @marinelife and @dpworkin who kept the bulk of their username the same.

I like the system the way it is. Changing your username does, by definition, disrupt the community from its normal activity, but not to an extent that no one should be allowed to do so, period. I think that the Mods are able to discern which reasons are legitimate reasons (all the changes I have seen so far would be included in this, imo) and that they should be left with this responsibility.

While rampant name-changing would be disruptive to my ability to give sound advice and interact with other users, having a name-change button available till reaching, say, 2K would be ok by me. If you guys were to implement this, an automatic “Formerly known as:____, ____, ____” bit in the profile would be useful to me. I believe that if you did something like that, you could search for a previous username and the current profile would come up.

I can see our new meta area filled with questions:
“What happened to ThisUser?”

I agree with Auggie.

does this user name make my butt look big?

You mean your fanny? Yes, dear, I’m afraid it does. It’s the extra n that does it.

@filmfann Don’t ever change – we lurve you just the way you are.

I have a hard enough time adjusting when people change their fucking avatar. The name thing would drive me crazy.

i do agree though in certain instances if the user makes a provoking case for a name change it should be allowed, but changes all the time would be annoying as hell.

all i know is… HOW CAN I GET MY ACCOUNT BACK AFTER I DELETED IT BY ACCIDENT! D:

@bottles Hit the contact button at the top right of the screen. Use that screen to send an e-mail to the administrators. They will contact you with a solution.

@janbb thanks! :D

What uber said.