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Original poster

Can we talk about a dropdown box for namechanging again?

60 replies

MmeLindor. · 21/03/2012 22:07

I brought this up a while ago and there were mumblings of looking into it but nothing has come of it.

I am going to namechange for normal chatter. I won't try to hide or disguise myself but would be grateful if you wouldn't say, "Is that you, MmeLindor?". I have realised since moving back to UK that I am rather easy to spot and would prefer a bit more anonymity.

I will however keep this name for my blog and the bloggers network and any campaigns etc.

It is such a faff to name change constantly, and I thought that a drop down box would be fab, so that I could choose when posting which name to use.

OP posts:
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Original poster
MmeLindor. · 25/03/2012 12:15

Last night I was conversing on a chat thread under new name, and on this thread and the consent thread under this name. Changing back and forth is a total pain.

And yes, it it the remembering to change that causes the accidental outing, but ease of changing means that I would have continued to post on both threads longer. As it was, I got fed up and went to bed cause it was such a faff.

OP posts:
BusinessTrills · 25/03/2012 12:04

Outing yourself (or not) is less about how easy it is to namechange and more about remembering to do it.

Your name is written just above where you are putting your comment.

idohopenot · 25/03/2012 11:16

The difficulty of not outing yourself is hugely underestimated in my opinion. We all think we're internet-savvy, used to using MN, etc. And then it happens anyway.

LoopyLoopsIsTentativelyBack · 24/03/2012 23:36

I'd like this too.

Outed myself on a very sensitive thread the other day. Trickily, MNHQ's only immediate course of action when you contact them to say that has happened is to delete your post, which makes it obviously still who you were as your name remains, or the entire thread. They did offer to change the name for that post to something else, but with conversations either side of work, this took a couple of days. Makes me a bit wary of sensitive stuff really.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 24/03/2012 23:30

No idea, SGM. Is there a new app?

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 24/03/2012 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SeasonOfTheWitch · 24/03/2012 21:17

me too

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 24/03/2012 19:38

oh, dear. SGM. You are not good at this incognito lark, are you?

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 24/03/2012 14:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 24/03/2012 14:44

I neeeeed this, MNHQ.

Almost outed myself again.

OP posts:
idohopenot · 23/03/2012 17:35

I could easily do 100 posts in a couple of days.

Shock
Original poster
MmeLindor. · 23/03/2012 17:29
OP posts:
Plaguegroup · 23/03/2012 14:22

It takes me quite a while to get to 100 posts... For some people 500 or 1000 might be more realistic.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 23/03/2012 14:15

I am not working out how long it would take me to get to 100 posts. Dh would never let me live it down.

That is ok if you then stick with the new name, but I want to be able to swap back and forth when posting about my blog or a MN campaign, then other nonsense under a completely unrelated name.

OP posts:
idohopenot · 23/03/2012 12:00

Less than 100 posts - so are you changing maybe every week, say?

Plaguegroup · 23/03/2012 11:38

I think the happy compromise is to change regularly but keep parts of your username, that way you remain recognisable but not so readily searchable. I'm not sure I post enough to make it worthwhile but if I was a very prolific poster I'd do it more often. I generally try to make less than 100 posts in each name and I think that limits the likelihood of anyone putting them all together.

I'm also unlikely to say much that I'd be mortified if people in RL saw.

idohopenot · 23/03/2012 11:23

Grin "witness protection programme": I believe MNHQ is adept at providing that. You get tall, fit protection officers worshipping the ground you walk on following your every move.

SeasonOfTheWitch · 23/03/2012 09:12

Bumper: "It stops me commenting on threads because I see that I am not in the 'right' name and think oh I can't be bothered."

MardyBra · 22/03/2012 16:46

I'm not in a sensitive field but in my work I have a lot of contact with members of the public, and try to maintain at least a veneers of a professional image. Not everyone I come into contact with would accept the sweariness, silliness and confessions of inappropriate sex dreams I share on MN.

idohopenot · 22/03/2012 16:07

QZ, sympathy.

As you say, life's a fucker.

bronze · 22/03/2012 16:01

I'm rubbish at namechanging so I just stick with saying things I would say anywhere

QZ · 22/03/2012 15:52

I would support this too.
I have to nc frequently as I work in a v sensitive field and cannot risk anything being linked to me in rl.
I also have an horrifically complicated family situation going on, that I cannot risk certain people reading my posts.

Oh, and a unique name Smile

Life's a fucker, isn't it? If someone were to link all my posts, I would be undone.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 22/03/2012 15:38

That is true, I do hope not, but at least no one would search the archives for that.

OP posts:
idohopenot · 22/03/2012 15:00

Also, just one heavy hint equating your "anonymous" username with your "out there" username acts like a portal; if you guess the answer - MmeLindor - then you know that all anon's posts were actually written by MmeLindor. Fine if the person making the connection is just a regular MNer, not so fine if s/he isn't.

idohopenot · 22/03/2012 14:55

You will have to emphasise to people that you really don't want to be outed, MmeLindor. People often use hints which are blindingly obvious to even the most casual user, eg "O Swiss chocolatey one" etc. Very very hard ime to be truly under cover.