Multiple Name Changes

Yes paxillin I have names which are obviously me to anyone who cares to look. So on a thread about an medical issue I might offer some very generic advice, but then as it becomes clear that someone else on the thread has a specific intimate problem and lives in XXX like me, I could switch to a more anonymous nn and recommend Clinic Y who helped me with the same problem. It's rare but not unknown.

I think even changing on the same thread can have its place. A poster might answer in a fairly generic manner and then realise she could add something more helpful, but it might be outing. So she changes nn. It's socking, but with good intentions.

thanks - i have now finally been able to change it, i tried again with Firefox (i tried every so often in all the different browsers etc)

but i will def check my postcode

I've name changed now, so stapler will be retiring!

ThatsMyStapler
it errors out when i try - havent been able to for ages
When you type in your new name, check that your postcode is correct. I was having a problem name-changing because it had autofilled the wrong information in my postcode.

It does make sense but it also implies that some users should have a bit of extra site privilege because they've become well known and liked. There are plenty of names that are a variation on a theme. I nabbed a decent GoT name and a couple of similar (but not as 'pure' ) variations have popped up since. The motives are obviously very different but in order to tackle the GF who's done it, some form of name relinquish must be possible. That or banning the user.

Massive derail, but it all comes down to site rules about names.

re users like AF-S - i think its a bit off as its an obvious rip off like if you had a mobile phone network calls Vodafona (for example - not being linked to vodafone in anyway), or Niike

however if you had User123456, and someone picked User234567 thats a bit different

(makes sense in my head)

it errors out when i try - havent been able to for ages

(using chrome / ie - pc & android)

Why can't you change your name? I name change a couple of times a year so hadn't realised there were restrictions in place.

I'd absolutely love to stick to just the one name but I share quite a bit about a previous abusive relationship on relevant threads where the OP might find it useful. That info combined with things I've done since is quite identifying and it sticks around in most topics. I'm debating going back to my favourite NN and having a spare for things I want to post that might piss off people who've recognised me.

Interesting that you mentioned AF earlier. What's your take on the user who's taken the NN AnyFuckers? I've seen a few comments on another thread that suggest some people expect very well known regulars to effectively own similar names without having to claim them. All a bit territorial!

I'm a name changer. I sometimes post identifiable stuff if someone hates me enough to trawl through and piece my stuff together. For peace of mind I have a few names I use.

Anyone who's been here long enough knows damn well MN isn't totally anonymous - there's been several cases of people being outed. And the most damaging trolls are not the name changers but the ones who play the long game.

Stopping name changing on this site, which offers so much support to women in very vulnerable situations, is only workable if all threads are deleted after 3 - 6 months and anything in Classics has usernames removed.

So if EatShitDerek makes a seasonal variation for a few months or has a couple of months away from MN, she could come back to find either someone else using her name, or her username blocked because she hasn't used it for a few months.

People who don't post regularly could be forced into choosing a new name every time they log in.

And I've just realised that I have name-changed within a thread intentionally - but definitely not to sock puppet. It's because I had already posted earlier in the thread but then wanted to share some personal information, but I didn't want it linked with my usual name.

The thread you linked to has been deleted Chipped, which kind of suggests that the current system works ok.
I know it's not perfect, and there are definitely disadvantages to the name-change system, but I haven't heard anything that might improve it.

Sorry GruffaloMother - didnt mean to be snarky - i think its more annoying me as I cannot change my own name at the moment

Alright Stapler, we're just talking ideas here so there really isn't a need to get shirty my ideas are based on how I use MN, yours will be based on how you do.

Well, I guess I'd better bring this out to stop it falling victim to Gruffalo's axe! I paid for it nine years ago in the charity name auction specifically so that no-one else could have it and I wouldn't appreciate having it taken off me!

so if AnyFucker doesnt use their name for a while, I can use it? or eatshitdereck?

I dont think that is workable
I dont see why you would want to put them back in the pot - there is an infinite number of variations of names, and I would like to keep all of mine thanks

In my head, relinquished names would go back into the pot, yes. But it only works if HQ also make a change that deletes threads on the same time frame, barring a certain few topics. And within the archives of the topics that stay permanently or for longer periods, names that no longer belong to the same user they did (or aren't 'owned' at all) could be coloured differently or have some form of indicator next to the name.

Banning name changing wouldn't have stopped that happening, Chipped, if someone wanted to do that, they'd just use a new throwaway email address, so it wouldn't be namechanging it would be their only name for that email.

There are people who have different names for different boards.
They might want a different identity when discussing matters on the Sex topic, to general Chat, to the SEN boards, to one of the advice boards.
None of that is sock puppeting.

I would support not allowing name-changing within a thread as I think that is generally either an accident or trolling.

There are no numbers next to names that would tell me anything about a user in terms of whether they were trolling. I don't understand the benefit of it at all. Would the displayed numbers be fixed at the time of posting or dynamic so they updated every time someone added a new name? All it would do is leave people vulnerable to having their names linked and being identified.
Oh look, ABCD(28) just became ABCD(29) at the same time as WXYZ(29) appeared on this other thread - I bet they're the same person.

I absolutely don't want to give up my other names!

As a proud possessor of Strictly, Bake Off, Game of Thrones and Doctor Who nicknames, each of which tends to get used for three months every year and then left fallow, I'd be very upset to have them taken away from me.

I know I'm labouring the point...
But "a) relinquish names that a user hasn't posted front in 1-3 months" why? What would happen with the relinquished names?

I mean, why not make them lose the name if they haven't started a thread in 4.5 months? Or something else random?

And what happens to the name that is relinquished? Does it go back in the pot, as that would be even worse for gfs

On the same thread though?

I think that people already have a "Local" NN which is separate from their main board names and can't be changed. So posting simultaneously with a Local name and another one is absolutely not suspicious, it's inevitable.

I disagree that it would be a technical nightmare.
You could have a local and MN name. You have a history of Names so Rusty would have 66 names. At any one time she could use her local and MN name. When switching back to an old name there could be a record created of that switch. Any repeated nc within 24 hours could generate a warning to MNHQ.
So if I swap between Giddy and 'newname' on different threads multiple times it generates a mail. If I swap between Giddy and on one thread it generates a mail.
If someone switched back from a nc to their 'proper' name and only posted on that then it generates no mail.

I think that completely preventing sockpuppeting within a thread would be good, partly to save people from accidentally outing themselves but maybe it might put unreasonable strain on computing resources.

I NC all the time, because PenisBeaker scared the living daylights out of me - one attention grabbing post and suddenly the OPs family life was the focus of a thousand amateur Sherlocks worldwide. Even more so now the Daily Mail are grabbing so much content from MN. Honestly you never know what's going to attract unwanted attention.