to think that the "name changing" facility may not be such a good idea..

[MindyMacready]

While I completely understand the need for certain postings to remain anonymous, has time come to review the ease of name changing on this forum. Maybe a system that allows the poster to have one and only alternative ID for a limited timespan before reverting back to the original. If the contributor then needs to post anon at a later time, another temporary (system generated?) ID could be given etc...

It might put a halt to the multiple personalities that have appeared on some recent threads.

Thoughts...

BTW, I openly admit to having changed my name several times over yhe year or so, initially because my original postings lead to easily to me RL identity. After that, just for the fun of it.

idea

The fun usage and the changes for personal reasons by far out weigh any spite.

I don't MigratingCoconuts it's true

Pagwatch, on the other hand.....

I also agree with Pagwatch as well as I agree with Pagwatch and I Honeydragon agree with Honeydragon.

Gosh IAgreeWithPagwatch...I agree with you there!

I've been namechanging regularly for the past 6 months, still trying to find a name that fits.

However, I'd be happy to reveal what names I have used before if anyone was bothered enough to ask.

I change my name, not my attitude

We need it for the:

Post 1) 'I have namechanged for this, my fanny smells of fish.'
Post 2) 'oh fuck, namechange fail'

moments

yes. yes we do

That's just plain nuts....some people have just way too much time on their hands.

Nice

They must be quicker than me at name-changing . It's quite mad that normal posters do it too - not just as a joke. Maybe I should start, no bugger ever agrees with me

So in that scenario BitOfFun's idea of it not being possible to namechange within a thread would do the trick. To avoid the sock puppetry (whatever that is exactly, never quite got my head round it).

But then you couldn't say

name1: ooh what a fab idea for a name!

name2: twirls, look at my fab new name!

"Bib* yes, I think BOF's idea would work really well, and stop people creating their own sock-puppet during a thread for (typically) malicious purposes."

Apart from the fact that it is a piece of cake to have 2 (or more) registrations.

If they could make it so that the registered account was highlighted when they're the OP, not just the name, that's be great. & don't tell us first t'would be hilare!

Oh yes definitely don't tell us if you change OP highlighting! :o

I know because I have two accounts... But I can't remember why now... [forgetful] I've had them since the start, more or less.

ah yes... Here is my other one. I have a good number of silly names registered to this one... So many I couldn't remember which I'd left it on. I can't remember the last time i used it.

My point is that the troublemakers will find a way round changes to the name changing facility. any changes would simply be at the expense of those who use it for fun and/or personal reasons.