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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to dislike the easy name changing on Mn?

139 replies

Mintyy · 27/11/2013 20:39

Call me old fashioned, but I sort of like getting to know, in the very loosest sense, the people that I spend time with fairly regularly (ie. you lot).

I sometimes think that the dreaded Mumsnet Royalty (sorry for using that hateful phrase which is always but always used as an attack, goady, personal or otherwise) are just people who don't name change and so more or less everyone knows who they are.

I can understand name changing for the personal stuff, of course I can and do it myself, but why do people permanently name change every few weeks or months? Don't you ever think "I wish I wasn't anonymous and that someone else on MN felt a bit of human connection with me"?

Just curious.

OP posts:
Bettercallsaul1 · 27/11/2013 22:05

Yes, I like to get to "know" people as well - I love it when I see familiar names on a thread. I'm getting to the point when I can almost predict what position a particular poster is going to take on an issue, which makes it fun!

I've only been on MN a few months and, at the moment, can't imagine wanting to change my name! I can understand why people do if they're revealing something personal or sensitive, though.

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:15

I think MN should make it harder to NC .
The nchanging causes loads of shit on here.

People should own their posts.

LineRunner · 27/11/2013 22:18

I've never name changed.

Except for my pathetically uninteresting seasonal versions.

Piddlepuddle · 27/11/2013 22:18

A 24 hour rule would stop most of the shit though I think? As I say I do name change from time to time, but 24 hours wait would not be an issue - would stop the main problems though?

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:20

Yes,might stop some of the snidey fuckers who nc just to have a bitch.

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 22:21

An attack by a member of the Mn Heirarchy? Goodness.

I think it is cowardly to nc if you have had a flaming. Most of us have, at some point or other - it is nothing to get het up about.

OP posts:
PenguinsDontEatPancakes · 27/11/2013 22:21

I don't think the 24 hour wait is that great an idea. When I have had real, personal problems, I have name changed and posted about them. If I'd had to wait 24 hours to post it would effectively have removed that immediate source of support as no way would I have posted under my normal over-shared, potentially identifiable name.

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 22:22

Excellent idea piddlepuddle.

If you need to nc to post about something very identifying or embarrassing, I am sure you would be prepared to wait 24 hours.

OP posts:
Piddlepuddle · 27/11/2013 22:25

It is a good idea I think - but NoArmani has to take the credit!

ProfondoRosso · 27/11/2013 22:26

I NCed after a pretty unpleasant run in with a poster who made it clear I wasn't welcome. She put it across in a way that might have looked funny to others, and nobody stood up for me. I was really hurt.

But I didn't want to leave, because I like it here and the majority of posters are awesome.

tinkertaylor1 · 27/11/2013 22:27

I've name changed three times in three years....

  1. when I first joined and said the wrong thing before I knew dem rooooolz got my arse kicked

  2. slagged my mil of horrendously and got outed Grin and my arse kicked

  3. named changed tonight because of password errors/ on email and here so started up new one!

I now have two accounts mwuha ha ha ha

I couldn't give a flying fuckweazle if I get recognised or recognise op because I have loads of rl friends me!!!! Grin

I'm off to start a thread where I can argue with my self !

PenguinsDontEatPancakes · 27/11/2013 22:27

I don't really think a lot of things can wait 24 hours without undermining the help people get. If someone discovers that their husband is on escort sites, or that their teenage daughter is pregnant, or that they are pregnant when they don't want to be, they want to post and have someone hold their hand now, tonight.

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:28

It's against da roolz to have 2 accounts.

I'd keep that quiet if I was you.

ghostonthecanvas · 27/11/2013 22:31

I nc'd once because I was on a thread and another poster made comments that were off topic and way to close to my rl. Bit weird and stalkery. If you know me, pm, don't make snide comments on a thread I am on. I was leaving for the summer anyway and came back as ghost. I also let myself down on a thread the other day but don't want to nc because I like recognising other names.

AnAdventureInCakeAndWine · 27/11/2013 22:31

A 24 hour rule would screw up a lot of the fun name changing, though. Like when there's a seasonal namechange and someone tries on a few variants for size (I did that myself in two successive posts on the same thread last week) or when someone changes to an obviously fake name as a humorous response to a thread (generally only for a couple of posts and then changes back, although I see a few Yoni names still hanging around the place). Who the hell is going to bother to put on a Christmas name when you have to schedule a name change for some time when you're not going to want to post the next day? Just over a two-month period plenty of MN posters will go through Halloween, Bonfire Night, Doctor Who and Christmas versions of their names; that's not going to happen if they can't post for 24 hours after a nc and it would completely change the atmosphere.

And, actually, I'm not sure the "I've just discovered texts to an OW on DH's phone" or similar posters would be prepared to wait 24 hours.

NearTheWindmill · 27/11/2013 22:32

I kept getting a flaming from one particular poster who turned up within about three posts of one of mine. It was unpleasant and I felt the poster was actively looking for my posts to be nasty and it was rather underhand overall. There was nothing I could do about it so I namechanged. My posts and what I post haven't changed; the poster is on the same threads occasionally but isn't now going for it. It's quite a relief to be honest.

OrlandoWoolf · 27/11/2013 22:33

There are certain regulars who I've missed. It would be easy to guess who they are as their posting style is quite well known.

But there's also one person who I'm a bit worried about - I hope she's name changed.

tinkertaylor1 · 27/11/2013 22:33

oh and the fuck are MN hierarchy /royalty ?

Its such a weird thing for other posters out class other anonymous posters on such a massive site!

AnAdventureInCakeAndWine · 27/11/2013 22:33

There are plenty of Other Forums that don't allow namechanging; the fact that MN not only allows it but actively encourages it is part of what makes it special IMO.

tinkertaylor1 · 27/11/2013 22:35

usual I was lying Grin

Hullygully · 27/11/2013 22:35

I jhate it

it's hard enough having to recognise one name, let alone changes

I like to have chums, like rl, not just talk to random unknown names all the time

Hullygully · 27/11/2013 22:36

random j there

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:38

Hello Hully,where have you been?

And where's Pag?

Hullygully · 27/11/2013 22:40

Hi usual, still here. Pag I don't know, she's ok tho

msmoss · 27/11/2013 22:40

I change whenever I feel like I may have left to much of a trail to my RL. Although I lurk more than I post so doubt anyone would notice.

My last name was also irritating me slightly.