To ask why people admit they've name changed...

[Writerwannabe83]

And also why they do it?

Is it because you don't want people to search for and look through previous posts you have written under your long term username?

I don't understand the concept of changing your name to appear to be another member but then admit you aren't who your username says you are. Does it not defeat the purpose?

BTW - I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I'm just genuinely confused

Very true Boney

I think people check posting history, if they can't find any, then they start accusing you of being a troll

What Worra and Derek said.

Name changers who do it just to post shit that shows them up as nasty people too cowardly to have their views associated with their lovely regular user name make me angry.

I name change every few days.

I once recognised someone from work on here - very specific set of circumstances- and I agonised over whether I should report them to management. I didn't though. interestingly most people took her side which I think was bad for her as she'd given her skewed version of events, not reality and I think she's made a very bad decision based on the "go you" posts on here

Anyway, having saw for myself just how easy it was to be recognised, I've constantly name changed. I don't kid myself that my language/posting style changes from post to post though...

Just thinking back to posts this week, I've mentioned my children's ages, something work related, something about where I live and something about my parents - these were all to help other posters but under one user name would have given more information away than I was comfortable with.

I don't talk about my DH on here - relationship stuff is not my forte and I don't give or take advice. When I needed a hand with something I NC'd because it was a specific thing I was worried about and didn't want to run the risk that people would then go "Oh, LtEve - she's the one that had XX happen". I don't NC much (3 major names in 10 years, less seasonal changes). I have a name that I would use for 'relationship' stuff and a name that I use for 'serious' stuff (although now that 30 days only is here I'd probably just use that instead).

Someone did work out who I was when I NC'd for a relationship issue - I have no bloody idea how, but she is a good person and just PM'd me for support. I was shocked but grateful.

If you don't do the "I was here when it was all fields" preamble, people do tend to assume you're making it up.

I've namechanged when I think my post could identify me in RL, when put together with previous things I've posted, say. So if I post about that time the aliens abducted me, someone will think "hang on, I recognise that tale - I know her" - but they can't then find out my opinions on baby names or PTAs, say.

I've just name changed to answer a thread in chat. It was to say that my Brother shares the same name as the famous person they are talking about, so would out me completely. I will most probably change back Tomorrow, or come up with something new if I feel like it.

I want a name I can be an absolute dickhead under....

maybe ComposTwat or something like that.

CompoShat maybe?

Someone was being a dickhead having a full and frank exchange of views with me over over something and pulled the compoShat witty rejoiner out of the bag. It wasn't quite as desperately wounding or incsive as she imagined it to be.

I love ComposTwat

Okay, be warned if the compostwat moniker emerges, I will be needless belligerent, insensitive and crass.

Caitlin177 why that name?

I always wonder of people name change, and if they don't get the response they like, change back to the old name and give themselves some support.

steff, I believe that's what is known as 'sock puppeting*.

writer it might not have been anyone searching. I was accused of doing that as I mentioned on a thread about not putting unmarried father's names on bc would know doubt provoke poster "x" to appear with her usual claptrap about "father unknown" and how her mother never got over the shame of not having her father's name on birth certificate. I hadn't searched her posts , it was just she's a bloody broken record on this one monomaniacal theme.

steff Yes, I often wonder when a thread is going very badly for the op and then a lone voice pops up in her defence whether there is a bit of sock puppeting going on. I think a thread got pulled for that a few days ago.

So, when you name change the old name is somehow"reserved" for you? I mean you can change back to it if you want to?I have wondered in the past about those holiday name change competitions!
I usually have to name change because I get accidentally logged out, then can't remember how I spelled it!
It was an enormous relief the last time & I read the log in page properly & realised I could sign in with my email address...

I don't understand why people get so upset by name changing, MN do allow it.

Name changing for reasons for sockpuppetting or attacking others is clearly outside the talk guidelines

Yes SallyAnn. Once you have used a NN, you are the only person who can ever use it again (barring name amnesties which haven't happened for years). Otherwise people would be able to masquerade as regular posters who are on a temporary holiday namechange, which would be chaos.

I've sometimes wondered why people say they have name changed.
I definitely don't get the quoting of 'naice ham, cutted up pears, Pom bears' etc as proof of anything.