I wonder if it's time for a Name Amnesty?

[Pin0t]

Pretty please?

I'd like to be able to lose the zero and be Pinot, but it's taken by someone who posted in 2002. Trés annoying.

After a recent thread in chat about how lots of MNers have crazy amounts of names (most forgotten about/unused), it occurred that as MN is now growing rapidly, a name amnesty would be a good idea to free up names gathering dust somewhere.

What say you?

OK - meet you back here

I would be sulky and moody and moan quite vocally at HQ that someone was masquerading as myself (not that they'd want to but following on from your question). Plus, it's a rubbish name that has evolved from my l-o-n-g kitten thread so doubt anyone would want to be lumbered with a wine/cat combo

Hmm, OK. I like the idea of 10 maximum names.
I like the idea of one in/one out.
I imagine it would be fairly straightforward to add a techy thingy that old names used aeons ago get 'd out or some such to avoid confusion.
I think if you haven't used a name at all in 24 months then you give up all rights to it.
I think any similiar sounding names (as per para above) should be noted to HQ to decide - I think that's what happens now anyway. BoF had a weirdybeirdy namecopier that was sorted out I think.
I think 'Names Wanted' Topic could be set up and HQ do the appropriate liaising behind the scenes (as obvs they'd know who to contact)...individual threads requesting a certain name would then be open for objections.
A general Names To Be Auctioned list would be a sticky on that topic.

Then we all hold hands and sing kumbaya together, obvs.

Honest to god, it's got me wanting to open the wine and it has nothing to do with me at all

Shall we all forget it and have a and singing party instead? There's not much that can't be sorted out with a glass of PinotGrigio & a sing-song. Fact.

Maryz that makes sense, and es, I know PosieParker posts regualrly on here - so that did cross my mind. :)

I still think it's a good suggestion, though, too have a name amnesty.

yes and regularly

Good grief, I must check for typos better!

I want to be Pea, or BoysRUs, but both are taken, with no threads by either :(

I want ALL my names. and you can't have them.

I name change frequently and find it odd that all my old names are still there ready for me if I want them back? I don't want them I've name changed!
Having said that I would not like someone to start using my name (without it being obvious they were a new poster) in case they were highly controversial and people thought it was me. .

None of my alter egos would be highly sought after, I lack originality when I name change.

maryz I dont think the 'I want to keep these names' thread would be a good idea in practise. As then people would see who peoples other names are, iyswim? And connect them? But I see where you were going with it. Maybe Tech has a way of getting names not posted under for x amount of time and list them. People could then check if one of theirs is on there and if they wanted to keep it, contact Tech. THEN the history could be cleared and the names reused?

I've namechanged a couple of times over the years I've been here and I'd feel very uncomfortable if someone was suddenly posting using one of them. I'm not sure how it would work either, if you did a search on the name whose posts would show up? How would you know the difference between the two?

Reuse names that have been taken and never posted on, but please don't take names from active users unless they're offered. I might not post under lydialemon or serenity at the moment, but they're still me.

Yes, I agree, can tech tell who 'owns' the names? If it's a regular poster then its important to ask even if a name hasn't been used for a while.
I have a few that can go but also have two that I wouldn't want anyone else to use

MrsD it wouldn't be all nicknames thrown back into the ring - just those people are happy to give up and have no affinity to.

Panic not!

Allhailtheaubergine - if you email MNHQ and ask them nicely they will give you BroccoliSpears back again. Other people have done it successfully, so give it a go. :)

I don't have that many names but most of them relate to my original and I wouldn't want to release those; and then I have some for things I don't want attached to my normal posting name and I wouldn't want to release those either.

I hope any MNHQ thread that relates to this does get stickied though.

I really wanted to change to MandyLifeboats but it was taken, I can live with it though and I do have one or two alternatives up my sleeve. I would also be happy to relinquish them if necessary.

Am I the only one waiting for Trillian to pop up and start stamping her feet again?

Doesn't MNHQ have all our email addresses?

Couldn't a generic email be sent out and any nicknames we want to keep have to be re-activated (not post with them but say click on a link) if they have been unused for more than say, 2 yrs.

People who then haven't been on for yrs and have no interest in coming back would then just ignore the email and those nicknames could be thrown back in the pot.

I am not at all technically minded so this may be unworkable!