What's with all the user+numbers names?

[BIWI]

I've noticed a lot of posters recently posting with names like user123456 (usually a collection of seemingly random numbers).

Why is this? Don't people get the option to choose their own names these days?

I think it's one of the joys of this site, seeing the creativity and wit that many posters show when choosing their names!

I dunno. Is odd. I love a great new user name. Ofc I can't recall it RIGHT NOW but I saw one yesterday that made me snurk with pleasure.

A while ago it was assumed that a new username had to have a number I think, not sure exactly why.

As for the usernames such as user987654321 etc I think people are in a hurry to sign up and comment sometimes.

And ofc our lovely Sparklers here found me this name. In fact not even tempted to change [inveterate name changer] [remembers stuff like St G's quizzes and Cod's Challenges and whatnot from when all round here was fields]

I had a ton of problems signing up and this was about the 5th username I had to try before it would accept it. I also had issues with the password. It's like there's a formula (minimum no of capitals, numbers, symbols etc.) but it didn't tell me what it was. I just had to guess until I got one that worked.

Yes you can choose your own NN, but the little box 'suggests' that you need numbers in your name too. Some people take the 'suggestion' literally. It's not necessary at all.

I don't mean 'username' as a shorthand for a name like yours Chlobee, I mean literally username989900384729!

Oooh I dunno BIWI
Will 'ave a look.

I don't think it's anything underhand, Olivia! I just wondered, as I've seen it several times over the last few weeks/months.

Could it be something to do with this?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2640300-Missing-usernames-sometimes

I'm wondering if somehow sometimes the site glitches and shows either no username, or the user ID instead of the username (I suspect everyone has both?)

Will get Tech to investigate.
Thanks Biwi
(I have not had any snackage this evening )

Always thought it was a Troll Trick. Now I'll get deleted for troll hunting when I'm not even...

When you go in to register a NN there's a little red message which pops up saying something along the lines of using upper and lower case and using some numbers too. It's the sort of standard message you might get on any website when you're setting up a password. But ....

.... "the code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules."

You can completely ignore it though and it will let you register a NN without numbers. Maybe some people don't realise this.

Lots of trolls have name plus number, although not all posters with names like that are trolls and not all trolls have names like that.

There is only one poster that I've seen with all numbers and they've been here a long time now.

Yes I think the phrasing is ambiguous so people think they have to. On a previous thread a lot of people said they definitely did have to, but I'm not sure they were correct, I think it was just that they tried a lot of NNs which were already taken and it wasn't until hey got to one with numerals that they found a valid one.

Not sure why some of them have quite so many numbers after the name. I wonder if they just got fed up of trying different ones and went for the maximum.

To be clear, I don't mean names like:

Jane8205
or
Michelle1994

but names that are literally:

username279283908
username1235325
username143404859604

I've tried to find posts to show you what I mean, but frustratingly haven't seen any since I started this thread

Prob to do with thread going to be fine linked to.

I am always alert for trolling when I see names with numbers

Unfairly, it seems

"There is only one poster that I've seen with all numbers and they've been here a long time now"

If it's all 0's and 1's, it's probably the poster refered to as "binary". (It was explained on a thread once that the numbers refer to binary code).

I've also wondered about username86438 etc before. I assume people sign up quickly to comment, and put username plus numbers as they can't think of anything else, then when they get hooked, end up name changing.

Hi BIWI,

So sorry for the delay here.

As far as I'm aware, the usernames with all the numbers in are temporary ones given when someone joins the site using the app.

Once their account has been verified, they're able to go in and assign themselves a proper username, but not everyone does this immediately, which is why you'll see a few username12345 ones knocking around from time to time.

I'll check to see if it's possible that any app-joiners can get sent a reminder to change their random number names to something more meaningful!

Verified?!?!?

Are you going round their house to check they are who they say they are?

Damn right Gibbous ! It's the only way to kkeep this place safe.

@GibbousHologram

Verified?!?!?

Are you going round their house to check they are who they say they are?

Absolutely. Have we not been round to yours yet, Gibbous? Expect a knock any time now...

Nah, only kidding. We meant once the email address has been verified.

I would imagine verified by e-mail looks out window for mnhq spies

I was hoping you'd bring gin.