All these bloody 'user443268643' names, I have a Cunning Plan.

[Stratter5]

They're SO annoying. And it's difficult to differentiate between them. Could we possibly make some sort of auto random word generating thing instead? Like the bot Captcha thingy that generates two random words to confirm you're not a bot. NerveLeaf or CatMacaron would be so much easier than all the user names.

I'm sure MN said they had tried this, but the auto generated names were terrible in someway

I agree. I'm sure this is what they said.

Clarks shoes must use one of those random name generators

It's on this thread

KatherineMumsnet (MNHQ) Tue 14-Jun-16 12:57:45
Right, here goes

Tech are hyper-aware that this is a huge annoyance to a lot of you, and we really do apologise for the irritation. They did try the two name combo system, and it kept throwing up the most appalling combinations, that it was decided the best thing to do was go with numbers.

What we've now done is add a big fat REMINDER! in the auto-responses to remind people to change their given usernames. It's not that simple to sort, but they are working very hard to improve it.

And

poster KatherineMumsnet (MNHQ) Thu 30-Jun-16 09:40:54
Morning folks!

LATEST: We hear you loud and clear and we're going to get rid of them in favour of a different approach but it's going to take us time because we are going to need to rebuild some of the way we handle registration. Please bear with for a while, it's not going to be speedy but we are changing it.

They may have been terrible, but they can't possibly be worse than 'user4665438'

Unless they were things like CuntWeasel

I have to say, I'm struggling to think of appalling combinations that don't include obscenities which are surely easy to exclude.

Microsoft do this on their xbox login. I am LogicalSolid25. I like it.

TheChippendenSpook I was reading this thread and it rang a bell. See here

Ah sorry TheSpook , I didn't realise that you existed

Does that mean I am inadvertently one of those posters? The ones who pinch a username and add their own slant on it!

In my defence, I really wanted to be TheWitchAssassin at the very beginning. They are all references to a series of books.

They did say that. It baffles me that every time there's a tech question like this someone from HQ answers and says "Ooh good idea, we will pass it on".

Surely you should know/have a list of "issues site users complain about/query" and from that list be able to access "existing answers given" and/or any other relevant information? It doesn't seem very joined up!

People have been complaining about the User8577392394584727267465 thing for months now and they still seem to be coming thick and strong. Surely it wouldn't need anything massively techie to tell them that if they haven't got a real name within a day or two they'll be banned?

Can we please sort this out, all these user14543422666544 stuff is ridiculous, how on earth are we supposed to build up relationships with them if they're an amorphous blob of usernumbers

Just feed in colours and a handful of names. Thousands of innocent NN on tap. BlueJim, GreenJim, YellowJim, RedSarah, PurpleYusuf, GreenRuth.

Judy the issue is they can't namechange on the app.

I think if you called them newbie3726384767 instead of user3726384767 many would go to the trouble of changing much faster.

I love the Xbox ones! We've had in the past GrybbyDwarf, MustyBuffalo, ChineseFinger, HardenedGoat and my all time favourite WhiffyNecklace.

If they can do it I'm sure MN can, nothing can be that awful surely?!

If they can't change on the app, use the website.

I never ever use the app anyway, I don't see the point.

Surely the simplest "solve" is to add add a forced change step like you get when a system resets your password. Or make them choose their own user name in the first place.

Ooh, we could all call them "anonymousnewbie" when replying/referring to them. Or "probabletroll". Or "toothicktoNC" (or the kinder "CBATNC").

It is certainly possible and easy to nc on the app, but I don't know whether it's more difficult for that first nc.

Even CuntWeasel is better than user440567899.

In fact, i'm pretty certain there is a CuntWeasel posting.

Great idea Stratters - they are irritating and anonymous - me not recognising by sight long streams of numbers - still can't remember my own mobile number.

YY to Clarks shoe names Ivywall - they are weird gobbledygook bearing no relation to the shoe - intensely but inexplicably irritating two word combos!

Easily irritated moi? I do admit the slight contradiction in these two irritants though

Could we have an update on this, please?

Why are they there. I have missed an important piece of the jigsaw as to why we suddenly have all these user names???
Please can someone enlighten me?

I'd rather like to know as well.

I'm a little perplexed as to any possible rationale.

Judy the issue is they can't namechange on the app

So what?

I'm not even sure what the point of the app is. The mobile site has the full functionality of the desktop site and works beautifully on a phone.

I always use the desktop version on my phone, works perfectly and I don't lose any of the functionality I would with the app.

This username business needs addressing ASAP, it's ridiculous.