Update from MNHQ - Name changes

[AmeliaPMumsnet]

Hi all,

We recently received some helpful feedback from Mumsnetters about name changes. Some users have mentioned finding it frustrating having to remember to change their username to match the one that they’ve already posted under on a thread. We understand why that’s annoying, and why it might cause some confusion if yourself or other users have switched usernames mid-way through a thread accidentally.

We’ve just released some changes to the site (not in the mobile apps) to help combat this. From now on, if you start or reply to a thread, we’ll automatically set your username to the one you used first on that thread. This means that you won’t need to remember to change your username or go looking to find out which one you posted under before.

Here’s is an example of how it’ll work:

1. I start a thread with my current username, which is “username1”
2. I then decide to change my username in my settings to “username2"
3. I revisit the thread I started under “username1”. My username will be set to “username1" by default in the reply box (I can still edit this username if I’d like to)
4. If I go to a thread that I haven’t started or posted on yet, my default username will be my current username, “username2”

We hope you find this helpful and we’d love to hear your feedback!

I don't think you'll ever please everyone MNHQ. But this seems like a reasonable stab at compromise.

It might even trip up a few sock puppets.

Great but I would think 99% of users use the mobile site?

This is excellent. Dawn kindly sorted a NN fail for me yesterday where my OP was in a different name but when I posted subsequently, it reverted to my usual NN. Hopefully this will stop me from doing that again

I think that sends very sensible.

*sounds!

Why no update on mobile site. A large number of us only use mobile. The list of things you don't include for mobile is growing!

Sounds like how it should have been designed in the first place.

Sounds like a good thing, like everything though... You can't please all of the people all of the time!

Hi @mybunniesandme and @AWaferThinMint,

We've made this change on our website, so it'll take effect any time you access Mumsnet from a browser, like Safari or Chrome, on either a desktop or mobile device. It hasn't been implemented in the mobile Talk app. Sorry for any confusion caused there!

This sounds like an excellent update. Thanks

I think this is BRILLIANT!!!

although can you overwrite this? hopefully not, as this way you could stop some sock puppeting

It's working like this on mobile site, I don't use the app.

Is there any plan to bring this to the app?

I only use the app and I'm forever forgetting to name change so this would be useful!

@AmeliaPMumsnet

Thanks but my point is more that I would think most users use the app so why not concentrate on updating that first?

MN will have the actual figures on whether or not most users use the app (I would guess most use it in the browser on a mobile, but I have no more basis for thinking that than you do for thinking the app is more popular).

The app always gets forgotten about, I'm still waiting for the vote feature on aibu to be enabled on it 🤨

@AmeliaPMumsnet

that's a great start, I've been blathering on about that for ages!, but do you mean it's desktop only?

It will work on the website, whether you use it on your phone or a computer.

It won't work if you use the app.

I always thought the opposite, most people don't seem to realise there is an app!

I think the majority probably use the mobile site, I'm sure MN know the figures though.

Yes I'm not holding out much hope of this feature making it to the app

The app does seem to have way less functionality than the website (even things like dark mode). Maybe the MN developers aren't good on apps?

I noticed this yesterday, I'm not happy about it. Also it doesn't seem to work properly as it has still allowed me to post on one thread under two names (I nc'd a day or two ago and also a couple of weeks ago), maybe because I first posted on that thread under the name before last. When I namechange I want it to be changed across all threads, not have it taken out of my control like this. Maybe I had better switch to the app.

Interested to see how this goes!

PRAISE BE!!!

Thank you, MNHQ - this is your best upgrade ever!

I’ve sometimes felt you probably have to employ someone solely to keep up with my self-reported mistakes. And I’ve had countless opportunities to be grateful for your speed in changing names back to the correct one.

Really excellent decision.