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Original poster

Limiting name changes - what do you think

78 replies

Twiglett · 04/05/2005 14:20

Saw this from Justine on another thread and just didn't want it to get lost

I'd really hate it if you limited name changes, I have so much fun (on occasion) playing around with names (innocently)

like with WigWamBam, I was WamBamSham
with Soupy I've been TwiglettDragon and SOUPerciliousDragon

I vote a big resounding NO (although maybe there could be a facility to get rid of them once you've used them?)

OP posts:

SenoraPostrophe · 04/05/2005 15:36

..and members who've posted less than that could have a sign on all their posts that says "newbie alert!!"

praps.

SoupDragon · 04/05/2005 15:38

hehehe. Don't some sites have "levels" where your description changes depending how many posts you've made? It could go from Newbie right up to Sad Addict Who Has No Life.

Gwenick · 04/05/2005 15:41

the vast portion of any nastiness is from genuine trolls

ARGHHH - Trolls don't just come in the 'nasty' form - read my points below about people 'sucking' you in - pretending to be 'friends' with vulnerable people, and making up ficticious (and often hurtful) lies about their own history/experiences.

SoupDragon · 04/05/2005 15:59

Why "aaagh"?? Don't you think "pretending to be 'friends' with vulnerable people, and making up ficticious (and often hurtful) lies about their own history/experiences." is nasty?? I do.

Gwenick · 04/05/2005 16:08

yes of course it's nasty but it's not obvious - and so the vulnerable (and often not vulnerable too) people get 'sucked' in and made to believe it......

SaintGeorge · 04/05/2005 16:08

Why would banning name changing stop people from making up stories Gwenick? If someone really wanted to do that they still would.
If they were sad enough to do that then they would probably be sad enough to use more than one email address to register as well, there is always a way around these things for someone determined enough.

SoupDragon · 04/05/2005 16:09

Yes, but my point was that name changing has nothing to so with that. That's trolling pure and simple. You don't need the facility to change your name in order to suck people in like that.

WigWamBam · 04/05/2005 16:10

Every time JF changed her name, she made no bones about it. Limiting the name changing facility wouldn't have stopped him/her from doing what he/she did.

Gwenick · 04/05/2005 16:11

SG - of course they could still use more than one email address - but most trolls wouldn't bother to do that, not the sort that stay 'long term' on websites. Allowing people to change names (without re-regsitering) makes is MUCH easier for people to be able to do that.

RTKangaMummy · 04/05/2005 16:13

With JF was it not more the status she/he gave themselves rather than changing of name?

I thought it was more the way that "it" was being looked up to

As being someone who was important and was giving free advice

Gwenick · 04/05/2005 16:14

WWB - there were some people posting on here just before JF got 'outed' that I'm SURE were her too - I did mention at the time (when I was still pretty new) that I thought there were a few trolls on here - but hadn't realised that JF was a troll as well, but looking back I'm sure it was the same person - who also stalked a friend of mine on several websites (not all babyrelated) and caused a LOT of problems.

I have to say I used to be of the same opinion as you until about 8 months ago, but that all changed when I had first hand experience of trolls and the damage that they can cause - with EASY name changing facilities it's a sure 'pulling' factor for them...

SleepyJess · 04/05/2005 18:13

Sorry to be boring.. but what DID JF do??! She/he was on here (under the name W&R, right?) when I first joined and I used to read all her threads (or those she contributed to, particularly on Relationships) with great interest never imagining she was anything other than what she claimed to be! She even once linked to a home page.. which I wondering about a bit.. but still didn't doubt her. Used to wonder how she found the time for such comprehensive legal advice though! Was the legal advice sound??! Wherewas she getting it from??

What happened? How did she get outed? Who smelt a rat? Who investigated? I missed it all as I was offline for a month or so and it all happened then..

Cam someone enlighten me, potted version will be fine..
TY

SJ x

lou33 · 04/05/2005 18:25

nope here

LGJ · 04/05/2005 18:27

No thanks.

bundle · 04/05/2005 18:28

a No from me

JoolsToo · 04/05/2005 18:30

everytime I see 'JF' I think 'what now' cos those are my RL initials!

name changing - sorry but I think they should be limited. I'm being a hypocrite cos I've used loads myself but always for fun.

If the 'team' were prepared to 'out' any 'name change' malicious poster, at least to the injured party, that would be a fair compromise.

tallulah · 04/05/2005 18:46

Don't most of us only change for really personal stuff that we're embarrassed to have linked to our usual self, or if we are concerned that we could be identified in RL?

I've had to use a different one each time just because I can't remember the one I used before! . If it was limited there would have to be a facility on the profile for you to store your aliases. Then what would happen when you wanted to permanently change your normal name & you'd run out of goes?

I'm with Jools on the "outing"

Anteater · 04/05/2005 18:52

What about a name amnesty.. Some of the ones ive tried to use have been taken, and ive never seen them used in years!!
If a name is not used for 12 months it should be allowed to be reused (a bit like racehorses)

LGJ · 04/05/2005 18:53

As long as it is not nasty, I think it can be quite fun.

Enid used to have me in stitches with her name changes, particularly after she went on the diet and changed her name from Big Enid or something similar to HeyEnidYouvelostweight

Blu · 04/05/2005 18:57

Anteater - but you might find that you choose a name only used once by someone to discuss a particularly 'interesting' personal issue, full of detailed info - and then someone does a search on you......

Anteater · 04/05/2005 19:00

Thats fine, todats been a bit dull..

SleepyJess · 04/05/2005 19:30

Is it classified then, this JF/W&R stuff? If you tell me, will you then need to shoot me? Or too boring to go over again?

WigWamBam · 04/05/2005 19:32

She wasn't who she said she was, she was probably not even a woman, some of the legal bods on here sussed her out and outed her/him, and s/he was banned.

SleepyJess · 04/05/2005 19:35

Thanks WWB

morningpaper · 04/05/2005 19:40

I think NO

although you could pay a quid each time you change it?

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