Should we members be allowed to change our usernames on our own?

Zer0_T0lerance · August 30, 2001, 00:01

In reference to http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=25522, I just recently tried to change my username and found out I had to get help from either a Moderator or an Administrator to do that. But why so? It use to be that Apolyton Members could change their usernames themselves. Well anyway, I decided to do a poll on this to see what members think. So please choose an answer above and let Apolyton Administrators know your opinion!

TCO · August 30, 2001, 00:44

It is a vile practice and should be discouraged...

Chris 62 · August 30, 2001, 01:31

Since Post counts don't count in the OT, Ming can't PCR, so has nothing else to do, so let him keep changing names!

Dis · August 30, 2001, 03:10

well I think I finally settled on a name. So I don't have to worry about it. I went through 2 major name changes with this login. Well 1 wasn't really major, I just dropped the aggressor part of my name.

I have no reason to change again.

Case · August 30, 2001, 04:24

If people could change their names any time they felt like it, things would get very confusing.

Winston · August 30, 2001, 04:36

I'm a convert. I used to be in favour of it, but as anyone would realise, chaos ensued last time this was tried. I'm happy the way things are now.

OneFootInTheGrave · August 30, 2001, 07:16

I didn't even know it was disabled...

i am glad that cookies work

btw how do you count me for style I have light style at home and default style at work?

ColdWizard · August 30, 2001, 11:14

its a vile practice that causes chaos and confusion

History049 · August 30, 2001, 12:28

Confusion

Gramphos · August 30, 2001, 17:11

No! What would happen when everyone started to change username without documentation of former usernames?

It would become very confusing. As it is right now you are able to search the forum to find namechanges, if you can change them yourself there will be no written documentation of namechanges, and people will appear under all names.

Dauphin · August 30, 2001, 17:25

What is the purpose of having mods change usernames, is it to prevent excessive changes, unsuitable names, what?

I don't get the red tape.

Asher · August 30, 2001, 17:28

It's the same reason the registered dates still say 1969/1970 for people.

Laziness.

Ming · August 30, 2001, 17:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
It's the same reason the registered dates still say 1969/1970 for people.
Laziness.

Actually, it is for the exact same reason... the current software doesn't allow it. Hacks are needed to make those types of changes.

And as far as your comment about laziness... this comes from a person who does absolutely nothing to help the community and just whines all the time

Laziness... your thing... not ours. People work very hard to provide you this site that you post on for free...

Asher · August 30, 2001, 17:59

*yawns*

I would believe that, only DanQ told me just the other day the reason they don't upgrade the forums here is due to the many hacks they've already placed in the forum code.

Replacing the regdate with a b2-14-99 or whatever wouldn't take much beyond a simple if statement.

Zopperoni · August 30, 2001, 18:44

Make it possible...but add some restrictions...like a maximum of only three name-changes...

tniem · August 30, 2001, 19:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
Replacing the regdate with a b2-14-99 or whatever wouldn't take much beyond a simple if statement.

Then write it.

Asher · August 30, 2001, 19:21

Last time I checked I wasn't employed at Poly or Gamestats.

Provost Harrison · August 30, 2001, 19:37

No, it was hideously confusing when name sluts such as Infatuation kept changing their name back and forth. I changed my name once but regretted it. I felt I had lost identity, so I reverted as soon as was earthly possible.

So no, I am glad it is like this. You have to give it serious thought if you want to change it, and it prevents people changing their names on whim and then later regretting the decision...

DarkCloud · August 30, 2001, 20:47

I voted "no"
I don't like frivilous name changes... It gets confusing- then again... when people like Ninnyman create DL"s like Johnny Flashman- namechanges seem useful, but I think it preserves more forum order and less work for the forum as a whole to remember people by making them go through the mods and some bit of trouble to change their username.

tniem · August 30, 2001, 22:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
Last time I checked I wasn't employed at Poly or Gamestats.

But part of what being in a community means is to give something back of what you have taken. Instead people like you just complain and complain about trivial things.

Who honestly cares if the date says Jan 1970?

It really is not that big of deal. Sure it would be nice to have that fixed but is it worth bugging Mark or Dan who run this site on a part time basis? Not to me. I would rather see the addition of the MOO3 site faster and day to day operations to continue to go smoothly. (And possibly to add a little more speed to the servers

)

And if it is important to you or anyone that something is added than they should do something about it. Not just whine like a little child but actually do something. Whether that be make a write up on a game. Post links to new articles or in this case write a piece of the code that the admins could then use.

If you honestly cared then you would do this or just post your opinion and say that is that. Defend it if needed. But either in an effort to gain PC or just to be a pain to everyone, you go on and post tons and tons of pointless, painful posts. I for one am sick of it.

Asher · August 30, 2001, 22:42

So you're proposing I buy VBulletin with my own money, write the code, then donate it to Mark? I need to see the source code in order to add things to it. I don't know how the DB is formatted, I don't have the code segment to modify.

I'm not constantly pestering about it, I just pointed out that if they weren't lazy about it, it could easily be added in. That point is true.

Whether or not they give priority to it is not important.
Given the effort it could be fixed.
End of story.

Edit: The irony here is I've probably contributed far more to the Civ community than you have, anyway.

Ming · August 30, 2001, 23:13

Again... you call the people that work their brains out to provide you a site to post at for free lazy...
You don't have a clue, do you?
They have only so much time a day to work on this site. They would much prefer to update the news, add additional forums, get interviews with people from the game companies... things that really matter.

So stop your whining... what the hell have you done for the civ community lately

Asher · August 30, 2001, 23:33

Lately I haven't seen anything I can do for the community.

Unless you have some suggestion?

Urban Ranger · August 31, 2001, 01:01

Glonk,

For starts you can buy 'Poly items to support the site financially. Then if you care you can always help others with avatars and such. Just curious have you done volunteer work before?

Ming,

Forgive the kid. He has no real world experience

He thinks that corporations flock to upgrade their hardware and software to the latest all the time, or at least should

spartak · August 31, 2001, 03:43

but back on topic. I think the issue is really to do with quality control. Whats the point of changing your name from Zero_Tolerance to Zer0_T0lerance. Perhaps the mods can ensure that names are changed only once the new name is either original, entertaining or meaningful.

MarkG · August 31, 2001, 04:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Gasmaske
only once the new name is either original, entertaining or meaningful.

got some php code for such a check?

spartak · August 31, 2001, 05:41

funnily enough no, but with the current system the mods could refuse name changes if they suck.

*removes tounge from inside cheek*

Winston · August 31, 2001, 06:47

I remember how Glonk/Asher helped me out with the best way of performing a HDD format a couple of months ago.

Go easy folks. This isn't the end of the World. Not even yours Ming, eventhough I don't recall seeing you post in quite that tone before...

Ming · August 31, 2001, 07:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Winston
Go easy folks. This isn't the end of the World. Not even yours Ming, eventhough I don't recall seeing you post in quite that tone before...

I get a tad annoyed when people call the admin lazy. This is their hobby, and they put in a ton of work just so we can have a place to post. It's one subject that gets my blood boiling.

Winston · August 31, 2001, 07:34

Who am I to disagree Ming? We're all grateful for the amount of work the admins and staff put in.

But he said it once, it's not like he staged a crusade or something.

Live and let live.