Username Lockdown?

[TomFulp]

We've been faced with a dilemma for a while now that doesn't have any great solution. With the eventual introduction of user pages, user URLs will become much more prominent destinations. For example, I'm hoping lots of people will check out tomfulp.newgrounds.com once it comes into existence. :)

The question is... Do we allow users to change their names at this point? If you change your name, you are essentially changing your URL, meaning all existing links to your page will become dead links.

It has never been a problem in the past because the profile URL is based on your unique ID #. Since user pages will be tied to your name, the only option is to make your name a permanent identifier, otherwise users could create dead links at will and it would make the site a lot less organized over time.

I get this bad feeling that people will totally freak out at the thought of not being able to change their names. Plenty of sites already don't allow you to change your name, but people are accustomed to the option here on NG. Then again, are name changes really necessary or is it a feature that people abuse in the first place?

Consider this post a sort of heads up... There's a chance your name might go on lockdown, so be sure it's the name you want to have. This is also a chance for everyone to share their opinions concerning this course of action. Go for it.

[madmonkey27]

sounds like a dilema

[BananaBreadMuffin]

I really really like my username freedom. To change it for special moments and such. Please don't take that away from me, Tom.

[Pete]

Hmmm,

PeteKiley.newgrounds.com

Has a nice ring to it.

-Pete

[LolImZSL]

well tom its all up to you, i in my own opinion don't care, i like my name:D

[Nuggs]

there isnt a way to dynamically change the name of the site. Liek every month update the site?

[CleansingFlame]

fine with me, i have nothing agianst not changeing my name.

[fahrenheit]

Yeah, I dont think its a good idea.
I would rather have my userpage being www.newgrounds.com/9423121

[d2312564]

Don't get me wrong, I love my name DFox. With that said, I like to have some fun sometimes. This Halloween we had a halloweek party where we all changed our names to characters, like I was Conan-OBrien :( Things like that would be missed, but I mean if you have to...

[Risterajas]

The risk of "dead links" is hardly worth taking away one of the most flexible of profile features.

[Database]

Is there no way to have a user# for each user that allows links to there username urls. so all links to the user's page are routed though there id# to there current username url link?

Either way I don't care too much, I like the option, but I have never (and mostlikely will never) change my username.

[snayk]

I have no problem whatsoever with my name being on lockdown. I've been snayk ever since I realized it was available and those digits I placed on its end were pointless.

Go for it if you must, I really see no problem with it. If it comes down to it though, you should probably inform everyone before you make the change so people have one last chance to change their usernames.

[hektur]

Well, I need to change my name just in cace cause the one I have is pretty dumb...

[TommyGun]

I'd rather have no profile at all with the ability to change my naem rather than the opition you have come up with. I haven't gotten a set username, so it's hard for me to have a username. So I change every so often.

[kill343guiltyspark]

At 11/6/06 08:31 PM, MuyBurrito wrote: Would it be possible to give users a "Display Name" that can be changed as the username is changed under the current system, while locking down an official "Account Name" which is tied directly to user pages?

If possible, this is the best solution.

[WildfireHedgehog]

No no no no no please don't do that! I've had... let me think, four or five names now! I always think my names suck, but I sorta like my name now (please note my name has nothing to do with Star Wars, I hate that movie so much) Please don't take the option of destroying old names to create a new name!

[Bizarro]

although in the past a situation had arised where I was basically forced to change my username because of harassment on the forums long ago(way back in 2004) I'm down with users not being able to change their names, I'm happy with mine therefore everyone else should be with theirs(Hows that for logic)

[Johnny]

Unfortunately, I think that the ability to change usernames helps give NG, especially the forums a sense of community feeling. When Christmas rolls around, for example, and all the mods change their names to something holiday related.

Or when Halloween rolled around and the flash regs changed their names so they could be "In costume"

These things are fun and helps give me, at least, that friendly, community feeling.

I've always enjoyed that freedom. People get bored. If they get bored of their account name, it was nice to know that another one could be chosen.

Is there a way to keep the profile name set in stone, but be able to modify our online identity? For example, my profile would always be johnny.newgrounds.com but at any given time, I could change my alias for submitting or forum purposes.

Comon Tom, Myspace does it and I know you love those guys =p.

Is something like that possible with how NG has been implimented?

[Shaun]

i would like user names to be locked down, i don't see anything wrong with that.
however, alot of newer users create new accounts because they dont know they can change their alias..
with no option to change alias at all this will probably mean alot of unused accounts..
not that that is a big deal, but yeah..
i am all for it.

[Leigh]

Maybe the url could originally be based on your username, but you could change the url to what you want and it wouldn't change when you change your username. Or maybe users could have a user name that they can't change, and a seperate display name for the forums and whatever else. I don't know, I'm not a professor of science technology or anything. I've been surfing the internet ever since it was invented in 1996 and I still haven't come up with a user name that sticks. But if I had to for this site I would. I mean no big deal. Yanno, I wouldn't get all 'outraged' like a little baby pansy. Only stupid crybaby losers do that kind of stuff. And I'm no loser.

[FIGMENTUM]

At 11/6/06 08:31 PM, MuyBurrito wrote: Would it be possible to give users a "Display Name" that can be changed as the username is changed under the current system, while locking down an official "Account Name" which is tied directly to user pages?

Wouldn't it be simpler to have the users choose what their domain name would be, and keep everything else as is? Kinda like how myspace does it.

OH NO NOW I'VE GONE AND DONE IT. WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT SITE DOES BECAUSE IT'S EVIL GUYS DSNHGJHASDKGJH

Username lockdown sounds sweet.

[d2312564]

At 11/6/06 08:33 PM, snayk wrote: Go for it if you must, I really see no problem with it. If it comes down to it though, you should probably inform everyone before you make the change so people have one last chance to change their usernames.

That's the problem I see.

When I first signed up for Newgrounds, I was gamescool. I was about 12 then... You outgrow names. That's why being able to change your name is such a cool thing. New users who outgrow their names are going to be screwed. I mean I'm thinking of new users, because this will always be my name, so I shouldn't really care.

[absent]

Eh I'd be more against it. I have a few usernames I like to switch around with. Although I could live with the change, as it's not that terrible.

I notice plenty of people change their name, and even though I'm the kind of person who doesn't do it all too often, the ability still seems pretty important. Like when you sign up, you might join with a really silly name, but as you mature, you may want to change it to something better. Or even if you're just changing your name for fun.

I see where you're coming from with people changing their names and ending up with a bunch of broken links to profiles (such as stat lists for example). But otherwise it doesn't seem to bad. Maybe just have a limit on the amount of username changes a user can make. Like only once a month, or something.

Admins might have to end up with people requesting name changes. Unless you assign Username mods or something, etc.

[Revenant]

The ability to change username is a feature I've always liked about NG, considering most other sites don't allow it. It's a nice little freedom to have.

The loss of hyphens and underscores never really bothered me, but this is a pretty big change. At the end of the day it's your site, I just hope these user pages are worth the sacrifices they're bringing.

[Vengeance]

you could save all name-changes for one month in a database and if that URL is called then have a redirect after 5 seconds with a message saying the page has moved.

[NeoSoviet]

Are you shure there is no possible way to make the username something not so important ? Make the user page remain the same if we change our names, something like that.

[TommyGun]

Why can't we just have pages based on our user id?

I prefer that option

[TomFulp]

At 11/6/06 08:31 PM, MuyBurrito wrote: Would it be possible to give users a "Display Name" that can be changed as the username is changed under the current system, while locking down an official "Account Name" which is tied directly to user pages?

Obviously, this could be a whole lot more in-depth, but is that something that is under consideration?

Yes, this is one option that is under consideration. It has a lot of messy undertones to it, but it would appease some users.

[EtchASketchClock]

You should make it so the user must PM you to request an alias change.

[seventy-one]

I'm not knowledgeable about programming. But couldn't you route the name to the id's. For example, when you type in espn.com, it automatically routes to the actual URL espn.go.com. Couldn't this be done with any name that is identified with one particular id?