Lock in user names?

I think the other users should be able to change other people’s usernames.

Hammer Time wrote:

I don't often agree with Tradiban, but when I do he approaches rgold wisdom, this was such a case.

Nice try Tradiban

Tradiban wrote: No offense but people changing their username has got to be the lamest MP complaint yet. How does it effect any of you?

It annoys me.

 You shouldn't be taking anyone who changes their name constantly seriously anyway. Nor should you be taking seriously anyone who made their account yesterday. The forums aren't real life and in this context you shouldn't be taking any posters 100% seriously, not even rgold!

And certainly not Trolliban.

Can someone please explain a good use for climbing forums, besides trolling?

If you really have a question that needs answered you can still search supertopo threads.

I agree. Pick a name and go with it. Doesn't have to be your real name but I think having a consistent one a) helps build community by helping folks develop a sense they are talking to the same person over time and b) avoids amplifying a single voice by making them look like many over time.  

I think the benefits of locking down are obvious, but are there really any reasons for not doing so? Other than being able to bomb a thread with an annoying comment you wouldn't want your regular username to own up to? I just can't see constantly changing usernames improving the MP experience.  

I think the problem is a little bit more nuanced. MP just doesn't have usernames. It has internal ids to users - Matt, yours is, "117893585".

It also has, "First Name" and, "Last Name" fields which it displays in all sorts of places. Those can and do in real life: change, so they should be able to be changed here, too. People are equating those two fields to a username and trying to make it work that way, but it's not. I also don't agree with their policy that you should use your REAL First/Last name for lots of reasons.

MP just will need to add a new field to their database for, "username" and for some reason, make it immutable, which I don't think is a great idea, and which will lead to admin problems for MP down the road.  

Glad I don't have to make those sort of decisions as the admin!

Marc801 C wrote:

Yes! 400 quatloos on the newcomer!

I wager 800 quatloos that the newcomers are untrainable and will have to be destroyed.

Tim Stich wrote:

I wager 800 quatloos that the newcomers are untrainable and will have to be destroyed.

I’ll put up my 4,000  Bingbongs saying they can do anything I set my mind to,

Also nice car, dudes.

For A Great Time wrote:

I’ll put up my 4,000  Bingbongs saying they can do anything I set my mind to,

it's a perfectly cromulent word.

Old lady H wrote: This is a resource for some of us, now and then, after all. 

If you want MP to be a valuable resource, a far bigger impact would probably be to focus on people who make thousands of posts but don't really have anything useful to say (or spend all of their time trolling).  Assuming that this isn't going to get any better, it probably doesn't make sense to take it too seriously.

Dave K wrote:

I'm now convinced that we need more rules.

How are we going to pretend that we are the historic repository for climbing if we keep using silly words like quatloos?

Just for that, I'm naming my next sport route "Show Me the Quatloos."

What if someone is an undercover agent attempting to infiltrate a climbing gang who goes around the world chipping and gluing routes? Should I have to use my real name?

Kyle Tarry wrote:

If you want MP to be a valuable resource, a far bigger impact would probably be to focus on people who make thousands of posts but don't really have anything useful to say (or spend all of their time trolling).  Assuming that this isn't going to get any better, it probably doesn't make sense to take it too seriously.

Lol! 

Yeah I post a lot, so what. Anyone who thinks I don't have a sense of humor, sense of fair play, or is for censorship and rules, has simply not paid much attention.

Usernames changing mid thread, breaks up conversations and it gets harder to track who said what.

So what, right? I agree...until it is a time when I'd actually like to retrieve some snippet of information. From.....someone. Even the "trolls" contribute often enough.

Honestly, it isn't a big deal at all, it is definitely annoying at times. But, I'm crabby. Fine.

What does bother me, and I wish MP could fix? "Anonymous user". That, is tragic. S.price is the latest to be dumped in that trash heap. Erasing all the years of contributions is pretty sad. Now, if you search for s.price (or any former username) it will only show up in a quote by someone else, in the forums.

All? At least MP has your opinions on this. Thanks!

And, plenty of amusement factor in here too. 

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote: Usernames changing mid thread, breaks up conversations and it gets harder to track who said what.

I'm pretty sure all of the name changing accounts are Burchey.

Hammer Time wrote: Ok, I see the wisdom but shouldn't it be coming from people with experience? 

Shot yourself in the foot with your first sentence! 

Sincerely, Helenor

Hammer Time wrote: Yes Helen, I don't claim to be more than I am. But like Frank, I do take exception to people who spray about experience they don't have.

I suspect Hammer Time and Frank may be the same person. Or maybe they just think alike?

I think everyone should always reply with their username as a signout greeting, that way nobody gets confused over who is really writing the post. Right?

Would/Could we all just shut the F up and respect differing opinions while sharing a sip of water at pitch 5?