So some of you think its funny(rant)

[Ex-Dragoon]

Ladies and gentlemen, some of you have been doing something that irks some Staff members greatly and that is changing your names. There are 11000+ users at Army.ca and when one of you changes your name we have to get to know you all over again. Personally, some of you change names like most people change underwear and I feel its an abuse of the system. So from now on I will be as a Staff member advocating that feature be removed from the Board. I will be also advocating that if for whatever reason you want to change your name you go through Staff. Yes, I realize that sometimes there are reasons that you must do so and I will be only too happy to help. I am sorry it has come to this rant but some individuals on the Board in my opinion have left me no alternative.

 

[El Gerco]

Why stop there.  No more changing of pictures, or signature blocks, you can only use one smiley etc...etc...

Ex-dragoon, I respect your posn here as directing staff, but please tell me your not serious?  :argument:

 

[Yrys]

Why would he have post it in Admin instead of Radio Chatter,
if he wasn't serious ?

 

[El Gerco]

Why would he have post it in Admin instead of Radio Chatter,
if he wasn't serious ?

Thanks , I think the man is old enough to answer for himself.

My point is I don't agree. That is all.

 

[Michael OLeary]

MuddyoldSpr,

The problem is not those who decide that a different name fits them better, it is those whose constant name changes are a vehicle to try and disguise their erratic, and often unwelcome, posting habits.  The staff are here voluntarily and they try to maintain some semblance of order in keeping with the Conduct Guidelines.  When one of us has to spend an extra 30 minutes or more sifting through someone's prior posts to figure out what names they have previously posted under to put together a 'history' that may qualify for the Warning System, it pretty quickly turns a hobby into a chore.  Legitimate name changes would always be supported, it's the frivolous ones that are used to abuse the system that need alternative measures.

Mike
Staff

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Thank you Michael, exactly to the point.

MuddyoldSpr wrt the overuse of emotes we come down on those people as well.

 

[El Gerco]

Mike;

I agree that it can be a pain in your "6". Having read the first post, by Ex-dragoon, perhaps it was the wording "rant " that was missleading. Us old army SSMs have very Small brains at times.

apologies you old zipper head (meant in jest)

Thank you,

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

No worries MoS, am happy to be able to clarify.

 

[Mike Baker]

Good idea on you'r part.

 

[Shamrock]

I don't know much about the Interwebs or their fancy pipes, so bear that in mind with this suggestion.

What about having a history of name changes maintained with each person's profile, be that visible only to mods or all users?

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Hi Shamrock,

We've discussed that internally as an option, but unfortunately there's simply no good technical way to do it. I'm also afraid that the "honour system" will only work for those users who are already not part of the problem. At the same time, I dread the surge of "Can u plz change my name 2..." requests we'll be getting if we turn the feature off, so we're still searching for that middle ground.

Maybe the right approach is to request that users who change their name add a "formerly known as" line to their sig, for clarity. Could be that simple...


Cheers
Mike

 

[Shamrock]

Name changes available to Army.Ca subscribers.  There's an honesty system for you.

 

[navymich]

Name changes available to Army.Ca subscribers.  There's an honesty system for you.

And/or not able to change your name until you have been a member for X number of days.

 

[Journeyman]

..and you can never change your name if you're Garvin 

 

[Yrys]

well, nowaday, he's  Hauptmann Scharlachrot !

 

[17thRecceSgt]

I am not a software weenie...but is there a way to "flag" users who are problem children or the like..that when they try to change their name they can't?  I am not sure how the functionality of the SW the server is running may/may not allow this, but I am thinking in AD mode here...where Admin's can tag a user/object with the "password cannot be changed" option and lock out that option on a "per user" type basis?

Again, it involves some work on the Staff side but...any option other than leaving it wide open as it is now would also involve that...would it not?

 

[Shamrock]

I think he has a definite case of NameDHD.

 

[Klc]

I vote for making it a subscription benefit. One more way for Mike to push all those stickers he's sitting on.

 

[gaspasser]

I concur with the "why" you want to do this. But, I am one who changed his screen name becuase I felt my original name was kind of goofy after some time and not "professional" sounding enough.  I agree with making it a "subscribers option only", as I will soon be ante-ing up. Certainly a good way to get rid of trolls and undesireables. 
Oh, and, Merry Christmas

 

[vonGarvin]

For the DS, I apologise for my Name Changing Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder (NCHDD).  In order to maintain consistency, I will keep my current "nom de plume".  I didn't realise that it caused as much confusion as pointed out.
For all, I apologise as well.

Hauptmann Scharlachrot
(aka "Captain Scarlet", previously "von Garvin")