Joxer

Is it possible to change my username?

joltaddict

Possible, yes. Probable, no.

If you want to change the spelling, add a space or a capital letter but otherwise no. It was too hard to track who was who after a while. They didnt let Kenny and hes been here for years. http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=222736

Joxer

ok, then I want the spelling to be changed into something completely different does that work?

Psi

You may be allowed since you are not a very frequent poster. That's another benefit of having a life. Send an email to a mod.

Joxer

where can I find the Mod's addresses?

Psi

On the front Forum page, just click on their names. A profile page will come up, with "Click here to email" the mod. I think you need to contact someone with Administrator power, such as Blade or X. Good luck.

Ranger

Good luck... you'll need it.

joltaddict

Are you a lawyer?

Mitsurugi

Did you get your username from Xena? If so, maybe they could add some more words. Like Joxer the Mighty.

das Monkey

Why would you want a different user name? Joxer rules. Unless, of course, you do not rule? In which case ... yeah, change it.

das

dek

One of the worst decisions on this board, not to allow name changes. I can see if someone was changing their name all the time, but if someone is tired of it, why not allow the change, or retire the name and let someone re-register with a new username. How hard is that?

I mean there are supposed to be no more custom titles, yet they are still floating around.

Alyoshka

It is very puzzling. I hear their argument for not wanting to confuse people, but I don't think it's a very strong argument for a number of reasons. If people are too insidious to keep up with name changes then they can go somewhere that things never change. The effect is not a big deal. If it TRULY gets the goat of too many members than enforce a 3 month rule that the custom title says "formerly Alyoshka." Then people who have signatures turned off will still be able to see who it is that is posting.

Quote:

I mean there are supposed to be no more custom titles, yet they are still floating around.

That is another thing that puzzles me. I can't figure out why some people get personalized ones and other people don't besides that dvdtalk is often nothing more than a popularity contest.

D.Pham5GLTE (>60GB)

oh...and a little tip: don't get too close to some mods...your name might change all of a sudden without you knowing it

Blade

Did you change your thought process mid-sentence? In any case...the problem isn't keeping track of one person's name change, it's keeping track of 20-30 plus people changing their names and floating in and out of the forums...it's also one more thing to coordinate and keep on top of for the moderators. We instituted this policy because we were starting to see a few threads about "who's who again?," and we also felt that it was causing confusion for the moderators . The issue isn't really with members who could seriously be considered "insidious" (as a name change isn't likely to hide their problem behavior), but more for long term, low profile trouble-makers...as well as to make it easier for the regulars to keep track of who is who.

Also, we put the "formerly known as" info in the location area. It's already checked by the forum software, and so it doesn't put an additional load on the server.Besides the few special titles for DVDTalk site contributors (both current and former...DVDTalk Reviewers is an example of the former, Bushdog and Jason Northrup of the latter)...any other special titles are not a sign of popularity, but rather a joke for the fun of the administrators. Given how infrequent it happens, I don't really think attributing it to any supposed "popularity contest" is accurate or fair.

Alyoshka

No change of thought - insidious meaning, "developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent." It just seems strange that people are unable to keep up with a few name changes. One or two is apparently fine but the cummulative effect (as you point out) is just too much.

You're last line of reasoning makes complete sense if the rule was that people UNDER 1000 posts couldn't change their names. People who have posted over 1000 usually aren't the problem posters. If one makes it that far they usually aren't going to be banned. I know there are instances where this doesn't hold true but I think most people show that they are a problem poster far before this point.

I think from what you are saying it would make sense to NOT allow name changes for people who haven't posted more than X amount of times. They are the more "low-profile."

Quote:

any other special titles are not a sign of popularity, but rather a joke for the fun of the administrators. Given how infrequent it happens, I don't really think attributing it to any supposed "popularity contest" is accurate or fair.

I guess it's all a matter of point of view. I don't really think this is a problem; I just think it's a reflection of how dvdtalk often becomes a popularity contest. The people that administrators joke with are usually the more "popular" posters. Popularity is probably the wrong word - the more visible posters. People who have more name recognition that other posters. That is simply what I mean. It still seems strange.

Blade

Sorry, it sounded like you were saying the people who couldn't keep up with name changes were insidious, rather than some of the people who were requesting name changes. This part of the rule is there as a compromise to people who's initial choice of name doesn't sit well with them. We figure that after a 1,000 posts, you know whether or not you want to change the name. It isn't related to problem posters.

-David

X

You can only be considered right about these statements because you qualify it with "I just think." However, factually, you couldn't be more wrong.

You would be accurate if you substituted the incorrect criteria ("popularity") you assume is used to choose these people to the actual criteria of "having a recognized sense of humor for DVD Talk-specific events." And of course they have to post often enough to have the change noticed.

D.Pham5GLTE (>60GB)

that's a great phrase

Alyoshka

Any way you wish to define it - the last I heard it wasn't going to be done any longer. Then a few weeks after it was suddenly being done again. All I said was that I simply "can't figure out why" it is happening. Of course, hard fast rules seem to change at a moments notice.

I guess you need to pat those with a "recognized sense of humor" on the back by allowing them extra personalization. It's not a problem in my opinion but I think exceptions of any sort cause problems down the road.

X

Trying to herd moderators is second only to trying to herd members. What can I say? We try.

The only problems are for people with extremely rigid standards as to how a discussion forum should be run. You wouldn't want to be at a forum that tight.

Aghama

If custom titles were truly a matter of popularity, wouldn't D. Pham be one of the last people to get one?

D.Pham5GLTE (>60GB)

criptik28

God, I still remember when he was dpham00...