Category: Zone BBS Suggestions and Feedback
This past weekend ItsAConspiraZ changed their screen name to admin and posted a topic here called "an important anouncement" which turned out to be false. Though the prank was a little more creative than the general prank here on the zone, it raises the question, should the zone allow multiple screen names?
I find that there are two users on here with the screen name "rat" user 1894 and user 442. undoubtedly, there may be other duplicates as well.
I don't know how hard it would be to look for an existing screen name when a user changes his/her name, or signs up initially, but I shouldn't think it would be too hard.
Preventing more than one person using a screen name would prevent needless confusion, and could prevent downright fraud and impersonation.
Thanks,
Bob
I agree with you Bob. Two people with the same name it just sounds confusing.
If a username is used another person shouldn't be allowed to use the same one.
Yes, those two dirty rats must be up to something. It should not be permitted.
The diference between the rats is that 1 has 2 T's and the other only has 1. That's so subtle that only those who're reading the site on a Braille display would notice it.
lol. It would be confusing if one day somebody had the username nicos with C and i have Nikos withK. Screen readers just read it the same.
I think it should be something in the terms and conditions about it. Names which sound the same with screen readers shouldn't be allowed i think.
I think there's this thing on aim where it sends an error message to you if someone already has the screen name you chose. So maybe if that same feature could be implicated on the site, it would cause less confusion.
Michelle
I joined the zone with the user name cat lover. Shortly after, another user changed her name to catlover. There is a subtle difference in pronunciation, but if you listen close you could tell. I had a space between the two words, and she did not. And people kept sending me private messages meant for her and her messages meant for me. I'm sure the same thing is happening with the two rats because most people don't take the time to use their JAWS keys to check the spelling.
Call me stupid, but I never thought of checking the spelling. (does anyone know how to remove egg from face?). I did check the spelling for admin, but since jaws said rat and ratt, I never even thought of it.
Sorry about that blunder.
Bob
But what can the admins do really? I mean, if they made a feature telling which names have already been used, someone could just take that name and pick something similar and same sounding for the fun of it, and how are you going to prevent that?
thank you cala, it is harmless fun. i think people should stop complaining about it and use their currsor keys more. a feature that blocked certain names wouldn't be fair i think
goodness, what a load of balls!
yes mike i agree with you.
well, I actually think it's a problem with us being blind, to have same sounding user names. the point I was trying to make was, what can you do to stop people from making similar sounding names, even if a list of names is given or something like that?
i have to agree with becky, it can get very confusing
although, i guess you could just open there profile and look?
hey all. use the dictionary manager. That will work. i had to do it before.
like for the 2 rats, use mikey for rat and alex for ratt or something like that.
Ok say if someone logs in using my username and I'm currently not logged on the site yet but I'm about to log on, and say if I have msn which I do anyway and I log onto the site and this person is logged on will I get a message through msn as yall would get through aim saying this person has used your name or something or other do you wanna proceed on logging in or something is that possible?
They can't use your exact user name on here. They can use something that sounds similar, but not the exact same name with the exact same letters and spaces in the same places.
I think it's a great idea but however people can use the same part of that username but add letters or numbers.
Example:
Visitor wants to join.
Visitor fills out the form.
Visitor picks "blbobby" and find it already exists.
Vistor ads a number or character to blbobby say 4 making it blbobby4
It goes through and we've got a extra blbobby on the zone but different member number different person.
Aim does this with people who want to join but who've joined w/the same username. You get sent back and you choose from the list of usernames w/characters and numbers.
If it makes it any easyer maybe suggest a reserve username program. But if someone changes their screen name on here, the old one is up for grabs. So if the name blbobby is under reserve because the person doesn't want it duplicated or it's premium the visitor making the account will get a error message and request that the visitor choose another name.
I'll concede that perhaps general screen names might be too hard to program against duplicate sound alikes, but certain names like admin should be reserved so that total confusion will not run rampant here.
In the Rat and Ratt case I cited above, no harm is done and I probably would have never noticed it except that the two of them were logged on at the same time. However, it does have real potential as an identity theft tool, you'll have to admit.
Bob
Yes, and its a hassel having to cursor over each time to spell out names when ppl come on with names that sound alike. And opening their profiles up each time can be a pain. I thought about the dictionary manager, but I am not sure about the name mikey , but there is a user name of Alex already in use. I remember the person who Becky was referring to, it was confusing and I did end up sending the wrong messages to the wrong person. Especially when this place gets to be high traffic and your trying to keep up with the QN's and PQN's. Using numbers at the end of user names that sound alike would be a bit helpful. And yes paying attention on boards to user numbers is helpful.
why do you guys have to make so much of ths? it is harmless fun!
I'm not concerned at what went on last weekend, like you say, it was harmless fun.
I am concerned as it seems this could be the way in for some not such harmless fun, especially with new users who don't know yet about profiles etc.
Bob
well, it's no worse than talking to someone using their real name. new users wouln't know those yet you know
oh goodness, what a load of balls!
simple sql check whilst the user sines up.
You can always tell people apart using their ID numbers which appear alm ost everywhere the name does, usually right next to it. They're read regardless (if you're using JAWS anyway) so I don't see any reason why we should worry about similar sounding names.
As for me, I put a space before 'admin' to see if the zone staff were as smart as I hoped. For some reason the space didn't show up in myname, but it was recorded in the database that way I guess (I tried admin without a space and with a space at the end instead of the beginning and it told me that name was already taken). Don't worry, noone will be able to change theeir name to one already taken.