delete an account.  need a mod - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: captianirish
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 04:12:39 pm
content: i messed up my screen name and didnt see it till it was too late and i couldnt recreate it to my email address. if we can just change the username or delete the account so i can recreate it that would be awesome. otherwise i think i can make a second one with a different email and shuffle the emails around.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 04:25:13 pm
content: Only Dave can delete your account, all i can do is change your screen name but the login name will be the same.

author: captianirish
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 04:43:11 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 22, 2018, 04:25:13 pmOK so its just a wait around and hope dave sees this? can do

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 06:39:02 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 22, 2018, 04:25:13 pmHow do you change your screen name?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 06:55:30 pm
content: Well "you" as in a forum user you can't. We disabled it years ago when I noticed people were having bust-ups and then changing their name and then doing it again. As a moderator I can do it to another users account and will do on request if I feel it is in good faith.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 07:33:13 pm
content: Can you please change my screen name to Zero999?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 08:46:47 pm
content: There you go.

author: gnif
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 08:58:29 pm
content: I can change your login name, PM me with what you would like and if it's available I will update it

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 09:56:14 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on December 22, 2018, 07:33:13 pmOh no. Hero to Zero!

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2018, 11:24:45 am
content: Quote from: Gyro on December 22, 2018, 09:56:14 pmI've wanted to change my screen name for years, but didn't know it was possible until I say this thread. I suppose the moderators don't want everyone to do this because it would create a lot of work for them.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2018, 11:30:17 am
content: The reason we stopped users from doing it was to prevent people changing their identity and causing havoc. Although you can change your screen name your original login username will display in moderation reports but I don't think it fair that to any normal user another user can completely disappear and reappear as someone else at will. I don't mind changing screen names for genuine reasons and I have had requests over the years and not turned one down yet.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 09:55:27 am
content: Question: once a user change its screen name, does that old name become available again? (long shot: at the danger that a new user can take that name, copy the avatar and disguise herself among forum users as somebody else)Comment: would be fair to suggest users who changed screen name to add (temporarily) to their profile notes something like: "was: <oldname>" to help recognize them?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 12:58:31 pm
content: If it's just the visible name the actual username remains on the account as the login. If an admin changes the actual username I guess it is available again.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 01:03:26 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on December 22, 2018, 07:33:13 pmThat explains why I felt something was off. I thought it was me.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 01:06:07 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 23, 2018, 11:30:17 amNames in old quotes don't change either, so that's a way people can check for themselves.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 05:26:33 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on December 25, 2018, 01:06:07 pmI noticed that too.I've put my old name in my profile to avoid confusion.If lots of people have a problem with this, I can change it back.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 05:30:44 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on December 25, 2018, 05:26:33 pmDon't worry. As it's only a single letter change, along with the same avatar and country flag you're entirely recognisable. I just doubted myself for a moment when I saw a name that felt different than before but was still recognisable. Like when one of your acquaintances gets glasses and you can't figure out what changed.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 05:34:04 pm
content: This was part of the problem, user stirs up a fracar and changes name and avatar and becomes a new user in the eyes of others.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 08:10:11 pm
content: Tweakers.net solves nickchanges in a separate subforum where you can only start a topic, but other users cannot reply in it. Only moderators can do this. There are also rules. Maybe this can be “copied”?Look, (use translate or ask if you do not understand)https://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_messages/812397Max once per 18 months is a rule, and the allowed chars are listed, since input validation is missing now.The sub forum they have you put these things is called: “kick a mod”. (Schop een Modje)

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 08:26:19 pm
content: Why bother? Changing name should only be done for a very good reason, just message a mod/admin and we review it and act accordingly.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 11:16:26 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 25, 2018, 08:26:19 pmOne of the things I appreciate here is that the forum is not regulated to the hilt, while still being moderated in a sane manner. People don't need an extensive rulebook to know what flies and what doesn't, just a modicum of common sense. I don't think I've seen an exception so far.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 26, 2018, 02:05:58 am
content: This:Quote from: Simon on December 25, 2018, 08:26:19 pmI haven't seen screen names as having been an issue of note in my time here, so I don't see any need for special provisions.QuoteThe simplest way to deal with it - and avoids issues which could otherwise arise.

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2018, 02:44:47 am
content: Captain...say wot ? Say wot you want !

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 26, 2018, 10:52:05 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on December 26, 2018, 02:05:58 amI was alerted to one case of someone changing their screen name after a fracar years ago, at the time I did not realise it was possible. So i messaged Dave and pointed out that it was something we should disable if possible as if abused as seen once it could cause a lot of confusion and make sorting things out harder. So he disabled it. I have had maybe 5 requests since to change name and have agreed to all as they were perfectly reasonable. The actual log in username will always remain the same unless and admin changes it as in the case of this thread and i expect we would do that only for a situation like this where it wanted changing right at the start and requires admin powers anyway to delete the account created in error.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2018, 12:23:28 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on December 25, 2018, 11:16:26 pmIndeed. I was once in the top-10 contributors on arduino.cc forum, but I bailed out because of harassment and complete lack of moderation due to high volume and essentially non-existent management. The harasser finally got bored and disappeared, but I was gone by then.I appreciate the level of moderation here. There are a few individuals here who I don't understand how the moderators tolerate, but as long as I can ignore them I'm good. Happy New Year, everybody.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 26, 2018, 06:37:40 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on December 26, 2018, 12:23:28 pmAnd yet now if you criticise the arduino documentation and despite others agreeing you get a temporary ban

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2018, 03:02:05 am
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on December 26, 2018, 12:23:28 pmHey, I'm not a crackpot, just asocial.I grew up north of the Arctic Circle; it's different there. Me fail conversational English too. Technical much better.Quote from: Simon on December 26, 2018, 06:37:40 pmI got banned from the Raspberry Pi forums (by Liz Upton, IIRC) when I dared to ask for a beta version to iron out any kernel bugs and create a minimal OS image. I was a horrible leech, apparently.As someone who can get really irritated and ornery about certain things, and therefore has needed at least one warning from Simon here, I can attest that the common sense conversational approach to moderation works much better than botlike formulaic responses: I not only appreciate it, but it reminds me the other end is a person, and makes me re-evaluate my responses. (I now use the ignore list as a tool to avoid getting irritated, and thus not waste others' time.)

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2018, 07:24:42 am
content: QuoteDitto. Sometimes I'm surprised how far people go on this forum.It's probably better to be offended than not have the chance to be offended at all.What's interesting to see are accounts displaying a red "BANNED" line under the avatars. It looks like the bannable posts are removed or something is happening quietly behind the scenes, because I never find the evidence of what's gone wrong.Oh god I've just realised I'm a siren chaser.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 28, 2018, 09:55:48 am
content: If you ban everyone that ever utters a bad thing you will have no forum but I for one will ban earlier now than in the past as it's easier to ban someone who won't listen as soon as this becomes apparent than letting things go on.Banning a user does not mean removing their posts so these will remain but show that the user is banned be it a permanent ban or temporary one. We would of course remove any offending posts, usually the one they got banned for or that pushed things over the edge.Yes we are people behind the scenes not machines and I do my best to understand a troubled user versus a troublesome one which is why some people get a bit of rope here and there but sometimes they chose to hang themselves with it. I had a long email conversation with a user 2 weeks ago. He was not the source of trouble but being over sensitive and reporting others. The easy option was to just ban him for being a nuisance. The better option was to talk to him and explain a few things and get him to see how this forum thing works.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2018, 10:39:18 am
content: By the way: it's nice to occasionally hear about what it's like to moderate. Gives an insight into community management you don't normally see (unless things go horribly wrong). Thanks for sharing Simon.EDIT: For reference, I've come across communities where the staff are really hostile toward users, indirectly. Bug trackers where your bugs are closed and locked with one-line answers, with no way to reply. All sorts of fun.