I thought when user names get changed, the old one is retired and becomes unavailable. But now there’s a new Libertarian guest! (No offense meant to the new guest - welcome to you!)
Is there a slight spelling change I missed, or is there a problem?
I was wondering that myself.
Maybe it’s just another bug in the new system, and is something that Jerry the Tech God, will have to reconfigure.
I just came in here to ask this same question.
Maybe because his name was changed and not just ‘retired’ like those who no longer post, it got taken out of the system.
Regardless of anything, this is going to be really confusing.
I don’t think it’s confusing at all.
I think all abandoned names should be available.
I’d say if any name has 0 posts it should also be available.
Wasn’t there a problem that Bill H. wanted to be just Bill, but someone had signed up with it five years ago and never posted?
And people are such nervous nellies - “What if the first Bill reappeared after 5 years of ignoring us and was livid that his name was recycled?” Well, boo hoo, he’d just have to get over it.
If you give up a name, that should be that, end of claim. Life goes on. There’s more than one Libertarian in the world, so get over it and continue without crying.
Yeah, but I’d wager that there are still many of us who spent an awful lot of time talking to him as “Libertarian”, who still aren’t used to seeing “Liberal” there, and who still think of him as “Libertarian”.
I agree, the other “Libertarian” is confusing, and I too thought the software prevented re-use of names.
After a poster has used a name for a certain number of posts, that name should certainly be retired to avoid confusion and fight ignorance!
Besides, we all know there is only one “Libertarian/Liberal”…
Welcome to the newbie, though, and no offense to you at all!
None taken… I hope I haven’t caused too much trouble.
maybe we can call him bert?
I was wondering about this just today. I’d like to drop the 23 from my name. Before the subscriptions, I couldn’t do that because someone else had taken then name. But that person isn’t a subscriber, only posted 31 times, and hasn’t been around in almost two years.
Mods, can I get a ruling on that? Would I be able to change my name?
Welcome Libertarian! I agree that it is confusing, and am glad that you are polite and hopefully willing to change your name.
I suggest something to avoid the confusiong but keep in line with your current name.
- Conan the Libertarian
- Son of Libertarian
- Libertarian, the return: it’s time to pay
- Libertarian redux
- Libertarian Electric Boogaloo
I agree that it could be confusing and it probably is a good idea that changed/departed names of high-post count posters be retired (maybe not permanently, they could maybe be up for grabs again after . . . two years?).
But, c’mon people, is it really possible to confuse anyone on Earth with our dearly long acquainted Liberal (nee Libertarian)? He posts very frequently and does quite a good job of distinguishing himself.
It was really weird the first time I saw it — something, no doubt, akin to an out-of-body experience.
Somebody call Lekatt! Stat!
Simple. First, take a Doper who has just come back from a hiatus of several months, and didn’t realize that the original Libertarian had changed his name. That person comes back around now, and sees a post by (the current) Libertarian. Let’s say that it’s a relatively short post and on a nondescript topic, so that the style is not immediately apparent. That person sees “Wow, Libertarian is a guest? I always enjoyed debating him, and it’s a pity he didn’t subscribe.” Maybe our returning Doper even gets out the credit card and pays up (the current) Libertarian, thinking that he’s the old-timer.
Or maybe the current Libertarian decides he likes this place enough to pay up, and the returning-from-hiatus Doper figures that some bug ate his post count. Or maybe the confused Doper wasn’t on hiatus, but just figures that Liberal decided to change his name back.
Style of post might not even be a completely clear indicator: One would presume that both individuals under discussion would at least have similar sociopolitical views, given the choice of username. And (the current) Libertarian hasn’t yet been here long enough for us to know much about his style.
The atoms are not real.
While I don’t really agree with the above reasons why I should change my name, I have a proposal. If some generous soul would be willing to sponsor me for paid membership, I promise I would get my name changed. Do I have any takers?
Listen mister, I asked you nicely. And you didn’t bother to respond to my email.
You do not have a choice here. All names are subject to our management approval here at the SDMB.
So . . . since you were rude not to respond when you obviously know what’s going on here AND you’re being snarky on top of it, you can write me an email if you want guest privileges again. Otherwise, forget it.
your humble TubaDiva
Adminstrator
We do not as a general rule recycle user names, especially if they have posts attached.
Sorry, Marley.
your humble TubaDiva
Admnistrator
No worries.
[sup]Another problem solved expeditiously by the mods.[/sup]