My selfish rant...

[BBB]

I started posting on this board with a the single lettered user name, B...Then I get and email saying that in it's simplistic eligance it stimies the search mechanism and if I wouldn't ,ind would I please pick another...

I replied, yes I do mind. I have been going by the nickname B for almost 15 years, it is easy to remember and I like it. I know of someone on another UBB that uses a single letter for their username and had no problem...

I don't recall when I registered that a certain amount of letters were required for a username...

I come on today and they changed my user name to Bwjc31...aaarrgg!!

Thanks for letting me vent.

B

[Coldfire]

Welcome to the board. We don't use UBB, but vB. And if you really do mind to cooperate with this simple request, there's no one keeping you here.

Thanks for being such a good sport.

[Jack Batty]

A lot of posters have petitioned for name changes.
If I were you I'd think about emailing an administrator and requesting a name you do want, maybe "I Am B" or "Letter B" or something along those lines. Sooner or later, if you stick around and obey the rules, everybody will just call you "B" anyway.

God-damn, I'm diplomatic. I ought to be a moderator!!



Or, take Coldfire's advice and hit the road.

[andros]

"Pardon me, sir, but would you mind too terribly taking off your black-soled boots in the restaurant? I'm sorry, but they make marks on our hardwood. We can offer you your choice of slippers you may wear while you're with us."

"Yes, I mind! I love these boots, they're comfortable, and I won't take them off. Besides, a friend of mine eats at another restaurant, and his shoes have never marked the floors."

"Fair enough. Guido! Jim-Jim! Kindly remove the gentleman's shoes. And put these loafers on him. If he still wishes to order dinner, please show him to his table."

[Freudian Slit]

::sternly:: Jack, stop fishing for a compliment.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally posted by Jack Batty
A lot of posters have petitioned for name changes.
If I were you I'd think about emailing an administrator and requesting a name you do want, maybe "I Am B" or "Letter B" or something along those lines. Sooner or later, if you stick around and obey the rules, everybody will just call you "B" anyway.

God-damn, I'm diplomatic. I ought to be a moderator!!

Or, take Coldfire's advice and hit the road.

"I am B" won't work. The search engine needs at least three consecutive alphanumeric digits to work with. I don't remember how it was with UBB, but I do know that with THIS search engine, we need at least three digits in a row. I check new registrations periodically, for this and other problems. I'm sorry that you find this rule so burdensome, but I thought that my letter made it clear that you had a choice of changing your name or not using this message board.

I'd like to note, too, that this is one of THE largest message boards around, and we have to have certain rules in order for it to work. That's one of them. We haven't put it in the registration because people rarely choose such a short name.

Lynn Bodoni
Administrator
For the Straight Dope

[Mikahw]

Just out of curiosity, what exactly happens if you pick a name with less than 3 consecutive characters?

[Cajun Man]

If you search for a user name with less than three consecutive alphanumeric digits, you get this:

Please specify either some search words or a username to search by.

Aside:

andros
Member

Registered: Sep 1999
Posts: 0

Very odd.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally posted by Mikahw
Just out of curiosity, what exactly happens if you pick a name with less than 3 consecutive characters?

You get a note from me, asking you what you'd like it changed to.

OH, you mean what happens on the board? It messes up the search engine, and we all know that the search engine is flaky enough as it is.

Lynn

[BBB]

Since I cannot use my intial choice for a user name and I do not like the one chosen for me, how do I change to one I like?

Thanks,

B

[Airman Doors, USAF]

E mail Tubadiva. She'll change it for you.

If I recall, her E Mail address is tubadiva@aol.com.

If you do change, be creative. Names like Dave (my real name) are soooo boring.

Good luck.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally posted by Cajun Man
<snip>Aside:

andros
Member

Registered: Sep 1999
Posts: 0

Very odd.

I was wondering that myself. Maybe Andros is like the UBER-NEWBIE - never gets any post count no matter how long he's been around posting.
(Hey B, maybe you could use "BEE" as your username.)

[tiny ham]

Originally posted by Jack Batty

Or, take Coldfire's advice and hit the road.

Man. This just struck me as funny. I'm still laughing, minutes after reading it.

Jack Batty...you're a miracle.

jarbaby

[dantheman]

Originally posted by Lynn Bodoni
"I am B" won't work. The search engine needs at least three consecutive alphanumeric digits to work with. I don't remember how it was with UBB, but I do know that with THIS search engine, we need at least three digits in a row.

But if one does a search with the name in quotes as a string, wouldn't that work? For the heck of it, I typed "pa" (with the quote marks), and the resulting message said there was no user by that name.

[Bumbazine]

Originally posted by dantheman

But if one does a search with the name in quotes as a string, wouldn't that work? For the heck of it, I typed "pa" (with the quote marks), and the resulting message said there was no user by that name.

I believe the search engine considers the quotation mark as a character, therefore "pa" would be considered a 4 character string.

I was wondering about Andros myself, 'cause I remember him from way back. Maybe he was a baaaad boy?

[BBB]

Or, take Coldfire's advice and hit the road.

Damn Jack Batty, why would I want to leave a place filled with cold blooded, cynical bastards like myself

[Jack Batty]

I wasn't really suggesting anybody actually leave. I just wanted to crack jarbabyj up, ya know, being the miracle that I am and all.

[andros]

Maybe Andros is like the UBER-NEWBIE - never gets any post count no matter how long he's been around posting.

Oh, now that would be cool!

[ENugent]

If quotation marks count, maybe you can be "B". Or The Poster Formerly Known as B - what's the length limit on usernames?

[Bumbazine]

Originally posted by ENugent
If quotation marks count, maybe you can be "B". Or The Poster Formerly Known as B - what's the length limit on usernames?

When I first signed up I tried to enter Bewitched, Bothered & Bemildewed as my username and it wouldn't take that, so I think there must be some limit. Either that, or the system is programmed to reject really bad jokes.

[Lynn Bodoni]

I'm PRETTY sure that quotation marks don't count. I'm not positive, though, and the board's acting flaky on me...speeding along one moment, and then timing out the next.

However, I DID manage to change the OP's name to something more to his liking.

Lynn

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally posted by andros

Oh, now that would be cool!

Ah, you have a post count now. Guess that blows my UBER-NEWBIE theory.

[andros]

Sorry, featherlou . . . but it was a damn fine idea.