# Do we no longer announce poster name changes? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 10, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276 "2021-10-10T23:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enjoy\_Slurm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enjoy_slurm/32/3937_2.png) [@Enjoy\_Slurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enjoy_Slurm)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/21 "2021-10-16T15:14:39Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > Even easier, just PM them and ask. I think most posters would probably tell you. Was it you? ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/22 "2021-10-20T20:26:36Z")
This reminds me that I’d like to keep username history around for a user in the software… I guess technically it _is_, since that would be a staff action to rename someone. You can filter for that action in the staff logs. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/23 "2021-10-21T04:40:09Z")
We document everything we do. All name changes are tracked in a thread in one of our moderator-only forums. We don’t need to go digging through the logs. We have apparently made 974 name changes since we started tracking them in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/24 "2021-10-21T05:17:17Z")
It’s a good idea to track name changes. By default in Discourse you can only change your account name within a few days of signing up. After 3 days – you’d need a moderator to intervene and change your name for you. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/25 "2021-10-22T13:10:38Z")
I noted my name change in my profile. I was going to do a sig line, but I thought that might be too annoying. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/26 "2021-10-22T15:10:04Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > All name changes are tracked in a thread in one of our moderator-only forums. Is there any reason not to make that a public thread? Name changes aren’t private, are they? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/27 "2021-10-22T15:19:29Z")
Other information is recorded in that thread which is private. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/28 "2021-10-22T16:35:36Z")
“I want to change my user name to one that rhymes with my Social Security Number which is…” ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/29 "2021-10-23T05:09:40Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I was going to do a sig line, but I thought that might be too annoying. Discourse allows sig lines? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/30 "2021-10-23T09:46:50Z")
I thought I had seen some since the move; maybe it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/31 "2021-10-23T16:06:19Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Discourse allows sig lines? > [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I thought I had seen some since the move; maybe it doesn’t. I don’t think Discourse provides native support for it, but there is a [custom plugin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-signatures/42263) that allows for this. I recall some posters, like **Stranger\_On\_A\_Train** and **Treppenwitz** , always sign their posts, but I’m not sure if they’re doing it manually every time or if they use an automated system. If they’re doing it manually, them they have damn good self-discipline. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/32 "2021-10-25T20:35:24Z")
Slightly different topic, what is that item in your profile image? Some sort of gun/pen hybrid referencing your account name? I’m curious! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/33 "2021-10-25T20:38:24Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > Slightly different topic, what is that item in your profile image? I think it’s Scaramanga’s custom pistol from the James Bond film _The Man with the Golden Gun._ In the movie, it was assembled from innocuous-looking parts, including a pen. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276/34 "2021-10-26T02:19:04Z")
Right, it’s the iconic Golden Gun from the _James Bond_ film series. Also featured in the classic Nintendo 64 game _GoldenEye 007_, where it was famed for its “one shot, instant kill” ability, even if you shot the opponent in his toe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-no-longer-announce-poster-name-changes/952276.md?page=1)