# IMPORTANT! If your user name has a space in it or a non-alphanumeric character READ THIS **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 12, 2020, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560 "2020-06-12T20:15:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [June 12, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/41 "2020-06-12T23:18:14Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I just changed my password yesterday from random number/letter combo to one I could be sure to remember. Of course it has none of the unique characters. Do I need to change it again? Yes. Passwords will NOT be ported over to Discourse. It doesn’t matter if you meet the requirements or not. Whatever your password, it will not be automatically ported over. EVERYONE has to change their password. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/42 "2020-06-12T23:19:02Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > does this mean me? Yours ports across as Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/43 "2020-06-12T23:54:30Z")
I am tempted to change my username to Under\_Score so that people think UnderUnderScoreScore every time they see it, but I’ll stick with Left\_\_Hand\_of\_\_\_\_\_Dorkness\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/44 "2020-06-13T00:31:25Z")
So my name’s too long? ---
**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:** [June 13, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/45 "2020-06-13T00:37:29Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So my name’s too long? Nope. Yours comes across as Happy\_Lendervedder ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/46 "2020-06-13T01:10:07Z")
I hope I may remain as Qadgop the Mercotan. I’ve sent my request to Tubadiva. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/47 "2020-06-13T01:22:05Z")
Ok, i’m J-P L. I guess i become J-P\_L. Correct? Thanks ---
**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:** [June 13, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/48 "2020-06-13T01:35:58Z")
> [@J-P\_L](#): > > Ok, i’m J-P L. > > I guess i become J-P\_L. Correct? > > Thanks Yep. J-P\_L ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/49 "2020-06-13T01:53:17Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I have also been told that the minimum password length is 8 characters and must have at lease 2 unique characters(#$%& etc) Do the password requirements affect the transitioning process? In other words if our _current_ passwords don’t meet those requirements, umm, what happens to our account during the transition? ---
**Author:** ![Anxious\_Squirrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anxious_squirrel/32/1083_2.png) [@Anxious\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anxious_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/50 "2020-06-13T02:00:26Z")
Guess I should have stayed TheMysteryWriter. Oh well. I suppose Anxious\_Squirrel just makes me look even more anxious, and that can only be a good thing. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/51 "2020-06-13T02:23:01Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Do the password requirements affect the transitioning process? In other words if our _current_ passwords don’t meet those requirements, umm, what happens to our account during the transition? It doesn’t matter what your current password is. EVERYONE will need to change their password once we transition over to the new site. The passwords are NOT porting over, no matter what. Not for anyone. This is why we keep telling everyone to make sure their e-mail in their user control panel is up to date, because that’s where the password reset e-mail is going to go. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/52 "2020-06-13T02:28:22Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Latest info I have now is user names can be 3 to 20 characters. > > I have also been told that the minimum password length is 8 characters and must have at lease 2 unique characters(#$%& etc) Is it just me? Or aren’t letters just as unique as (#$%&etc)? I find those such an aggravation to put in (and remember). Please don’t give me crap about being a computer Luddite-I get that enough from my kids. At least I knew enough to capitalize Luddite. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/53 "2020-06-13T04:40:30Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I am tempted to change my username to Under\_Score so that people think UnderUnderScoreScore every time they see it, but I’ll stick with Left\_\_Hand\_of\_\_\_\_\_Dorkness\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. To people actually read underscores when they read names? I just treat them like spaces. I read Under\_Score as “under score” in my head. (And, yes, I subvocalize. I know not everyone does.) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/54 "2020-06-13T04:51:58Z")
See, that’s what you guys get for your frilly, ostentatious user names. Who’s the smarty pants now? ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/55 "2020-06-13T04:59:21Z")
Well, this doesn’t bode well for yours truly. ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/56 "2020-06-13T05:06:42Z")
I requested a full on name change since I post so irregularly and nobody knows me anyhow =D Those underscores are a PITA to type out when you want to tag or find a poster. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/57 "2020-06-13T06:14:03Z")
The minimum and maximum username length, password length, unique character requirements, and stuff like that are all parameters an administrator can edit in the Discourse site settings. Unicode names work IF you enable them correctly; they are disabled by default. Don’t remember whether enabling spaces is easy or a tricky problem. (Worst case, the names can be fixed later? The actual user is just an id number in a database.) ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/58 "2020-06-13T07:00:39Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > If this causes an issue for you, please contact us ASAP! Hi. If you don’t mind, I would like to change my username. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/59 "2020-06-13T09:38:37Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > These appear to be the user name rules. > > Minimum length: 3 characters > Maximum length: 15 characters > Must begin with a letter or number > All other characters can be a letter, number or underscore > > If you want me to check how your name ported over, please contact me. Thanks for listing these. Since my username has 16 characters, I’ve sent you a pm. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560/60 "2020-06-13T09:41:39Z")
Aesthetically speaking, I’d rather be JackBatty than Jack\_Batty. I’ll stand by for further instructions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/important-if-your-user-name-has-a-space-in-it-or-a-non-alphanumeric-character-read-this/855560.md?page=4)