Name change drama

[Rumpelstiltskin]

But the point is, your all bitching because I wont update my aka field properly purely on the basis YOU don't know who I am if I don't. However this doesn't bother me in the slightest, if you have that much of a gripe that you need to know who every single member on tls is at every waking moment then surely it should be YOU that has to put the work in.
As little work as updating an aka field is, it is just as simple to click the name and check the profile

Also if you really want I can play the race card thing and say your all being negative on me cause im Scottish and this is merely a ploy by the English to slap some authority on my people

 

[Makoeyes987]

L, you're an adult. We don't need to update your profile for you, or click your profile, or anything. The AKA field is there for a reason in your profile for you to edit. Hell, it was made explicitly clear that members don't want staff to do it it anyways.

If you don't want to that's fine, but just don't expect a name change.

And really, we aren't bitching about you, the issue was about the AKA field in general and how name changes will be done. It's not about us being unable to recognize you, but other members and that's why the policy was made when we restarted it.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

So just out of curiosity, has there actually ever been a legitimate complaint made to staff (from a new member) about not knowing who people are because they didn't have their aka field updated?

 

[Makoeyes987]

Yes, there has been. Some in this very thread actually.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Where?


Also if this is all about new members not noticing who people are then how is having my OLD name going to help in the slightest?

 

[Makoeyes987]

I just said in this very thread.

And if you remember the previous issue that was raised last time in the same exact user name change thread, it caused us to enact AKA Field in the first place. It was caused by several older members wondering why everyone's user name kept changing in the first place.

People (staff included) need to be able to keep track of who everyone is, and new members aren't going to know who everyone is when they just start out here and see everyone rotating through different user names all the time. Same goes for people who haven't logged in for awhile.

As MOG stated so clearly

This is extremely important. I don't necessarily mean only in the context of name changes, but I've noticed is that this community, as close as we all are, can get a little too insular at times and we forget that attracting new members and creating an environment for new people to become a part of our community is absolutely vital.

We cannot, cannot have the appearance or actuality of a private club and scare members away, and go 'Well fuck them and what they think they wouldn't have fit in anyway they should 'get like us *gangsigns*'

Keep in mind that this is a Final Fantasy site, and it should be a welcome environment for everyone. I've heard from more than a few sources and people that we seem to be pretty insular. Just a thought.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Ok fair enough, but once again.
Which member made the legitimate complaint?
It seems to be that the issue is going back and forward and the reason staff want the aka field to be filled out is being tossed between "WE need to know who each person is" & "This is only being implemented so that NEW users can determine who is who"

My refusal to adhere to this shitty rule has just been spun into various context and tbh im now curious as to who these new starts are that require to know every members previous usernames that they still won't know because they hadn't joined the forum at that point. You stated in your last post that a new member posted in this very thread complaining about it yet I can't seem to find this person.

 

[Joker]

Lol, I totally saw this shitstorm coming.

Most common usernames should be in the aka field. It's just a common courtesy for other members. And, going apeshit about that rule is pretty childish. You guys need to get over yourselves when it comes to trivial matters like this. However, creating new rules and restrictions over the goddamn aka field is fucking retarded. I have not, nor will I support any new rules that made over this. I'm just sticking to what I've said in the past. If you want to change your username, you put your most common name/username in the aka field. It could be L, Scott, Brooke, Alex or Ashes, I don't give a damn. You don't have to create a goddamn list. It's that fucking simple.

Also,



Aaron, you don't have to go about announcing shit like this in public. The matter was being addressed privately. It makes you look like a hardass and it makes the entire issue look more serious and problematic than it is or needs to be. I was the one PMing Scott about it, and you know what his PM'd response was after you changed it?



In other words, he didn't really give a damn. It's Scott, ffs. And, that could have been the end of it.

place fist on screen for imminent brofist

And quite clearly your incapable of clicking on the name and looking at the person's profile if you REALLY need to know who they are?

gmta


I do have a question though - serious question, not taking the piss out of anyone or anything. Dead serious.

How hard is it to remember who people are?

There really aren't that many members on the forum, and it's easy enough to remember their names that I don't even have to look at aka fields to know who they are. (Then again, I pay attention to the name change thread to begin with )

But I see that some of the staff is like "we don't really have time to remember everyone, etc etc"...well, isn't that part of the job? There's not really so many active members to keep track of that you can't immediately recognize all of them on sight. Now, granted, I talk to nearly every one of those members on a regular basis, both on and off the site, but when you're spending time paying attention to threads to make sure nobody's stepping out of line or making your own posts to encourage activity, you'd think those names would stick, wouldn't you?

The only names that aren't readily recalled, in fact, are the new members - due in large part to the fact that most of them don't post very much to begin with (or at all), but the ones that do hang around are also easily recalled (which, btw, I very much like the way that Ava and Vivi are sticking around and are both well on their way, imo, to a Best New Member nomination for the '11 TLS Awards).

Just curious.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

ilu man

 

[Addison]

Um...I know I'm a sort-of new member, so my opinion doesn't matter very much, but I don't ever really have trouble keeping up with people's names, really. Then again, I've been a lurker for a while ^^;

It seems kind of weird that some of the staff don't know member's names without teh thing in the aka field being filled out, and that they don't read the staff forums, though. At the same time, it's kind of silly that everyone is getting worked up over all of this but I understand why there not being a clear cut rule or something about this could cause problems, and why posting a harsh message about what was being done to L (he's the one that wouldn't change his thing, right?) would cause problems.

I think that maybe this was just sort of handled badly from the start. But I guess if I want people to take me seriously, I should post more ^^;

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Um...I know I'm a sort-of new member, so my opinion doesn't matter very much, but I don't ever really have trouble keeping up with people's names, really. Then again, I've been a lurker for a while ^^;

Actually you being a new member and voicing your own oppinion is perfect
After all staff started off this stupid rule on the basis that new members like yourself couldn't follow who people were because of name changes.

thanks dollface!

 

[X-SOLDIER]

After all staff started off this stupid rule on the basis that new members like yourself couldn't follow who people were because of name changes.

It was to help new members keep track of who's who, but it's also so that people like me can keep track of it as well. I'm not intimately familiar with everyone's posting style, so when you change avatars/usernames, having a correct AKA field helps out with knowing who's saying what. It makes no difference that I happen to be an admin here, because I'd be asking for something like this if I was a normal member too, because keeping up with that is tough for me.



X

 

[Mariketsu]

It was to help new members keep track of who's who, but it's also so that people like me can keep track of it as well. I'm not intimately familiar with everyone's posting style, so when you change avatars/usernames, having a correct AKA field helps out with knowing who's saying what. It makes no difference that I happen to be an admin here, because I'd be asking for something like this if I was a normal member too, because keeping up with that is tough for me.

^ This. (Only I'm just a regular member).

~ Raz

 

[Octo]

Yeah, I didn't want to say anything because I've been here too long to qualify as new, but I have difficulty with the constant name changes. The AKA field really helps. Not everybody keeps hold of the same sig or avi.

Also when I was new, I thought that this forum had many more active members than it did because I kept seeing all these different members

EDIT: Also, I wasn't put off myself because I used to be on ACF and recognised some members like X and Ryu, but I can see why a new member might be confused and put off by all this.

We have to remember that on the majority of forums, rules around name changes are much stricter. People aren't used to that. Just imagine you've gone to a halloween party where you don't know anyone, you're trying to get to know people, but they keep switching costumes. Confusing no?

Yeah people can always ask, but lets be honest. Nobody wants to look like a noob do they? /EDIT

I don't know if there is a limit on name changes in a given period, and I do agree that its impractical to have every name that a user has ever gone by in an AKA field, because that could easily get into double figures for a lot of people

Its probably already been said, but why not just have the most recent aka, and also any names that the user feels their most well known for. Then whenever the name is changed they just have the most recent? Nobody would be required to keep hold of a name that they only had for two weeks.

I don't know why it would be a problem for anyone to put their most recent name, unless they were looking to conceal their idenity entirely? In which case they could just create an alt account?

 

[Vivi]

(which, btw, I very much like the way that Ava and Vivi are sticking around and are both well on their way, imo, to a Best New Member nomination for the '11 TLS Awards).

WHY THANK YOU, GOOD SIR.

Adding my two cents now:

Anywho, I know I'm a little late to this thread. As a new member, the aka fields did help quite a bit when I was trying to figure out who everyone was. But honestly, it didn't help me much with putting a name with a face. I mean, I recognize the names in the aka fields, but I'm still having a little bit a difficulty remembering who they actually are (if that makes any sense).

Now that there are a clear set of rules, I do think it's very reasonable to ask for recent names in exchange for unlimited name changes.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I'm going to be straight here; this is the only community I go to where name changes are allowed, I'm used to the idea that you can't change them, therefore, I have trouble keeping up with a good 3/4ths of you. Given the nature my real life job and the fact that I don't talk to a lot of you (what are you guys afraid of me or what. Kudos to Gabe/Dacon who actually reached out to ask me my gamertag, I'll catch up with you guys soon, I promise), makes it hard for me to keep up when I log on after about a week or so and EVERYONE has new usernames. It's rough, man.

I think 'it's not hard to remember people' is a poor defense because it excludes the people who DO have a hard time, or, since they're just trying the community out and have no real obligation to it, just don't see the point in trying to remember a whole bunch of names.

See this is what I meant; it's a classic example of what we're good at, excluding people outside our little group. We're doing the 'Well, those OTHER PEOPLE should try harder to conform to us so we can do what we want'.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

We have to remember that on the majority of forums, rules around name changes are much stricter. People aren't used to that. Just imagine you've gone to a halloween party where you don't know anyone, you're trying to get to know people, but they keep switching costumes. Confusing no?

This is the best comparison EVER made on the subject. I can't stop laughing at the visual image it creates in my mind of a TLS halloween party based on usernames, and some of them constantly changing.


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[Alex]

Why don't we put a limit on the changes of usernames?

I always did think we were a little too lenient on this. I've been able to change names like within the space of a week or so; its not that I don't appreciate the effort, I just think that it is a recipe for confusion.

(also Mog has an xbox gamertag?)

 

[Max Payne]

Why don't we put a limit on the changes of usernames?

We said we were but no one has been enforcing it.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Why don't we put a limit on the changes of usernames?

I always did think we were a little too lenient on this. I've been able to change names like within the space of a week or so; its not that I don't appreciate the effort, I just think that it is a recipe for confusion.

I wouldn't mind this. I'm in the middle of the table in this; I seek a compromise from both sides so at least everyone is more or less happy with the result. But you have to understand that it would be straight up infantile to expect infinite name changes with no stipulation or terms whatsoever. That's basically the key to this whole thing; no one wants to take away name changes, but you have to be willing to give a little bit something in return. It's only fair, guys.

(also Mog has an xbox gamertag?)

CHRIST MAN SEE WHAT I MEAN. Nobody reaches out to me *sniff*

Unexpected Goat for XBOX, unexpectedgoat for PSN.

I've been notoriously bad at getting on recently but I will.

 

[Alex Strife]

I'm used to the idea that you can't change them

I'm used to that, as well, which is why I never saw any need to change my name. Even though my name's cheesy, and silly, because I couldn't come with anything better when I first joined. But that's the name I've been using, so it's "me"; so whatever, I'm not changing it!

 

[Max Payne]

You know I kinda liked the idea of building up credits to buy name changes.

 

[Joker]

CHRIST MAN SEE WHAT I MEAN. Nobody reaches out to me *sniff*

Unexpected Goat for XBOX, unexpectedgoat for PSN.

I've been notoriously bad at getting on recently but I will.

HEY I ADDED YOU AND MAKE A HABIT OF INVITING YOU TO CHATS AND SHIT

but then you said you didn't have a mic and I was like "o okey das cool"

I AM A NOBODY BAWWWWW

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Hey you get a fist bump, bro. Don't forget about me, I'm getting a mic soon!

 

[X-SOLDIER]

I wouldn't mind this. I'm in the middle of the table in this; I seek a compromise from both sides so at least everyone is more or less happy with the result. But you have to understand that it would be straight up infantile to expect infinite name changes with no stipulation or terms whatsoever. That's basically the key to this whole thing; no one wants to take away name changes, but you have to be willing to give a little bit something in return. It's only fair, guys.

You know I kinda liked the idea of building up credits to buy name changes.

I was actually thinking this, but I'm not sure how to distribute credit, or what systems/hacks are available for this. Aaron might be able to find out if we just want to make a system that's self regulating, and take our hands out of the mix entirely.

CHRIST MAN SEE WHAT I MEAN. Nobody reaches out to me *sniff*

Unexpected Goat for XBOX, unexpectedgoat for PSN.

I've been notoriously bad at getting on recently but I will.

You never listed that you had a PSN ID in said thread! (You should bump it and post that, so I remember to add you).


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