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Choosing a User Name.

Pancho
Grafter
Posts: 83
Registered: ‎16-10-2007

Choosing a User Name.

When creating an account for a new person finding a suitable User Name can be a problem. Occasionally you find the person's surname is not used but that is quite rare. As I consider a User Name important and, once created, cannot be changed for that account, I spend some time beforehand looking for something suitable for the person so they can choose. Where the person's name is already used perhaps a variation of it, by adding initials, or even using a House Name or, in one case, the name of the place the person was born in Africa.
At the moment I use the method of seeing if the proposed User Name is taken by checking that name's web space: http://www.<username>.plus.com. If I get a 'no such page' message there is a good change that that User Name is not taken.
Might I suggest some tool on the Plus Site where I could enter a proposed User Name to see if it is taken; I do not want to know who that user Name belongs to. It would also be useful if the proposed User Name could be booked for a few days while the new person makes their mind up. (This might not be easy as how would you know it was me confirming the new User Name)
Having to think of a User Name at the time, sometimes on the person's Dial-Up connection, running up their phone bill, can give an unsatisfactory impression; 'it is a load of bother and giving me a headache already'. Preparation beforehand gives the opposite impression. 
7 REPLIES 7
Not applicable

Re: Choosing a User Name.

I know what you mean - I tend to use a string of 6 letters, followed by the name of the person I'm signing up.
I can be fairly confident that the 6 character prefix won't be used elsewhere, and its memorable for me - a useful solution for you perhaps?
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

You can sign up a PAYG Dial up account (Making sure that it has my your referral details) to reserve a username. And when ready upgrade it.
This is exactly what I did for my farther, when I signed him up.
Chilly
Pancho
Grafter
Posts: 83
Registered: ‎16-10-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

Thank you. I try to keep usernames as short as possible. I also try to keep it sexless so it does not reveal if the person is a lady. In my 'helping people' work I am amazed as to how many people do not know their username or password. One lady had no idea who she was with; had to get her to look at her bank account to see who she was paying. Complex usernames are soon forgotten by the person you signed up. I keep a record myself and that proves useful quite often. Using a person's name, or near derivative of it, is much easier for the person to remember. Seems I will have to carry on as before. I would also like to be able to change a username if the person who has got the name I want leaves Plus for greener pastures. Are there any - greener pastures that is? Now passwords - I do like them to be letters and numbers as they are harder to crack.
The_10th
Grafter
Posts: 1,093
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎08-04-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

I have mentioned this before and still believe in its value; a box to type and check if a username (domain) is available as is the case when purchasing domains from the many Hosting sites nowadays.
I know a Dial-up account can be created but having a 'simple' user domain check first is attractive IMHO.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

I wonder if anyone has registered several alternatives before making a choice?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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xpcomputers
Grafter
Posts: 461
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

Quote from: geezer
I have mentioned this before and still believe in its value; a box to type and check if a username (domain) is available as is the case when purchasing domains from the many Hosting sites nowadays.
I know a Dial-up account can be created but having a 'simple' user domain check first is attractive IMHO.

Could that be a source of spam though?
If there was a box you could verify available accounts against, then by definition, any that aren't available would be genuine accounts! A spammer would in theory then be able to run a list of common name & random numbers combinations through the account checker box, and come out with a list of verified accounts for spam purposes...
You would need some sorts of checks in place before you went ahead with a box like this!
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Choosing a User Name.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were hundreds of orphaned usernames on PN's database most of which could be reused.
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