Question Regarding The "username Change" Lockdown

[+4leafclover]

I can't reply directly to the thread, so I thought I'd bring this here:

 

We're working on customizing an application for use with Geocaching.com that will require us to lock down the ability to change your username. As a result on May 15th we will be locking down the username change feature on the web site.

 

The technical issue relates to a fundimental part of their application that stores usernames in the database outside of the account data. This means that if we did make username changes in our account database it would require a tremendous effort to automatically update the other system with the username change.

 

Generally sites don't allow name changes like we've been allowing over the last 5 years, so we're moving towards the generally accepted standard for most web sites. It's an unfortunate change but necessary considering the importance of the new features.

 

For those who just can't live without changing their usernames we'll do our best to come up with some tools to move your information over to a new username. You can already do adoptions to your new account but there is no current way to move other information like bookmark lists, premium memberships, or log entries.

 

Jeremy,

 

Does this refer strictly to a person's displayed name possibly being different from the name they "sign on" with, or does it apply to the fact that when one places a cache, there is the option to "change" the name of the placer?

 

 

4lc

[+KoosKoos]

My reading is that it's changing your "username" or your account ID, not the text that's shown on a cache page. As it is now, that text links back to your username/profile, so I don't see that part changing.

 

Of course, I could be reading it all wrong too.

[+4leafclover]

My reading is that it's changing your "username" or your account ID, not the text that's shown on a cache page. As it is now, that text links back to your username/profile, so I don't see that part changing.

 

Of course, I could be reading it all wrong too.

 

I wondered about that, too, cause ealy on, I change my name, bringing my "early" finds over to a new username.

[Jeremy]

I responded in the original post with some clarification based on your questions.

[+Team Maddie UK]

The technical issue relates to a fundimental part of their application that stores usernames in the database outside of the account data.

 

I'm afraid I don't find this reason particularly satisfying or even comprehensible. Why would the user-name be stored outside of its account data? Its just a few bytes. There must be more to it than that surely unless the database design itself suffers from a short-sighted design approach; similar to the IBM PC

 

Generally sites don't allow name changes like we've been allowing over the last 5 years, so we're moving towards the generally accepted standard for most web sites.

 

What happens when a couple who are registered as Joe and Clarissa unfortunately split up due to irreconcileable differences. In the case of an e-mail account they would simply go with their own new addresses etc. Geocaching is not like that. It is not like

most web sites

. There are the statistics to deal with. Do they both start over again with new accounts? There are numerous similar scenarios associated with Geocaching nicks and I think that this 'lock-down' represents a rather corporate approach. ie. One with little regard to the members who have supported the enterprise for a long time.

 

Martin (Premium Member)

[+CrazyL200]

I moderate on a car club forum and that allows a change to the visible name. The registered name is stuck for life.

 

So, you could register with nickburt, but change your display name to CrazyL200 for example.

 

I'm with Team Maddie UK, what happens if a change to your circumstances occurs that would then have a knock-on effect into forum life etc... etc... The team split up is a good example of how it could all become very difficult and Jeremy and Co would end up being inundated with request for name changes, post and log migrations etc... etc...

 

I think this needs a good bit of thinking about before it all becomes cast in stone.

 

IMHO the "lock down" would not go down well, particularly for those who might need to change.

[Jeremy]

 

Why would the user-name be stored outside of its account data?

 

 

Because denormalizing a database speeds up the database, especially on data that doesn't update that often, if ever. Also we didn't build the application but find that the benefits outweigh the drawback of this approach.

 

Generally sites don't allow name changes like we've been allowing over the last 5 years, so we're moving towards the generally accepted standard for most web sites.

 

What happens when a couple who are registered as Joe and Clarissa unfortunately split up due to irreconcileable differences.

 

I'm not sure how they will split up their log entries, much less their username. If you're expecting a breakup you should probably change your name now. You have until May 15.

 

There are numerous similar scenarios associated with Geocaching nicks and I think that this 'lock-down' represents a rather corporate approach. ie. One with little regard to the members who have supported the enterprise for a long time.

 

A bit overdramatic, don't you think?

 

I do expect that we'll come up with tools to facilitate username changes in the future in small cases, but we're offering the option for you to change your username now in anticipation of the change on May 15. So if you have a name that may cause problems in the future, change it now.

[+Bear and Ragged]

What happens when a couple who are registered as Joe and Clarissa unfortunately split up due to irreconcileable differences.

 

I'm not sure how they will split up their log entries, much less their username.

 

Joe and Clarissa username "Joe'n'Clarissa" split up, Clarissa goes off with a money loaded guy and sunbathes on the beach all day, Joe continues with his Geocacheing... still under the name Joe'n'Clarissa

 

And how does Joe cope if he meets a female newbie Geocacher, and they decide to team up, new lady certainly wont like to cache under the name Clarissa!

 

Is there no chance of having some way of changing usernames in the future?

 

G

[Jeremy]

What happens when a couple who are registered as Joe and Clarissa unfortunately split up due to irreconcileable differences.

 

I'm not sure how they will split up their log entries, much less their username.

 

Is there no chance of having some way of changing usernames in the future?

 

 

Either you're not reading my posts or you are simply too caught up in the Joe and Clarissa soap opera to really read them.

 

You still didn't answer my question about the messy Joe and Clarissa log splits. Does he get the ones in Northern California while Clarissa gets the ones in Southern California? Obviously she'll want the ones with her cute new boyfriend in the background on the beach.

[OpinioNate]

EDIT: Jeremy beat me to it.

Edited April 19, 2006 by OpinioNate

[+Lil Devil]

Is there no chance of having some way of changing usernames in the future?

I do expect that we'll come up with tools to facilitate username changes in the future in small cases

 

Edit: dang I edited all that slow

Edited April 19, 2006 by Lil Devil

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I have a question. I emailed Jeremy it but I might as well as here too rather than start a new topic.

 

If before the May 15 lockdown I want to change my username, how do I do it? Do all my past forum entries change to the new name (like the way the avatar changes if you change it)? Can I transfer all my finds and other logs to the new name?

 

Please let me know, thanks.

[Jeremy]

It is on the customer self help page.

[+Semper Questio]

I do expect that we'll come up with tools to facilitate username changes in the future in small cases

 

So you'll only be able to change your user name if it's all in lower case?

 

Edit to ask: What about special characters, numbers, and spaces?

Edited April 20, 2006 by Semper Questio

[+Team Maddie UK]

So you'll only be able to change your user name if it's all in lower case? laughing.gif

 

Edit to ask: What about special characters, numbers, and spaces? bad_boy_animated.gif

 

ROFLMAO

 

Martin

[+CrazyL200]

I'm not sure how they will split up their log entries, much less their username. If you're expecting a breakup you should probably change your name now. You have until May 15.

 

Sounds pretty final then.

 

All team splits MUST be carried out before LockDown Day.

[+Frettchen_2006]

I have a question. I emailed Jeremy it but I might as well as here too rather than start a new topic.

 

If before the May 15 lockdown I want to change my username, how do I do it? Do all my past forum entries change to the new name (like the way the avatar changes if you change it)? Can I transfer all my finds and other logs to the new name?

 

Please let me know, thanks.

 

It's like putting a new label on a file folder: only the name changes I recently changed mine, to try to get the username I originally wanted, and it took a day or so but everything changed to reflect the new name: logs, posts, etc

[+Googling Hrpty Hrrs]

You could just start over and go find all the caches again! That would be the fun work around.

 

Or couldn't you just start a new account, log all the caches you found under the new name (a litle time consuming, I know) and then delete the old logs under the old account?

 

I thought the family that caches together, stays together?

 

I'm surprised this is such a big deal, actually.

[+Lil Devil]

I'm surprised this is such a big deal, actually.

It isn't. Seven people have expressed concern in this thread and one other. Compared to the 31,871 active accounts this week, 7 isn't even a drop in the bucket

[+JoesBar]

I have considered changing my username but many of the names I try are locked onto others that, 1) haven't visited the site in years, 2) visited once and neve again, 3) used the name for only one hide/find and never came back. Why not release those names for others to pick from? I will give an example: Let's say GeorgeBush logged onto the site back in 2004. He found one cache. He never visited again. Anyone else that may want GeorgeBush has to come up with a variation. If GeorgeBush wanted to maintain his profile, he could simply reply to an email from GC stating so. But instead, that username is going to locked in the database. Don't all these abandon accounts take up memory also? As it happens, Georgebush did create an account on Nov. 4 2005. He has never visited since.

Edited April 22, 2006 by JoesBar

[+Lil Devil]

Groundspeak has been known to free up usernames that have ZERO logs associated with them. Just email them and ask. But if the account has any logs, I think you may be out of luck.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I have a question. I emailed Jeremy it but I might as well as here too rather than start a new topic.

 

If before the May 15 lockdown I want to change my username, how do I do it? Do all my past forum entries change to the new name (like the way the avatar changes if you change it)? Can I transfer all my finds and other logs to the new name?

 

Please let me know, thanks.

 

It's like putting a new label on a file folder: only the name changes I recently changed mine, to try to get the username I originally wanted, and it took a day or so but everything changed to reflect the new name: logs, posts, etc

 

It is on the customer self help page.

 

Jeremy, are the changes coming May 15 major? To be honest, it was a lot easier to change my username than I thought so it seems a shame to completely eliminate this feature. Despite what it said about logs not changing until someone else logs a given cache, they changed instantly. Maybe you can instead have limits, like 1 change every x months, I can understand not wanting someone to constantly change usernames and all, thanks. Considering this is only the 3rd or 4th username I have ever used for anything in 20+ years online (yes, I was one of the early adopters of Internet email in college way back in 1985 (and used forums, etc. in what I guess you could call their Intranet), I guess it dates me a bit, but I was a freshman, not a senior, so I ain't that old ), I doubt I would change mine again soon (though to joke about what someone else in this forum said, unless we split up ), but thinking of others here, thanks.

Edited April 23, 2006 by HaLiJuSaPa

[+Prime Suspect]

Jeremy, are the changes coming May 15 major? To be honest, it was a lot easier to change my username than I thought so it seems a shame to completely eliminate this feature. Despite what it said about logs not changing until someone else logs a given cache, they changed instantly. Maybe you can instead have limits, like 1 change every x months, I can understand not wanting someone to constantly change usernames and all, thanks. Considering this is only the 3rd or 4th username I have ever used for anything in 20+ years online (yes, I was one of the early adopters of Internet email in college way back in 1985 (and used forums, etc. in what I guess you could call their Intranet), I guess it dates me a bit, but I was a freshman, not a senior, so I ain't that old ), I doubt I would change mine again soon (though to joke about what someone else in this forum said, unless we split up ), but thinking of others here, thanks.

I don't think is a matter of how often it's done. Most people never change their user name. It's a matter of capability. It's also why I prefer working on big iron, where 3rd normalized databases are the norm.

[Jeremy]

It's a 3rd party application feature. We built our side to be adaptive but they did not. It has nothing to do with the iron content of the database in this case.

[+Geofellas]

It's a 3rd party application feature. We built our side to be adaptive but they did not. It has nothing to do with the iron content of the database in this case.

 

Just a suggestion - since not everyone reads the forums why not send out a mass e-mail to all account holders warning them of this impending change (and advising them to read the forums if they have questions about it) - might prevent some angry people getting annoyed about not having been informed after this goes into effect. Maybe you were planning to do this anyway

[+TeamRB&R]

From Related Topic: http://geocachingedmonton.com/forum/viewto...php?p=5200#5200

 

---

 

I see why they 'think they have' to do it (less coding effort -- good old 80/20 RULES) -- but yes more maintenance in the end. I am glad I stumbled on this post just now. No plans to change it.. but it would have been nice of Geocaching.com to communicate this to all their users by email. Have they? Yeah.. when the Rangerette's move out of the house one day.. I would consider changing 'TeamRB&R' to just 'Ranger Bob' eh? Change is ever constant eh?

 

PS - As a software engineer myself I agree.. the simple solution is to build a GUID (unique user id) for each user, and use that instead.. that should be system assigned, and not changeable by the user. Oh wait.. they already do that though. <vbg>

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=39de326b-c349-4a8f-97ff-51322bc8701a

[John E Cache]

My namesake died. Can I get a new name out of respect for the deceased?

 

I just found out about the lock down. I guess I may have to kill my user name, so to speak, and start over.