Requesting to take one's User Name.

[+Team Yianni]

I don't really like my user name.. I used it to sign up to this site and now I want to change it to a more appropriate name for us. Problem is, someone has that user name. I know I can add like a number or something after it if i like but, why cant i request the administrator to remove him from the site for a few reasons..

 

1. He is not a premium member (Ok, not a good reason)

2. He only got like 17 finds in 11 years (Ok, not a good reason again)

3. Last time he/she logged on was in May 2002 (Now thats a good reason right?)

 

Now over 8 years of inactivity should be a good request right??

 

Thanks

[+The Blorenges]

Those 17 finds that he did 8 years ago are logged to his name, in his geocaching account. It would mess with all the past history of those caches if somebody completely different was allowed to take over the name.

 

I know of only one case where Groundspeak allowed a geocacher to take over an account name and in that case the account had never logged any caches and the account had never been verified/confirmed.

 

I think you'll have to find a new version of your desired name.

 

Sorry.

 

MrsB

[+jeffbouldin]

There have been people who have quit geocaching (I know it is impossible to believe that, but it is true!) and have returned several years later. If they do they will want their account reactivated.

[+Team Yianni]

Found another name that is not in use.. So next question is, will my finds be transferred if I change the name??

[+t4e]

the thing with user names is kind of like "you snooze you loose"

 

however, most sites purge their inactive users db after 6 years

 

in this case that particular user has not been active for 8 years, chances of them coming back are slim to none

 

i would send an email to Groundspeak and ask, you got nothing to loose

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Found another name that is not in use.. So next question is, will my finds be transferred if I change the name??

 

Please read this page from the Groundspeak Knowledge Books.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com//index.php?...page&id=115

[+Team Yianni]

Found another name that is not in use.. So next question is, will my finds be transferred if I change the name??

 

Please read this page from the Groundspeak Knowledge Books.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com//index.php?...page&id=115

 

Thanks. That answers everything..

[+Scubasonic]

Now over 8 years of inactivity should be a good request right !!

 

"WRONG" pick a different username and move on.

 

SS

[+Team Yianni]

Now over 8 years of inactivity should be a good request right !!

 

"WRONG" pick a different username and move on.

 

SS

 

I did.. Read my previous post.. TY

[+Touchstone]

Now over 8 years of inactivity should be a good request right !!

 

"WRONG" pick a different username and move on.

 

SS

 

Somebody forgot the "Snark Free-Zone"

 

Good luck with the name search

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Yep. There's no snarkiness in the Getting Started forum.

 

For reference for everyone reading, the answer to all of the four questions in the OP is "No".

 

Moving on .....

[+NicoleLackey]

Groundspeak's response:

 

Yup, as it says in the Knowledge Books: If a username already exists and has ever been validated, or the username has been used in any way, then the username is not available.

If the first username logged caches, it is tied to the history of those caches and account.

 

If you change your username to something that's available, all your account details, password, finds and trackables, etc. remain the same. Only your logs update to the new username.

 

I hope this helps!

[+EFLFT]

I guess the only other thing you could do in such a case would be to send an email to the person who has that name (via their profile) and ask them if they wouldn't mind switching it since they don't use it anymore. They could log in, change their name, which would update all their historical logs, and then you could changes yours to it .... some people may be willing to, others may be irritated by the request, and still others could care less but won't put in the time to remember what their password is to a site they haven't logged into for 8 years. lol

[Mr.Yuck]

Groundspeak's response:

 

Yup, as it says in the Knowledge Books: If a username already exists and has ever been validated, or the username has been used in any way, then the username is not available.

If the first username logged caches, it is tied to the history of those caches and account.

 

If you change your username to something that's available, all your account details, password, finds and trackables, etc. remain the same. Only your logs update to the new username.

 

I hope this helps!

 

I do know of at least 2 cases where people were allowed to take over a not validated username of a zero find, zero hide, one day visit account. That's pretty rare though. I myself tried to get a username currently being "used" (for lack of a better term) by a zero find, zero hide one day visit account created in 2006. No dice, because it was validated. I have to say, I disagree with this policy of "just because the account was validated". A one day log-in from 2006 ain't ever going to come back and find caches. I would like to see zero find, zero hide one day log-in accounts deleted after a couple of years. Besides, look what happened. I was forced to change my name to Mr. Yuck.

 

There's a guy in my area who logged a couple of finds in 2001, and came back in 2009 and started caching! So that does happen, and I totally agree that an account such as mentioned in the OP could never be taken away.