Instead of it being so easy to change names and make people have no idea who you are for awhile, you should only be allowed one name change a year, unless it's for some legal reason, *hint*Court order.*hint* Now, where did sitetutor go? Why did MikeDammann leave? Who is this so called Blogmaster??!! Bah!!
I agree to ViciousSummer, that there shouldn't be any changes of username at all. If you do any stupid things in forum, you shouldn't reset everything you made bad by changing username. Of course, everyone can get another account, but at least it's the same as changed username.
Edit: Bah, I got fried!! Only if you want banned!!! Only one person (A certian GoogleGuy imp!) has ever done that and lived to tell the tail of it!!! Now I do think IamNed should get that special name change!
Nintendo Theres really no way to prevent users from doing this. You could setup a form, and ask users to fill it out - info/request a user name.(no point still) All one needs is a proxy, and a "cookie cutter". The desprate noob may even format there computers HD/use system restore disk. Depending on there ISP they may have a static/dynamic IP, you would have to ban the whole subnet? If you ban the subnet then you loose other users, heck what if the person uses a proxy to begin with? You could even get a free PPP account like netzero, with your cookies/forum junk gone, your no longer banned, and have the option of a new user name. a few years ago I got banned from a forum in wich I hadn't even posted in yet! I contacted the admin and got it taken care of. EDIT: you could log the users OS/ect, ban the subnet with os/rez/other info. This is still not a good idea, and I'm not sure if it's possible! It would limit users in that subnet with same settings! Even then if someone wants unbanned they could use a live cd distro of linux/change rez etc... As I said I don't think it's possible to ever "ban" someone/prevent user name change- in this situation. If I'm incorrect about any of this let me know. I'm sure shawn will add some info to this thread. Brandon
How can you see if it is the same person registering another account? I have some double created accounts in my dating site, so would like to use your experience on that.
You two obviously don't know very much about vBulletin. Make an IP address search for a member and you get the top browser image. Click an IP addrss and you get the bottom browser image... er...bad member, bad!!!!! *Moves them to Banned usergroup.* Fill free to test it out and register the username GoogleGuy. Yes, there are some IP addresses like AOL that can make it harder to tell if it's the same user.
Nintendo - Did you and Mike have some sort of falling out? Im not a big fan of multiple name changes either (unless they registered using an email address for example) Changing your user name just because you are promoting a new site can be very confusing for the whole forum..Especially when its on a regular basis.
Most users in such countries as Lithuania connect to internet through LAN providers that do not give IP and they are shown as one IP. How such problems can be solved?
Its usually pretty obvious when people use multiple ID's...THey respond to themselves for promotional purposes, they have the same sites in their sigs, etc You can also check the whois from the sites in their sigs as another clue. When there is a shared IP, you just ban the username. 95% of forums wouldn't mind multiple names as long as all of them behaved
I don't know anything about vbulletin. I do know a little about networking/etc... I'm 99% positive you can change your user name, and be unbanned with ease... vbulletin or not! Why would i register under googleguy, why not Dwebmaster2? I'm not registering a new name, I don't need one. So nintendo... If I were to get banned/want a new name... I couldn't just use different ISP for free, Boot up a live linux distro? Heck I might be wrong, but I don't think so. lets play nice ok? If i was on the net to start things, and bring havok I'd be on a troll forum not DP!
His suggestion has nothing to do with getting banned...thats a side issue. His particular example is someone with over 10,000 posts so just registering a new name isn't the point. Everyone take a deep breath
No one can change there username. Only Shawn can do that. Only Mods/Admins can ban/unban you. If you think it's so easy to change your username, then change your username to Dwebmaster2 right now, by your self!!! Grrrrr!!! He spreads rumers around that I'm not wacko!!! Arg!!!!!
I'm sorry I ment to say make a new user name. Thats changing it in my book. all I was saying- it's not possible to ban/prevent a user from making a new name (registering twice) well not IMHO...
Right, no one can keep any one from registering another account. There's just a nasty consequence when you do that!!!! This thread is about username change requests with the same account (The current 'legal' way to get a new username.)
Very sorry friend, I know this thread was about preventing users from changing there name. I just wanted to point out, if they wanted there name changed (A NEW NAME), theres no way of preventing it. (that I know of) I thought you wanted a new feature on this forum- Don't allow users multiple accounts/names. sorry about the misunderstanding.
I totally agree. The only valid reason would be: (1) you are a new member and entered your email address or something else not realizing how prominently it would be displayed AND haven't yet made many posts; or (2) there is a court order of some sort I thought that #2 was the case with the change from sitetutor but he's still using that name on other forums.
That's why I spend so long getting one site going. Slow and steady wins the race. PS. I hear hodgedup.com is a very good site and I'm not affliated with it in any way.