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what I find annoying is that (other than HN) most places won't let you claim your username if the person has signed up, yet never posted over years (or even log
by veb 4y ago
what I find annoying is that (other than HN) most places won't let you claim your username if the person has signed up, yet never posted over years (or even logged in) and places where an account was deleted.
when I signed up to HN, I had a different username. I reached out to admins and they looked at the other account that had been created but they let me have it because the person hadn't logged in since. Oh! I think GitHub did as well. (shit, I wonder if I have mixed up GitHub and HN... I'm pretty sure they're the two that did actually let me have my handle... :x)
- mattl 4y agoThat sounds like a bad idea. Why would it be a good idea to recycle usernames like that?
- williamscales 4y agoBecause some people sign up for a site early and then never use it. I can't get my desired handle on a particular social network because some dude registered 15 years ago, posted one item, and then never used it again. I mean, obviously I'll live but it's a silly situation.
- xwdv 4y agoBecause overtime we can wear down the idea that a public facing username is some kind of unique identifier.
- bombcar 4y agoSame reason we recycle domains.
- mattl 4y agoWhich is a bad idea also. We should have some domain name space which we let people register forever.
- bombcar 4y agoThat results in the clownpenis.fart problem.
- giantrobot 4y agoFor reference: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NWIlScfHwOU https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NWIlScfHwOU
- mattl 4y agoWhat problem is that?
- bombcar 4y agoEventually all good names will be taken.
- selcuka 4y ago> I think GitHub did as well. I can confirm that GitHub definitely does that.