TOPIC: Different Names on the Forum? (PM vs Posting)

This issue has been around for a long time and it has always gotten on my nerves.

How come for A LOT of users, they have one username when posting and then another username when PM'ing?

It gets really confusing sometimes....

Irks the !@#% out of me too. I'm not even sure why people would want two different names/ids anyway. What possible benefit could that offer other than confusion?

Yeah, a lot of the time, I think I am talking to two different people until I finally realize it is the same person, just with a different handle via PM than via posting.

It is particularly irksome when one is trying to arrange and schedule TD adventure runs, since you can accidentally assign two slots to a single person due to their dual handles.

This is a result of poor design in the forum software.

If you go to the Profile tab, and click the yellow "Edit" button, you can see there is a "User Name" and a "Name" field. It is only natural given those two fields people will fill both of them out, and with different things (why would you put the same thing in both fields)?

Adding to the confusion, I think the Name field is what shows up as the author name of posts, but when you send private messages the input box only accepts the value in the "User Name" field.

To eliminate the confusion an admin for the forums would have to:

1. Hide/eliminate the Name field in the profile.
2. Make the User Name show up as the author of posts.

I had this issue due to filling out the fields differently. I think I fixed it last year, but if anyone 'sees' differently, please let me know.

Matthew Hayward wrote: This is a result of poor design in the forum software.

If you go to the Profile tab, and click the yellow "Edit" button, you can see there is a "User Name" and a "Name" field. It is only natural given those two fields people will fill both of them out, and with different things (why would you put the same thing in both fields)?

Adding to the confusion, I think the Name field is what shows up as the author name of posts, but when you send private messages the input box only accepts the value in the "User Name" field.

To eliminate the confusion an admin for the forums would have to:

1. Hide/eliminate the Name field in the profile.
2. Make the User Name show up as the author of posts.

Matthew has it right -- I know when I set up my account, I thought the User Name field would be what was displayed on the forums, basically an alias. While Name was your actual name that would be used so TD knew who you actually are.

Actually it's the opposite, User name is what is used for PMs behind the scenes; while Name appears on the Forum posts.

Further you can't change the User Name.

For example, my User Name/PM is Chaosorbit -- that's an alias I use on a lot of things. Of course, my real name is David Harris and appears on the forums. When I set it up I thought Chaosorbit would appear on the Forum posts. Oh well too late to change it without causing confusion at this point.

Even having the person's avatar show up in PMs would often help (not always, obviously)

It took me forever to figure this out. Once I did I set my name to display my actual name to avoid confusion.

I wish more people would adjust their settings to make them match (actual name-actual name or forum handle-forum handle).

What I struggle with is keeping everyone's real names and forum names straight when meeting people IRL. At GenCon last year and WYC this year I actually kept a notecard in my pocket so I could remember who was who!

Mine were synced originally but there was another Paul here then so I changed it to avoid confusion. Usually I just end up with my form name written in on my badge holder anyway. Though I agree it would be great if pm used forum names.

Incognito wrote: This issue has been around for a long time and it has always gotten on my nerves.

How come for A LOT of users, they have one username when posting and then another username when PM'ing?

It gets really confusing sometimes....

They are right about this, but this software program is a problem that once had you put the first username. Then to realize that not name you want it or prefer to give too much of a real name is obvious mistake than anything else because these person realize that give your name to the public is actually danger risk than what it is intend for. To actual change username that this program has left residual of the first username, while the all while not replace it, but actual add to it as the same person using it. That is main reason Jeff had took out people real name from the player list for that reason and that was once were present in the forum at one times and people this could violate their right as privacy act go. If not correctly done about it quickly about it is major problem for us all. When they want to change their username it has unforeseen result as to expose the fault in this format of display program that the basic program design were not design to address this problem and they said that you pay for what you get or want it without realize the end result or the finish product were that has many apparent fault with it in the begin. That is what, when the programmer design a program to selling a website program is problematic because the person who buy it, is not computer technical or computer programmer themselves. That is what you need a person that is computer programmer arbitrator as second opinion like everything else. But this type of business is not ensure in business practice like everything else from car mechanic, nail saloon, bar or restaurant owner that one of many business that has major fault with them and like everything else these business were broken business to begin with because the amount it would take to overhaul defeat the purpose to fix it outright from the basic of it corruption is unsettling. So instead of fix it, the politician became to profit from it for known violation with paying fine and threat and also intimidation. The bottom line is that recycle and refurbish system go through what many people consistency unaware of it. While all the while recycle many owner and buyer through this corrupt form business practice it is what it is? The simple answer is that you making ways to much more money for the politicians, states and the inner circle of society for the rest of society. Meanwhile the cause to suppression and oppress process its own people to turn up the heat and fear factor to get a predictable answer they know they could get out of it. Now can you get more money in a prefect happy society and the obvious answer is NO. So this democracy society policy has and never will be fix for that reason only. So you have imperfect man doing one of many imperfect business model for what the customers that is also imperfect man, himself that want prefect method of product and service that he never going to get or deserve able outcome. So next thing best things is pretend and attempt to fix it by lying to himself and to other about have them believe in something that is virtual impossible fix it. That is what their reasons is for everything, but there is not answers for everything for that reason.

-Eversuede-

Incognito wrote: This issue has been around for a long time and it has always gotten on my nerves.

How come for A LOT of users, they have one username when posting and then another username when PM'ing?

It gets really confusing sometimes....

I forgot all about this and had to look it up. I was wondering where/how you knew my main online handle the other day. I think David stated it best, thought the one field was for his online alias. I've just used to staring at my name and I never consciously paid attention to this issue.

This year especially i'm going to need a note card of who i know and want to meet and greet at con this year. I rememeber Pam/Adeya had her badge holder marked so you could notice it last year.

My forum and username names don't match. When I first set up my account I didn't realize that I was choosing a name to be used on the forums at that time.

Later I saw I could change what was displayed which made me happy since I wanted my forum name to sound like, well, a name. I'd like to be able to change my username to match, but oh well.