Let Us Kill Some Members Here

That title got you're attention i bet .

But it is a serious question about user names here at a.t.s or lack of them as the case maybe

when i joined i struggled to find one that i liked as many have been taken by people who register and never come back or post .

So my question is folks should we kill those people off just like missing people in the real world are after a certain time if someone has never logged in for 3/5/7 + years why keep the account open for them .

Less than 50 posts and not been back for X amount of time would free up names for new members

so what say you ats what do you think

reply to post by 999zxcv


I'm more concerned about current users making dramatic thread titles that give no clue to what the thread is about unless you open it.

AreUKiddingMe
reply to post by 999zxcv

 

I'm more concerned about current users making dramatic thread titles that give no clue to what the thread is about unless you open it.

All good things to those who wait but what do you think to the question as you never answered it after reading the question should we kill them off .

Or let them live on

It would create too much confusion once a new member took that user name.

Zaphod58
It would create too much confusion once a new member took that user name.

BUT if someone has never posted here and not come on in X amount off time why should they keep a account open i am only talking about the people who have less than 20 or so posts and not come back for a long while they could be dead anyway .

it would free up some much needed names here

999zxcv

AreUKiddingMe
reply to post by 999zxcv

 

I'm more concerned about current users making dramatic thread titles that give no clue to what the thread is about unless you open it.

All good things to those who wait but what do you think to the question as you never answered it after reading the question should we kill them off .

Or let them live on

Let them live on to be immortalized forever in time and space and ats. Future civilizations may need some of their info.

While one day members might have to register with a random jumble of letters and numbers for a username, "freeing up" usernames is not a simple procedure when you consider that the backbone to any (and every) forum out there is a database.

The one here is very large. Each post, thread and user is assigned a number by the database in order for it to quickly and efficiently call up that data. Mucking about in the database causes problems. Sometimes they are minor (like how some members have several million unearned stars) others become very major (like the entire forum could crash and/or we could lose posts, threads and members).

Besides, just like Motel 6 we leave the light on for them. Sometimes people do return from long absences.

AreUKiddingMe

999zxcv

AreUKiddingMe
reply to post by 999zxcv

 

I'm more concerned about current users making dramatic thread titles that give no clue to what the thread is about unless you open it.

All good things to those who wait but what do you think to the question as you never answered it after reading the question should we kill them off .

Or let them live on

Let them live on to be immortalized forever in time and space and ats. Future civilizations may need some of their info.

You miss my point if they never have posted ANY info in the first place how will it be missed .

lets make it 0 posts then for the cull and 5 years o not showing up

reply to post by 999zxcv


It would need to be mentioned in the agreement when you join, I'd think. if I couldn't get on for a while and seen my account was deleted I'd be unhappy. Imo.

reply to post by 999zxcv


I was once gone for something like a year, or more. Sometimes real life gets in the way, but eventually they are able to come back. Whether they have less than 20 posts, or more than 5,000 they shouldn't have to start over again.

reply to post by Ahabstar


I vote for keeping the names as they are. I wouldn't want anyone fiddling with my account if I were considering coming back.

Crap, thought I was on big trouble. Yes I agree, use it or loose it!

on that one.

Ahabstar
While one day members might have to register with a random jumble of letters and numbers for a username, "freeing up" usernames is not a simple procedure when you consider that the backbone to any (and every) forum out there is a database.

The one here is very large. Each post, thread and user is assigned a number by the database in order for it to quickly and efficiently call up that data. Mucking about in the database causes problems. Sometimes they are minor (like how some members have several million unearned stars) others become very major (like the entire forum could crash and/or we could lose posts, threads and members).

Besides, just like Motel 6 we leave the light on for them. Sometimes people do return from long absences.

Thank you for that reply now i understand it a bit better why those names are still being kept if it is a coding problem ,the star count for some member's did puzzle me i take it it got broke at some point in the past .

Play the numbers game - registered users goes down if you cull the database, (presuming that's even something that can be done without compromising data) and that's bad for public image/ business (not condeming it, just stating what I would think would be an obvious benefit to leaving the accounts open) we know there's benefit to high registered user figure, we also know there is a difference between registered and active members.

999zxcv

AreUKiddingMe

999zxcv

AreUKiddingMe
reply to post by 999zxcv

 

I'm more concerned about current users making dramatic thread titles that give no clue to what the thread is about unless you open it.

All good things to those who wait but what do you think to the question as you never answered it after reading the question should we kill them off .

Or let them live on

Let them live on to be immortalized forever in time and space and ats. Future civilizations may need some of their info.

You miss my point if they never have posted ANY info in the first place how will it be missed .

lets make it 0 posts then for the cull and 5 years o not showing up

I didn't miss your point. "BUT if someone has never posted here and not come on in X amount off time why should they keep a account open i am only talking about the people who have less than 20 or so posts and not come back for a long while they could be dead anyway ." - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

I still vote for them keeping their usernames.

We should leave the Members alone.

The first person to reply to your thread has a Cool screen name,
please read it, maybe you'll get an idea from it.


Have a nice evening

Peace

This forum would never recycle usernames because they would have to delete all the posts made by those people. This forum will never give up that information. You post here, it's stored forever.

Zaphod58
reply to post by 999zxcv

 

I was once gone for something like a year, or more. Sometimes real life gets in the way, but eventually they are able to come back. Whether they have less than 20 posts, or more than 5,000 they shouldn't have to start over again.

I agree with you on that one Zaphod life can get in the way for a lot of people work etc can take you away but in this day and age where can you not log in now and if a member has not posted ever or been here for 5/plus years should we not consider them dead in cyber world .

reply to post by 999zxcv


Aside from the database issue I've heard of members being gone for years and suddenly coming back.

Drezden
This forum would never recycle usernames because they would have to delete all the posts made by those people. This forum will never give up that information. You post here, it's stored forever.

BUT what about the people who never did make a post or log in again i know i made 3 names many many years ago never did post anything but i cannot remember the email that i used at the time just look at how many names could be brought back from the dead by people who never contributed to the site or are simply dead in real life .