Question regarding usernames

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Alastair Moore
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Location: Darwin, Australia
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Question regarding usernames

Postby Alastair Moore » 19 Aug 2012, 22:42

Hey chaps,

We've been getting a little bit of spam lately, which Walter has very kindly been managing. What I'm trying is "admin activation" so users will have to go by me first before they're approved. I'm also thinking of changing the username requirement to "real names" which may go someway towards recognising spammers vs real users. Would anyone have any issue with this before I make it a requirement? If not, what I'll do is allow registered users to change their user names and then you can update them. Let me know and I'm totally fine if you find it an invasion of privacy or otherwise, I'm just trying a few options to make the banishment of spam a little easier!

Cheers,

Alastair

Walter Glover
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Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Walter Glover » 20 Aug 2012, 06:44

Sounds like a plan Welly.

But how do we do it? I have looked at my profile settings but see no provision for changing username.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

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Alastair Moore
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Posts: 668
Joined: 26 Jul 2012, 09:29
Location: Darwin, Australia
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Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Alastair Moore » 20 Aug 2012, 09:15

Ok, have set the permissions now. If you click on the cog on the top right where you can view your settings, there is an "Edit account settings" option. There you're able to change your username.

Walter Glover
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Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Walter Glover » 20 Aug 2012, 10:02

Done.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

mark l
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Joined: 30 Jul 2012, 09:20

Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby mark l » 20 Aug 2012, 10:20

Actually I would have a real problem with that.
Last time I used my real name on photo.net I got a solicitors letter from my ex-wife of ten years before claiming more alimony because "I obviously could afford an expensive camera"
Apparently he was under instructions to google my name once a month to see what I was spending money on, and that after walking away from a marriage with nothing. No I think i'll keep my name private thanks, or opt out of the forum

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Walter Glover » 20 Aug 2012, 10:23

Maybe there can be a real name which is visible only by those granting access and a display name visible to all? Just a thought.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

mark l
Posts: 31
Joined: 30 Jul 2012, 09:20

Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby mark l » 20 Aug 2012, 10:29

That sounds like a much better idea
I will happily give any form of identification, but for reasons stated have a problem with using my real name on the forum.
I should add that before I changed from my real name on photo.net I even got phone calls at home from some idiot wanting advice on a subject I'd raised on the forum! Having my real name was enough for him to trace me, I've since made my number private to stop that crap. I use mark l on photo.net and APUG and they make it work, I think you're just going to have to vet each application to join as it happens. This is a large format forum, doubt you'll be flooded in applications, be great if you were though.

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Alastair Moore
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Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Alastair Moore » 20 Aug 2012, 11:28

No worries. For established users, I'm happy for you all to leave your usernames as it is, but for new users I'll enforce that rule for the time being and see if it keeps spammers at bay!

John Austin
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Location: Quinninup Western Australia
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Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby John Austin » 22 Aug 2012, 15:16

mark l wrote:Actually I would have a real problem with that.
Last time I used my real name on photo.net I got a solicitors letter from my ex-wife of ten years before claiming more alimony because "I obviously could afford an expensive camera"
Apparently he was under instructions to google my name once a month to see what I was spending money on, and that after walking away from a marriage with nothing. No I think i'll keep my name private thanks, or opt out of the forum


Play it back, if she can afford a lawyer to spend his time on Google following you she can afford to buy you expensive cameras

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Alastair Moore
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Joined: 26 Jul 2012, 09:29
Location: Darwin, Australia
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Re: Question regarding usernames

Postby Alastair Moore » 22 Aug 2012, 16:12

Walter Glover wrote:Maybe there can be a real name which is visible only by those granting access and a display name visible to all? Just a thought.


Actually that's not a bad idea but really it's mainly for new users and it appears to be working as the spam bots keep creating new accounts but not with the correct format.

I've added an additional field on the registration page that I'm hoping might be automatically filled by spambots and have put a note for humans to not enter data in it. I should be able to filter users who have filled that value in. Got to try everything!

Current users, feel free to change your user name but I'm not going to insist on it!


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