Name Change Policy

[Jan]

As it currently stands, you can have your first name change at anytime, subsequent changes require you to wait 12 months for the next change. This has been in place 4 or 5 years. Now is your chance to have your say.

[Cam.]

I saw this coming :o

I think you should be able to change if you change company, And once every year for any other reason.

[GeekRack]

I would say every 6 months is more reasonable, as well as if you change companies etc. Nice to see FWS asking members for their feedback :)

[Cam.]

I would say every 6 months is more reasonable, as well as if you change companies etc. Nice to see FWS asking members for their feedback :)

Much better than DP and WHT :bkick:

[Jan]

DP is never, WHT is six months.

[AMC]

I personally think there isnt much of a need to change your name - UNLESS - there is a problem with the mis representation of a company.

I actually think the current system works well. But there do seem to be hundreds of threads each day about can I change my name please, and some poor mug has to reply to them all and check up etc ... (most likely Jan).

Perhaps if you had a way of knowing how long it had been since your last name change, and that if you applied without good reason before that time you would (whips out the totalitarian aspect) get an infraction or something.

Just my input

[Craig]

It has to be ''When you change your undies'', now I know why Decker never had his named changed, them Scots don't ware any undies or panties ;).

[Jordan Mclay]

Only a proud scotsman would do so, Decker can't afford to wear no undies with this weather as he would lose his street cred...... :P jk mate.

But i agree unless you have a justified reason to change your name on this then it shouldn't ie - changing companies ect.

[Dan]

I think if someone is sacked from, leaves, or closes a company they should be allowed to change their name to reflect that. Otherwise I think it's fine as it stands at 12 months.

[themoose]

When you change company/provider, otherwise 12 months.

Also I think that in addition to this the previous name should be forced in the user title for at least 1 month, irrespective of reason for change.

[TSO]

I voted 6 months, but I don't necessarily take issue with the current rule. So I could go with 12 or 6.

[iBrightDev]

i think this poll should allow more than one option to be selected. so, i selected for when you change a company, but, you may want a name change and still be with a company. so, if you aren't changing a company, then only every 6 months, otherwise, if it is a branding issue, change when you change a company.

[Jan]

I thought about making a multi choice, but you get some who like to check them all for the fun of it.

Some of you are agreeing that it should be when you change companies. What if the member is flitting from one company to another every couple of weeks?

[iBrightDev]

I thought about making a multi choice, but you get some who like to check them all for the fun of it.

Some of you are agreeing that it should be when you change companies. What if the member is flitting from one company to another every couple of weeks?

in a case like that you tell then they need a general name, no branded name.

[Matt8]

My opinion; Personally...I think that the year rule is lax enough. Heck, I'd like to make it no-name changes UNLESS a direct conflict of interest arises with your name in relation to a company, and these changes can only be done ONCE in your FWS lifetime. Harsh, perhaps, but I hate keeping track with people's name changes.

[Keagle]

I picked once a year. ;)

[DavidsAwesome]

I picked "When you change your undies."

I realize its a burden to the mods, but I don't think people should be restricted on what they want their name to be. Maybe you could even allow us to change it.
I read on DP though, that it ends up using too many resources because of the database files being changed and such... I dunno how true that is. If thats the case, When you change your company/provider.

[Johnson]

Monthly.

[Host Factory]

Six months i think

[TSO]

I thought about making a multi choice, but you get some who like to check them all for the fun of it.

Some of you are agreeing that it should be when you change companies. What if the member is flitting from one company to another every couple of weeks?

You could still have some sort of time boundaries. I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect someone to stay with a company for at least 3 months, so why not say "whenever you change companies or every 3 months, whichever is latest."

[JohnN]

I'd say 6 months/1 year unless the persons ex-employer files a complaint regarding misrepresentation.

[Chris L.]

I chose when I change my undies. However, for some people, that means once a month.
Chris

[Jan]

unless the persons ex-employer files a complaint regarding misrepresentation.
Tough! They shouldn't insist that a member uses their company name.

[Keagle]

My reasoning exactly.

[Kwek]

Frankly speaking, I do not really see a point in changing your name just to reflect the host you are working for. If you register with a name related to a company and later on change company I believe you should set your name to something that will not change just because you change your job.

Therefore, I think once per year would be good.

[AMC]

Ive changed my mind, I reckon that people should only be allowed 1 change EVER. :)

And if someone has an issue of misrepresentation with a company, then they may change their name but it has to be a general username, and then from that point forth, that member is only allowed 1 username change like everybody else.

So basically a person can have a maximum of 2 name changes

so they can:

start off with a branded name, then (if they leave the company) change it to a normal name, and THEN change it once more, but after that its your lot.
OR
start off with a normal name, changes to a branded name, then is forced to change back to a normal one. again thats your lot.
OR
start off with a normal name, and want to change it just because. thats your one change, and youve had it.

Heavy handed, but it would solve the problem.

(note that if someone didnt have to change from their branded name, but wanted too, that would be the same as the last senario)
:)

[JohnN]

Tough! They shouldn't insist that a member uses their company name.

Do companies though? If thats the case and you got the hosts here to discourage such practices we might not have an issue at all.

[Jan]

Do companies though? If thats the case and you got the hosts here to discourage such practices we might not have an issue at all.
Indeed they do! I remember one in particular wanted a name change and as he had not long had one, he pleaded with us saying that he wouldn't get the job if he didn't :S

[JohnN]

Thats pretty bad, maybe penalize the hosts that want people to do that? Thats seems to be the root of the problem:S

But now I'm telling you how to do your job so I'll hush.

[TSO]

It sounds like the general consensus might be to leave things the way they are?

[Blank Verse]

I say never :p Blank Verse has worked great for damned near 7 years.

[sep]

Never. Ever. Not in a thousand years.
Unless they agree to pay me a nominal fee each time they have their usernames changed.

[bigperm]

Name changes are the most confusing thing. I say never.

Register a new account if it's so bad.

Wait, wasn't Ben html-guru? That one I approve of. That was a stupid name.

[Jan]

Register a new account if it's so bad.

And get em both banned? :p

[Matt8]

Wait, wasn't Ben html-guru? That one I approve of. That was a stupid name.

Seconded. What was the 13 year old Ben thinking :confused4

[Jan]

I guess if you can master html at any age, you think you are a guru :p

[Peo]

I see no point in forcing someone to use a company username they no longer represent or own. In that case they should be allowed to change to a normal username. But if they have a normal username and wish to change to a company name within 1 year of changing the last time, I would say no. I think the current rules are fine, but could use this small change.

[krakjoe]

"whenever you change your undies" ... because it has the word undies in it ...

still though, how would you prove you had changed them, is FWS to have some sorta bin with all the members dirty underwear in it ??

seriously though, I dont see why anyone except for the company gone bad thing or similar would actually need to change their username ...

[Decker]

Picked a year and still think putting a company in your username can be bad unless you own it for traceability.

Craig we don't wear undies up here mate right through winter, unlike you 3 pairs of woolies in the summer wearing wimps :D

[Nug]

I thought about making a multi choice, but you get some who like to check them all for the fun of it.

Some of you are agreeing that it should be when you change companies. What if the member is flitting from one company to another every couple of weeks?

Maybe the first time they change company name, recomend that they change their name to something that is unrelated? They can use thier signature to show what hosting company they use.

[themoose]

How about;
1) Users are allowed to change their name once a year, to whatever they want (as long as not stupid like 2 letters or offensive)
2) Users that registered with a name representing any host are allowed to change their name to anything BUT one representing another webhost
3) Users that have changed their name due to 2) are only allowed to change their names once a year, to whatever they want.

So if a user registered as:

WebHost1_Brian

And wanted to change their name they could not change their name to something like

WebHost2_Brian

But could only change it to Brian or whatever.

However, a year later they would be able to change their name to

WebHost2_Brian

Same rules apply - they can change it again to Brian (or whatever they want) but have to wait another year before they can change it again to add a Webhost name to their own.

[Keagle]

I guess Colin's idea is okay, but they should only be allowed to remove the host part of their name. For example, if it was WebHost1_Brian, they could only change it to Brian.

[Cam.]

Colin's idea is good, But how would mods keep up with who's done what?

EDIT: Is there a comment section where Admins/Mods can put comments about each member? Maybe it could be noted in there ;)

[Peo]

I like Colins idea. We do have a list of all name changes in a thread only visible to moderators so we can keep track of things. It would certainly be better if vB had included previous usernames somehow in each members profile page automaticly.

[Chris L.]

Speaking of the Devil.... can I be changed to "Chris L."?
Thanks
Chris L
PS: TheFreeWebHost.net is for sale to anyone who wants it... I am starting a dyslexia resource site.

[Jan]

I guess so :p

[themoose]

Can we also make it so that people have to have their last username in their custom user title for a period of time (e.g. min. 1 month) (even if they don't get custom user titles yet).

[Jordan Mclay]

Good idear Colin, Take Tso for example i kept thinking to myself who the heck are you untill he put it in his title

[iBrightDev]

Good idear Colin, Take Tso for example i kept thinking to myself who the heck are you untill he put it in his title

that is why i asked him to do that. :P i always request people to do that, and so does Colin most of the time. so yeah, it would be nice to have this enforced somehow.

[TSO]

I have to agree. Being absent for a couple of days, I came back and would have had no clue who Judge Fudge was until seeing his user title. :P

[Jan]

I see no point in forcing someone to use a company username they no longer represent or own. In that case they should be allowed to change to a normal username. But if they have a normal username and wish to change to a company name within 1 year of changing the last time, I would say no. I think the current rules are fine, but could use this small change.
Sounds good to me :)

[Decker]

Still think if a user is to have a reference to a host in their username the host owner should have to okay it first :)

[Jan]

With a proviso that they can't force him/her to change it under a year should the employment cease? :p

[Decker]

Agreed then the host is responsible for the decision :D

or

You could put a capital X at the start of the username to make them feel silly :P

[DavidsAwesome]

Still think if a user is to have a reference to a host in their username the host owner should have to okay it first :)

I kinda like that idea.

[Keagle]

<snip>
You could put a capital X at the start of the username to make them feel silly :P

I'm seconding this. Brilliant idea.

[stuffradio]

You could put a capital X at the start of the username to make them feel silly
I'm Mr. X!

[.Andy]

I'm Mr. X!

LOL I like.

[James]

Another possible way is, only allow changes on names with a good reason. Such as change of business.

[Chris L.]

Heres my idea:
One change of name per year. If you change companies you can change your name to "anything[DUNCE]" <dunce smile that we don't yet have. [Dunce] would be added in the "HTML after username" for usergroups. Just make it a secondary usergroup.
If you want to change your username for any other reason before the year is up, Pay $5 USD to the mod who changes it and $5 USD to Peo.


Peo, how do you like my idea?

[Jan]

Only $5? :confused: :p

[.Andy]

5$ sounds good. When can I buy. Or can I get the XGR-Andy for free :P:P

Just for the record I'm kidding :)

[Jordan Mclay]

Im sure you are ;) :)