"User Previously Known As"

[CaptainObvious]

field on profiles would be a helpful thing.

[BlackBetty]

I agree. But i dont know if there is a option for vB.

[nick]

Its an interesting idea, but would you just want to show the latest previous name? Some people might have quite a list.

[Kaius]

Well, there could be a thread made by the admins as a sticky, that whenever someone changes their name, they put for example:

1st - Kaius, 2nd - Desolation, 3rd - ...

And so on, also possibly the date they were changed/next change so you'll know exactly when your allowed to request a new change.

[CaptainObvious]

Its an interesting idea, but would you just want to show the latest previous name? Some people might have quite a list.

Ideally, it lists all previous names, oldest to newest, left to right in a field on the profile (as on Gov, for example). Very useful for people who change names a lot and aren't prominent enough for you to immediately know.

[nick]

Would it be optional, at the discretion of the user themself? What if they changed their username for some privacy reason and didnt want their previous name to show?

[Giles]

Great idea for those who change their name loads, that way you don't seem ignorant when you forget who they are.

Nick is right though, should be able to be turned off in case the name was changed for a rather more serious reason than curiosity.

[Mr. Smithers]

We have a thread where you could post your old username if you wish. What's wrong with that?

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29915

[The Batman]

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29915 there's this thread that a lot of people use.

Edit: damn you beat me by a few seconds.

[-Silence]

I think it would be a cool feature to have.
People change usernames way to often to keep up with.

[Sugaree]

This would be a nice feature, I'm all for it.

[DoveGreySands]

Something along the lines of this could be a good idea.

[Giles]

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29915 there's this thread that a lot of people use.

Edit: damn you beat me by a few seconds.

I do understand that there's a thread like that, what I mean though is maybe a drop down box on the profile - just to see if it is who you think it is. For example... John, if he hadn't kept the same signature for a while - I wouldn't of known it was him.

[Perseus]

We have a thread where you could post your old username if you wish. What's wrong with that?

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29915

People don't use it all the time when they change their name.

[ShatteredWings]

Dude, it's been said before, but this ain't govteen.

I hate that my old usernames show there tbh =|

[CaptainObvious]

;805743']Dude, it's been said before, but this ain't govteen.

I hate that my old usernames show there tbh =|

Ooh good point. Wait, no, my idea is in no way premised upon one particular site but rather upon the annoyance of trying to figure out who the heck random people who name change (and you don't know well) actually are.

[Antares]

Yea it does happen on Gov.
Mods used to be able to view it but then when the new vB came that disappeared.

I kinda miss it because its kinda hard keeping track but generally if youre active enough, it doesnt matter

[Maverick]

I'll see what I can do.

[Antares]

Ant, I am thinking that with the present system of just changing it manually via the admin cp won't really be possible to do the previously known as thing. so i would assume that a mod has to be installed...unless the admins edited the previously known as thing ever username change

[CaptainObvious]

Yeah, probably a mod would be needed to do it automatically. The other alternatives would be to make it a field users can edit at their pleasure, or just make it an locked field that the admins just edit when you change the user's name. The latter is obviously more work for the admins and would ideally be avoided in favor of something else more automated.

[Maverick]

Automated would be the way to go. Doing it manually would just be one more thing to do and I'd probably forget to do it and people would get confused. I found modifications for this but one is for 3.5 and one is for 4.0. Since there really isn't anything to like about 4.0 I don't plan on upgrading for some time.

Getting the 3.5 one to work is going to take some tweaking.