Request Inactive Accounts

[krisco]

Is there currently a way to claim or request inactive forum account names?
Even if there is, I'm making this in case there isn't because I tried to find a thread for it and none existed.

I've been going by a few usernames on some MMOs and was keen on keeping my aliases relatively the same. Only problem is that they are already taken. Wow, what a surprise!? So I wanted to suggest that there be a means to request inactive forum names that have not partaken in anything significant.

An example of what I'm asking would be similar to this:
Screenshot by Lightshot

Now that is just an example from MAL which is a different animal entirely, but I believe that by adding such a luxury to this forum it would clear up a lot of clutter that may exist. Of course names that are prominently known in the community and/or could incite some kind of nefarious deeds by posing as them for their own personal gain which therefore means they would be tarnishing someone's reputation for no good reason is wrong and shouldn't be available for requests. But that's common sense.

Just a suggestion, and it is indeed true that I'm selfish and extremely petty so I don't use this forum strictly because I can't get the aliases I'm known for. I'm suggesting this purely because I personally want an inactive account, but as collateral damage it would definitely have benefits and of course the fateful drawback of... effort.

Hope you consider the suggestion, I mean well even though it's primarily selfish.

[MentaL]

[Ketchup]

I would also agree with this to an extent, if it was a bs account with no content and(or) w/e then i could see and understand this.

However there also could be private information sent to, for example a user might have no posts but has in contact with staff here about X issue. Something like this could cause issues.

But i do partially agree, i think some old names should be recycled.

[Kreeate]

@krisco
My suggestion is to create a thread in Account Support and make your specific request there.

I would also agree with this to an extent, if it was a bs account with no content and(or) w/e then i could see and understand this.

However there also could be private information sent to, for example a user might have no posts but has in contact with staff here about X issue. Something like this could cause issues.

But i do partially agree, i think some old names should be recycled.

Do keep in mind the rather significant RaGEZONE user database.

It would be a full time job for someone to cross-check accounts (for deletion suitability) and then allocate said account name to the recipient. Unless this can be automated, I don't see it happening.
@MentaL ?

[Michael]

I originally registered this account with the name Sparta3000 but I requested (I believe to MentaL) the name Michael due to the account being inactive. I think I was a subscriber at the time.

For somebody to get the username to an account, I think the account should have been inactive for a number of years and have no posts (or less than 5, for example). I think the process for doing this would be quite simple if laid out into certain steps.

- User requests new username
- Staff checks request by looking up username to see if it meets the requirements (inactive)
- If so, delete account with requested username
- Change user's username to requested one

[krisco]

I would also agree with this to an extent, if it was a bs account with no content and(or) w/e then i could see and understand this.

However there also could be private information sent to, for example a user might have no posts but has in contact with staff here about X issue. Something like this could cause issues.

But i do partially agree, i think some old names should be recycled.

If you're using an account just to browse the forum and private message people for help with something then there's no need for you to hoard an account that could be displayed and contributing to active forum threads and posting. There's no point having a username if you aren't displaying it actively on the forum.

I originally registered this account with the name Sparta3000 but I requested (I believe to MentaL) the name Michael due to the account being inactive. I think I was a subscriber at the time.

For somebody to get the username to an account, I think the account should have been inactive for a number of years and have no posts (or less than 5, for example). I think the process for doing this would be quite simple if laid out into certain steps.

- User requests new username
- Staff checks request by looking up username to see if it meets the requirements (inactive)
- If so, delete account with requested username
- Change user's username to requested one

Yeah it's as simple as that, you set up stipulations to be able to request an account. Then a staff member will check the thread daily and go through the requests, confirm if they are active and re-name that person with their requested name. If they aren't inactive or have actively contributed to the forum in the past (e.g a commonly browsed release/solution/pinned post etc) then they are rejected and you have to request a name that isn't among those.

And @Kreeate could you just move the thread to the proper section? Or do you not have the proper permissions to do so? Because I don't see how this in an inquiry or problem with any accounts as I'm suggesting an Official Username Request thread or something be made possible. It's a feature to actively recycle usernames that aren't used. I'll re-make if need be though.

Also you said,

Do keep in mind the rather significant RaGEZONE user database.

This isn't a valid excuse because the forum I mentioned that does this also gets probably a thousand times more traffic on it's forum and website than this will ever have. This isn't an insult, just explaining that if a forum of that caliber can do it with ease, why can't RageZone?

Sorry if that sounds rude because I'm blunt, but I don't see that as a proper reasoning to not be able to do this. But it's up to @MentaL so it doesn't matter what I compare the workload to.

[Kreeate]

Kreeate could you just move the thread to the proper section? Or do you not have the proper permissions to do so? Because I don't see how this in an inquiry or problem with any accounts as I'm suggesting an Official Username Request thread or something be made possible. It's a feature to actively recycle usernames that aren't used. I'll re-make if need be though.

Also you said, *snip*

This isn't a valid excuse because the forum I mentioned that does this also gets probably a thousand times more traffic on it's forum and website than this will ever have. This isn't an insult, just explaining that if a forum of that caliber can do it with ease, why can't RageZone?

Sorry if that sounds rude because I'm blunt, but I don't see that as a proper reasoning to not be able to do this.

I assumed you wanted to query your own username change specifically as well. For now, that should be placed in Account Support.

I was not making excuses, simply stating that it's perhaps not ideal to have this feature as a manual option.
It's up to MentaL to decide if he wants to look into a feature like this.

[MentaL]

i periodically delete unused 0 poster accounts if they got posts i dont remove them UNLESS.. the person has say a year sub (the requester) and the other person hasn't logged in for a few years (the account name you want to obtain) - this my compromise.

[ovflowd]

i periodically delete unused 0 poster accounts if they got posts i dont remove them UNLESS.. the person has say a year sub (the requester) and the other person hasn't logged in for a few years (the account name you want to obtain) - this my compromise.

Since isn't an automated service, it's quit right someone first purchase a subscription to support the form environment.

[404]

i periodically delete unused 0 poster accounts if they got posts i dont remove them UNLESS.. the person has say a year sub (the requester) and the other person hasn't logged in for a few years (the account name you want to obtain) - this my compromise.

That compromise has 50% chance of success. :'(

[krisco]

I assumed you wanted to query your own username change specifically as well. For now, that should be placed in Account Support.

I was not making excuses, simply stating that it's perhaps not ideal to have this feature as a manual option.
It's up to MentaL to decide if he wants to look into a feature like this.

I guess that makes sense @ the requesting a username part. Didn't mean to come at you, I'm too blunt for my own good and can't help it. But as MentaL said, Subs are what get inactive accounts so it's a waste of time. Not a big deal.

i periodically delete unused 0 poster accounts if they got posts i dont remove them UNLESS.. the person has say a year sub (the requester) and the other person hasn't logged in for a few years (the account name you want to obtain) - this my compromise.

Just figured making it a public thing would stimulate some more activity on the forum, seems kind of dead compared to when I last bothered to come on here to browse a few releases. But it's nice that you take Subs requests into consideration atleast.

[The General]

Should make it that if an account has 25 or more posts or the last post was made within the past 2 years, the account name cannot be claimed.

Else it's quite shitty for people that signed up back in 2002 to come back and their account is gone.

Also I don't see the problem database wise. The option is already there for subscribers sooo (Copy paste code lol).

[krisco]

Should make it that if an account has 25 or more posts or the last post was made within the past 2 years, the account name cannot be claimed.

Else it's quite shitty for people that signed up back in 2002 to come back and their account is gone.

Also I don't see the problem database wise. The option is already there for subscribers sooo (Copy paste code lol).

There's accounts with over 5+ years of inactivity that haven't logged in at all in those 5 years. It's only dumb that you need to be subscribed for a year, that's $10 for a dead account. Unless it's actually had a LARGE, and I emphasize large impact within the short amount of time it was active. This site is littered with adverts so I don't see the need to be Sub for a dead account.

[MentaL]

There's accounts with over 5+ years of inactivity that haven't logged in at all in those 5 years. It's only dumb that you need to be subscribed for a year, that's $10 for a dead account. Unless it's actually had a LARGE, and I emphasize large impact within the short amount of time it was active. This site is littered with adverts so I don't see the need to be Sub for a dead account.

it's not about the activity its about the user content - meaning the person has content published under their name. I'm just thinking of supportive compromises but if this is useless to you then so be it ... I did try giving you an option. PLUS you'll be surprised how many people try and claim names of users who havn't logged in for a long time with hundreds of posts so I can decline any request i feel necessary. I actually agree with @The General in this instance, 25 posts to that person tends to make it a "claimed" indefinite account.

Closed given the resolution is not suitable.