[Skeezyks]

This just suddenly occurred to me yesterday. I have typically always cited members' user names in my replies to posts. I'll usually start out by saying: "Hello (member's name)." To me at least this feels at least a bit more personal. (I don't know if it comes across that way to anyone I reply to.) When members close their channels, their user names are removed & are replaced by "Anonymous....". But in any replies I've written to threads that have become anonymous (but are still readable in the forums) my citation of their names would still appear in my reply (I would presume) thus disclosing who posted the thread to begin with. So now I wonder if perhaps I should not be citing members' user names in my replies. How do other members feel about this?

[seesaw]

I hate that names get changed to "anonymous." It's like erasing that they ever existed, instead of just closing the account. I also welcome people by their names. And in threads where many people are replying, I use user names to distinguish who I'm replying to.

I think you should just keep doing what you're doing.

seesaw

Even if you didn't cite their names directly, their quoted posts would still show their names before it turned to AnonymousXWYZL. So, I think not citing their names doesn't solve the whole problem, if it is a problem in the first place. People delete their accounts for different reasons, maybe privacy is one of them, but if this is the case, then they can report the posts that reveal something about them before leaving.

I have my own view on how to handle things when a member deletes their account, but I think it's technically not straightforward if feasible at all. So, I will spare mentioning that

[Crazy Hitch]

I use names all the time. To me it doesn't matter if they can be read after they've left.

[Gus1234U]

hello Skeeze i like it when a post is personalized. especially if a reply is directed at a particular poster. i like it in chat when the person being addressed is identified, too. i tend to get a little (!) bit confusselled when more than one point of view or poster is possibly being replied to.

on a more note: addressing new members when you greet them is a lovely touch, in my opinion. i never did it, because i always greeted them on their profile page. rock on~

There must be many reasons people delete their accounts. I did it then missed this place and got a new one a few days later. Here is why. I was mentally ill and unfairly blaming my troubles on someone else (not at PC, someone IRL)!! When someone posts, I frequently go to their profile and read their other posts in order to get to know them. Since I realized that some of my posts were not painting a fair picture of what was going on I wanted to start over. I think that another reason people leave is that their feelings get hurt. Have you noticed that most of the past current events posts have disappeared? I think Doc John may have done this because some people's feelings were getting hurt during heated political discussions. There are people whose accounts have been deleted purely because of politics (I am sad that this has happened and can think of a specific case <won't cite the username because that would be wrong to do here> where what I loved about the person who is gone the most was their nonpolitical advice).

So this is a longwinded way of saying that I it's OK to use someone's username in a reply. I bet a kind reply is appreciated by people who delete their accounts even if it has their username. What we have to guard against most is being judgemental when people have different opinions and views than we do. People come here because they feel bad about things and need to express them and find support. Some of us use it as a place to confess some of the things that we are most ashamed of and, as a result, we might be ashamed of the things we post. It is important to remember that the wonderful administrators will delete some of your posts if you ask them to. This post is all over the place but Skeezyks, you have some of the kindest replies ever to people posting on PC. Thanks for always thinking about how your words effect others.

[lizardlady]

Skeezyks, I think it's a wonderful personal touch to use a new member's name when welcoming then to PC.I would encourage you to continue.

I use the usernames too

unless i'm in a thread that's not a welcome thread, where I just quote the poster so people know who i'm talking to

Originally Posted by seesaw

I hate that names get changed to "anonymous." It's like erasing that they ever existed, instead of just closing the account. I also welcome people by their names. And in threads where many people are replying, I use user names to distinguish who I'm replying to.

I think you should just keep doing what you're doing.

seesaw

I hate this too

I know if I ever deleted (god help me), i'd like my posts to read

shattered sanity,

guest

to indicate that I still posted the post when I was on the forum, but i'm now a guest.

I think it's nice to use usernames too, I like that many other users often shorten my username to prefab (without my asking) too. It's a nice friendly touch.

I don't like the sudden 'anonymous' label either but accept there must be a reason for it.

Ideally, I think all threads of the deleted account are better to be deleted. But this is not the case here maybe because of a technical reason or otherwise, so, I think AnonymousXYZWL makes more sense when someone deletes their account than keeping the name and only close the account. If the username is to be kept, then there is no need to delete/close the account, and the name will remain. The user can just leave the forums and not return. But some members return with new names for a new start.

[Gus1234U]

i never reply to "Anonymous#######", i seldom even read their post, and i certainly don't remember doing so. if someone wants me to have any chance at all of remembering them, they shouldn't be calling themselves Anonymous; nor do i believe they should be allowed to post under that name.

Some people, though, delete their account and want their presence here deleted so I suspect they are glad their name has been changed to anonymous.

I don't like Anonymous xxxxx, either, for the same reason Seesaw stated. It's like they never existed as a person.

I'm glad that when someone gets quoted, or a post is personalized that I have the opportunity to note their disappearance and TRY (at least) to acknowledge that they were here and note that they're not any more.....

It's a way of recognizing that someone existed here and was listened to. Who knows what the rest of their life is like? At least they can still read the forums and maybe know that there are people who care.

[whisperingskye]

I have deleted accounts here before, only because I didn't feel comfortable posting under those usernames anymore. But it doesn't bother me that people might still see those old posts and my name at the time. In fact sometimes I appreciate it where someone has mentioned my name, that way if i ever want to look back on a particular thread I can find it more easily using the search feature

Originally Posted by Gus1234U

i never reply to "Anonymous#######", i seldom even read their post, and i certainly don't remember doing so. if someone wants me to have any chance at all of remembering them, they shouldn't be calling themselves Anonymous; nor do i believe they should be allowed to post under that name.

Hi! Anonymous is a name give by the administration of the site for someone who deleted his/her account, and they no longer can post under that name.

I didn't answer your question Skeezyks. Yes, I think it's nice to mention the member by name regardless of what happens when they delete their accounts. As you said, it's more personal.

[TheOriginalMe]

I like the personal touch, it helps make this a friendly, warm community.

I have the type of mind that can remember number sequences so when a user name changes to Anonymous 12345 I subconsciously connect it to their former user name. But that is just me.

I don't think you should worry about using people's user names in threads, on balance I think the benefits outweigh the small risk of detriment.

[anneh79]

Originally Posted by Hopingtrying

There must be many reasons people delete their accounts. I did it then missed this place and got a new one a few days later. Here is why. I was mentally ill and unfairly blaming my troubles on someone else (not at PC, someone IRL)!! When someone posts, I frequently go to their profile and read their other posts in order to get to know them. Since I realized that some of my posts were not painting a fair picture of what was going on I wanted to start over. I think that another reason people leave is that their feelings get hurt. Have you noticed that most of the past current events posts have disappeared? I think Doc John may have done this because some people's feelings were getting hurt during heated political discussions. There are people whose accounts have been deleted purely because of politics (I am sad that this has happened and can think of a specific case <won't cite the username because that would be wrong to do here> where what I loved about the person who is gone the most was their nonpolitical advice).

So this is a longwinded way of saying that I it's OK to use someone's username in a reply. I bet a kind reply is appreciated by people who delete their accounts even if it has their username. What we have to guard against most is being judgemental when people have different opinions and views than we do. People come here because they feel bad about things and need to express them and find support. Some of us use it as a place to confess some of the things that we are most ashamed of and, as a result, we might be ashamed of the things we post. It is important to remember that the wonderful administrators will delete some of your posts if you ask them to. This post is all over the place but Skeezyks, you have some of the kindest replies ever to people posting on PC. Thanks for always thinking about how your words effect others.

I know this isnt the right topic.. iv'e searched and searched.. and searched in the settings.. My username is to identifying.. I wish too delete my profile.. I will sign up with a new one.. can someone please point me in the right direction? please? feel free to PM me

[CANDC]

anneh you can change the location to Earth and change the profile - no need to delete your account.

Here is the place to edit your profile https://forums.psychcentral.com/prof...do=editprofile

If you do want to change your user name, send a personal message to me https://forums.psychcentral.com/member.php?u=313620 or any moderator and give 3 alternatives that people do not use here on Psych Central.

Hope that helps.
CANDC
Moderator Psych Central

[tradika]

There will likely never be an option to delete all items with their usernames. It would take to much time to individually delete that many threads for every member who deleted a profile. Also, this forum software is someone else's programming. Certain features doc doesn't have control of unless he wanted to reprogram it.

[FooZe]

This thread has been closed at the OP's request.