[Iloivar]

An explanation would be nice considering the magnitude of this limitation.

[DocJohn]

How many times do you change your name in real life?

We see our online community very much like a real-life community, where we want members to get to know one another, form friendships, and help one another out with a lending hand or a supportive word. If someone is changing their name 3, 4, 5 times over the course of a year, it can get confusing to other members (as well as the community support team).

For every guideline, we're happy to make an exception when and where warranted. That's why we call them guidelines and not rules. As long as there's a legitimate reason for needing to change your username again, we're happy to consider such exceptions.

[BonsaiGuy]

Originally Posted by DocJohn

How many times do you change your name in real life?

We see our online community very much like a real-life community, where we want members to get to know one another, form friendships, and help one another out with a lending hand or a supportive word. If someone is changing their name 3, 4, 5 times over the course of a year, it can get confusing to other members (as well as the community support team).

For every guideline, we're happy to make an exception when and where warranted. That's why we call them guidelines and not rules. As long as there's a legitimate reason for needing to change your username again, we're happy to consider such exceptions.

Thank you for explaining this in such a clear and concise manner. Even though I am not the OP, I had questioned this myself and I now understand entirely. As someone who has changed their name one time (it was before I ever posted and believe that I made the change less that 30 minutes after I initially signed up), I find it important to decide on a name that you truly like and describes you in a way that makes you happy while also using that name to build and expand on your identity within the community.

Something also to consider is the moderators who help us so much already. I think their time is incredibly valuable and if they are able to focus their time in other areas, then I believe it is a significant benefit for the community.

[Lefty Seven]

Because people like me would change our names daily.

[lizardlady]

Thanks for the explanation Doc John. That makes a lot of sense. I have trouble keeping track of who's who when people change their names.

[-jimi-]

People shouldn't change in real life. Like when women get married. That is ridiculous.

However as an adult we have the right to change our names for other reasons and several I know have changed their first name, usually just once, but there are exceptions. I've changed both my surname and middle name. And I'm never called my first name.

They let me change to a third PC name because people kept confusing me with another guy. So it was nice they made that exception. But I have never really changed out of "Jim", so that is a constant.

[Iloivar]

Originally Posted by Lefty Seven

Because people like me would change our names daily.

All the more reason to change this oppresssive community guideline!

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by Iloivar

All the more reason to change this oppresssive community guideline!

The moderators have limited of time that they VOLUNTEER to this community. If they allowed ppl to change their names more than once, they'd be spending an inordinate amount of time dealing with daily name changes versus actually moderating the community and dealing with things like trolls and hackers. I certainly know how I prefer they'd spend their time.

There have been numerous threads on this subject. If you search in this section you'll find additional commentary from the team, I believe.

[DocJohn]

Question has been asked and answered, so I'm going to close this thread. Thanks.