[Foundation-l] On hard-to-read usernames

[Brion Vibber]

Gregory Maxwell wrote:
> An implementation of this via some means other than linked accounts
> would might also be beneficial  because it would allow for the setting
> of a non-unique preferred name.
> 
> (cur) (last) 10:09, 24 December 2006
>   SuperNinja92349 (John Doe | Talk | contribs | block) (word to the wise)
> 
> There are a number of users that I interact with whom login using
> pseudonyms for reasons of account uniqueness but actually prefer to be
> addressed by their real names.
> 
> They often express this by customizing their signature, but since this
> preference is only displayed in their signature it often creates
> confusion. For example, they'll mention edit of theirs on a talk page
> and you'll waste a long time scanning the history for the wrong name.
> 
> Actual implementation would be a little ..fun, at least if it were to
> support at will changes to preferred name.

Shouldn't be that hard, actually; mainly we'd need to add a field to the 
user table and do appropriate joins for queries that make lists of users.

There is actually a "real name" field, which we have disabled on our own 
wikis... not sure if it would be wise to use that or add another 
'nickname' field.

Generally though it gives me warm fuzzy feelings to have easily-settable 
nicks that aren't as dispruptive as administrative name changes.

-- brion vibber (brion @ pobox.com)