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32_Footsteps Think of the mooks! from Just north of Arkham Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Think of the mooks!
#1: Aug 30th 2013 at 12:30:44 PM

I think I might be the only one with this issue, because I accidentally wandered into a bug with my choice of login name years ago.

Now, and I think is known to the tech staff, you cannot start a contributor page for a screen name starting with a numeral - I think the code has been changed such that you can't even make a username start with a numeral anymore, and I only keep using 32_Footsteps due to the Grandfather Clause. The solution that Fast Eddie suggested to me years ago for handling my contributor page was to simply use Thirty Two Footsteps for that purpose.

Problem is, now the page is locked down so that only username "Thirty Two Footsteps" can edit said page (I discovered this when I went to add to my "pages launched" list after I added Film.Madhouse). I have two concerns - one is that I can't manage my own troper page. Two is that (and knock on wood that nobody uses this post for inspiration to do so) someone who decided to claim "Thirty Two Footsteps" could start taking my troper page from me. And I certainly don't want to just make said username my own without giving a heads-up that I'm not trying to sockpuppet.

I'm not sure what would be the easier solution - just switching (with moderator blessing) to using "Thirty Two Footsteps", or just having username 32_Footsteps tied to the troper page. Either way, just hoping to edit my own page again.

Reminder: Offscreen Villainy does not count towards Complete Monster.
videogmer314 from that one place Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
#2: Aug 30th 2013 at 12:34:47 PM

I'm pretty sure switching usernames would be easier, especially since you don't need moderator permission; you are allowed to keep up to 10 sockpuppet accounts. You can even custom title your troper page so that it shows up on the forums properly.

Madrugada Zzzzzzzzzz Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In season
Zzzzzzzzzz
#3: Aug 30th 2013 at 1:03:57 PM

Making the Thirty Two Footsteps account won't get you in any trouble, since you are making it to reclaim your user page and to prevent anyone else from hijacking your page. Go ahead and do that.

If you want, you can then use the custom titler to make it display as "32 Footsteps".

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#4: Aug 30th 2013 at 1:36:12 PM

Other users have had this problem too, and for those who actually wanted a troper page the proposed solution is to make a new account with a legal accountname.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
MikuruFan from Away Since: Nov, 2012
#5: Aug 30th 2013 at 2:11:50 PM

What I would suggest to have a notice at the handle creation screen that your handle must include Latin letters only, then any changes done by using the custom title system.

It's not an uncommon problem. Another user with a handle starting with a number has a link in their sig to another Tropers/ page that they cannot edit now.

edited 30th Aug '13 2:13:56 PM by MikuruFan

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