Why the Weird User Names?

[MikeInClifton]

Disclaimer: I'm about to make fun of some user names - maybe yours - but don't take it personal. Its just a demonstration of the way humans act and identify themselves on the internet.

As an admin here on the message board, I am one of three who can approve or deny new Members. Each day I log in to the admin function and approve or deny the members based on their probability of being a fake/spam address or a real address.

But some of the new names have prompted in me a quizzical look and frankly, I may have turned them down on their first try at signing up because they were just too, um, weird.

I guess the two categories of User Names that baffle me the most are the -
1. Unnecessarily added numbers -
NorrisHopper30
Kindog202
nachoman91
swilsonsp4
GoBearcats31
bizzle3280
loshow22
DMoney_70
So why the added digits onto the back of perfectly acceptable User Names such as NorrisHopper, Kindog and nachoman? I mean, its not like "NorrisHopper00" thru "NorrisHopper29" were taken. I know it made sense to you when you choose it, but it befuddles me. (again - no offense to Norris or anyone)

2. Seemingly Random Characters -
lt7784
qsilvr2531
capcbk
levydl
gtjr921
JR71
yhkim79
dp3113
zhsesq
iamspen
ransohs
lieberma
I swear that some folks dropped their hoagie on the keyboard and the resulting keystrokes prompted their User Name. I guarantee some of these were turned down on their first attempt to sign up.

There are plenty User Names that I think are creative, logical or just of a better quality. My totally subjective opinion, of course. I think of a User Name as a logo. Everyone should have a good logo.

Include a 'Directional' -
columbus_bearcat
BaltimoreBearcat
Texcat
JerseySean
leo from jersey
Eastside_J
DelhiBearcat
GeorgiaCat
SouthCarolinaCat
Bearcat-in-Italy
MikeInClifton - intention: knowledgeable Bearcats fans from out of state or real Cincinnatians would know the Clifton reference. "MikeInCincinnati" would have been too all-encompassing.

Or be Unique -
Catmandu
General Woundwort - run into Bigwig lately?
Deaf_Bearcat
subflea
Nerf
DimitriusChristedes
'nati streets
Flanntastic
Pie Hole
Bearcat Fan Since 1958

Or how about some Names, Actual Real Life Names!
shaunsimpson
bobestes
Kyle Neumann
Bruce Monnin
Tom Alverson
Brian H.
mikedenman
mckenzie.drew
steveedwards

Then there is the good use of CAPS and small letters. As you can tell from my User Name, I like these. -
BearcatSig
CatsClaw
FleXcursion
BigDaddyCornHusker
BasketBySteveLogan
CatAttackFootball
BigCatFan20
ThreeRiversKing
KingOfTheCats
ILoveTheBearcats
KingOfTheCats
sm00r

Others still make me wonder. Like are these folks lost?
bengals21
Donovan McNabb
Indy500
kstatefan
MUHawk84
RedhawksFan
USFan123
xubrew
MurphyFlorist - But we still like you, Lo.


Of course, we have some folks who are Egotastic
Thegreatone
IKnowMoreThanYou
The real Bearcat Fan
CincySuperFan
Iwannarawk
TheLivingLegend


And then there are the generic names - a requirement on any sports-based message board.
Bearcat Chris
BEARCAT DARRELL
Bearcat Jeff
bearcat jim
bearcatfan
bearcatfan93
bearcat18
Bearcat1982
Bearcat1996
bearcat25
bearcat513
bearcat65
BearCat67
bearcat69
Bearcat82
bearcatgary
BearcaTim
BearcatJer
bearcatjoey
bearcatkev
bearcatmark
bearcatphil
BearcatRob33
bearcatryan
bearcattom
thebearcat


And dont forget the following three truths -
Mick's Da Man
mickstheman
MicksTheGuy

Now don't think that we will now be the "User Name Police". We don't have that intention. I simply found some of the User names odd and they made me laugh and wonder when I grouped them differently.

You may now commence to abusing me for posting such nonsense when we have bowl game choices and freshmen basketballers to worry about.

[London 'Cat]

[COLOR="Navy"]2. Seemingly Random Characters
. . . zhsesq . . . I swear that some folks dropped their hoagie on the keyboard and the resulting keystrokes prompted their User Name.

You may now commence to abusing me for posting such nonsense when we have bowl game choices and freshmen basketballers to worry about.

I certainly will not abuse you as this is a humorous post. However, I will take this opportunity to explain my username. "zhs" are my initials - Zahid H. Siddiqi. "esq" is a reference to my profession - attorney. There is nothing random or illogical there, in my opinion. My avatar is a photo of the crest on the hood of my 1981 Porsche 911SC. A bit random, I admit.

[Irishbearcat]

I didn't see my username up there. Cool.

:P

[ME80]

My numbers at the end refer to the year I graduated from UC's Mechanical Engineering program.

[capcbk]

Dear Random MikeinClifton,

All I want to know is:

1) What is your real name, and;
2) Where do your messages originate from.

[qsilvr2531]

My user name comes from when i was in high school still. It was a nickname that I started using on bbs boards back then, and rather than try to remember a different user name on every message board I post on I just stick with the same one everywhere. qsilvr was already taken so I added my old address digits to the end because they are easy for me to remember.

[CincyBeerCo]

I feel left out :D I kid, I kid....funny stuff Mike.

[MikeInClifton]

I certainly will not abuse you as this is a humorous post. However, I will take this opportunity to explain my username. "zhs" are my initials - Zahid H. Siddiqi. "esq" is a reference to my profession - attorney. There is nothing random or illogical there, in my opinion. My avatar is a photo of the crest on the hood of my 1981 Porsche 911SC. A bit random, I admit.


Zahid ! Didnt recognize you by the 'name'.

Now if you would have signed up with "Zahid", I would have put you on my "unique" list. You are my favorite poster named Zahid.

[MikeInClifton]

I didn't see my username up there. Cool.

:P

I knew some folks would feel left out, no matter how many examples I posted.

[MikeInClifton]

Dear Random MikeinClifton,

All I want to know is:

1) What is your real name, and;
2) Where do your messages originate from.

My real name is Mike Ryan, but I think that is semi-common knowledge since Keith, Brett and I have been doing this here at BearcatNews for about 10 years now.

My messages originate from my computer - wherever I may be. But I moved from Clifton years ago.

[MikeInClifton]

My user name comes from . . .etc. . because they are easy for me to remember.


I think this is the origin of many user names. Whatever is easiest to remember.
However, "qsilvr" is not taken as of yet here.

[London 'Cat]

Zahid ! Didnt recognize you by the 'name'.

Now if you would have signed up with "Zahid", I would have put you on my "unique" list. You are my favorite poster named Zahid.

I have now chuckled at this thread twice today! Thanks for that Mike.

I did consider using "LondonBearcat" but thought it would lead people to believe I live in the UK.

[mlb]

I knew some folks would feel left out, no matter how many examples I posted.

Mike, I feel left out :)

[NorrisHopper30]

Norris Hopper is my favorite player on the Reds and his uniform # is 30

:)

I used this name on Yappi so I just decided to carry it over even though it is a UC forum

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

My real name is Mike Ryan, but I think that is semi-common knowledge since Keith, Brett and I have been doing this here at BearcatNews for about 10 years now.

My messages originate from my computer - wherever I may be. But I moved from Clifton years ago.

Except on Bearcat game days...

[loshow22]

loshow22 is a reference to steve logan...he and ryan fletcher are my all time favs! so as silly as it may be, it does serve some purpose in my head. interesting though!

[Irishbearcat]

Well, I was thinking of going with something else, but most of them sounded lame. I guess I should spend more time thinking up usernames. LOL

[Nerf]

I would guess that some of those under the "seemingly random" category are reusing their usernames from their jobs or schools. Some of those look very much like UC's own 6+2 naming scheme.

[MikeInClifton]

Mike, I feel left out :)

Yep. Sorry about that 'major league baseball'. . . . I mean Mick.

[MikeInClifton]

I would guess that some of those under the "seemingly random" category are reusing their usernames from their jobs or schools. Some of those look very much like UC's own 6+2 naming scheme.

Didnt think of that. Good thought Nerf.

[bobestes]

Bob Estes is not my real name. He is a mediocre professional golfer who slept with a friend of mine's girlfriend.

[Powerkr]

I would guess that some of those under the "seemingly random" category are reusing their usernames from their jobs or schools. Some of those look very much like UC's own 6+2 naming scheme.

that's what I was about to suggest also seeing as that's where mine originates, i just luck out since my full last name can be represented

[MikeInClifton]

Bob Estes is not my real name. He is a mediocre professional golfer who slept with a friend of mine's girlfriend.

That was my second guess.


But at least its still a real name, just not your real name.
aka: I can pronounce it.

[Bearcat-in-Italy]

What's the 6+2 (or whatever) naming scheme?

And yeah my user name is kinda uninspired, but I do live in Italy

[CincyBeerCo]

What's the 6+2 (or whatever) naming scheme?

And yeah my user name is kinda uninspired, but I do live in Italy

1st 6 letters of your last name (6) and 1st letter of both your first and middle names (+2). Its how UC assigns their student email addresses.

[shaunsimpson]

I am sure there is a reason for most, but I find them humorus. I like to use my real name so when people read my posts and get mad they know my name when they insult me. Although, I am putting myself out there to get the crap kicked out of me.

[catscratchfever]

Bob Estes is not my real name. He is a mediocre professional golfer who slept with a friend of mine's girlfriend.

haha now that is funny!!!

[iamspen]

My username isn't random at all. I am, indeed, Spen.

[Bearcat-in-Italy]

Is the status of a poster (Junior member, member, distinguished member, veteren) depend on how many posts he has? or how is that determined?

[Lobot]

Is the status of a poster (Junior member, member, distinguished member, veteren) depend on how many posts he has? or how is that determined?

That's how it works on most of the generic PHP BBS software like what we have on here. Only the admins could tell you for sure though.

[MikeInClifton]

Is the status of a poster (Junior member, member, distinguished member, veteran) depend on how many posts he has? or how is that determined?

We did not change the listed default -
Junior Member - 0
Member - 25
Distinguished Member - 500
Veteran - 1000

I'm not a big fan of giving labels to folks with hundreds and thousands of posts. All that does is encourage posting of anything, as opposed to encourage posting of interesting, thought provoking comments.

Now if there was a way to automatically label quality poster's instead of quantity poster's, you would have something.

['nati streets]

Mike are you running this site with droople if you are there are scripts that you can add that could handle a rating system per post- while not ideal due to the fact that everyone who viewed would likely have to vote it is a possibility.
(I am surprised this thread has gotten so long, but I have to say it is quality entertainment)

[MikeInClifton]

Mike are you running this site with droople if you are there are scripts that you can add that could handle a rating system per post- while not ideal due to the fact that everyone who viewed would likely have to vote it is a possibility.
(I am surprised this thread has gotten so long, but I have to say it is quality entertainment)

Yes, but I believe its spelled Drupal. I'll pass that on the Brett, if he doesnt see this post himself. Of the three of us, I'm the least tech-y.

['nati streets]

true, true... sorry.
To tell you the truth I never got fully on-board when "web 2.0" hit. I will have to add directional shading to my banner submission in the future so bnews.com will at least looks like it got on the wagon.

[jeffto]

With early stage Alzheimer's I have to be able to remember. I'm sorry, what was this about?

['nati streets]

With early stage Alzheimer's I have to be able to remember. I'm sorry, what was this about?

In short, the ability to rate member posts based on quality.
The past few posts have been about the script the website is written with and whether a rating system is possible to add to the site.