To start things off, yes I know that username changing is a rejected topic, yet I'm not suggesting the changing of usernames. What I'm suggesting is the ability to have nicknames, which should stop most of, if not all of, the “Username Change” suggestions, and make some of the people, who wish to change their username, happy.

I don't think that it should only show the nickname, seeing as that would cause mass hysteria, so what I propose to be done is to have the actual username show up under the nickname. Now just doing this could lead to trolling, and impersonation, so the second item at hand would be to stop this from happening as often. The second one would be you can only change it every 1-3 months. For all my other ideas on this I will make a list to speed things up.

• Having the ability to turn off ones nickname. Making it not show up for anyone. (making it harder to impersonate)
  
  
• Having the ability to show no nicknames, or to show all nicknames. (still having the original name under the nickname when shown)
  
  
• Only being able to use free usernames (at the time of choosing the nick). That way you can't use someone else's username and impersonate them.
  
  
• Getting an automated alert when someone makes an account with the name you have as your nick. (depends on if ST wants to implement the alert)
  
  
• The original name would be a grey color and the nickname would be black, or vise versa.
  
  
• Being able to report nicknames, just like usernames.
  
  
• The user's profile url will still use their original username, as not to confuse the system when you change your nick.
  
  
• Possibly/Preferably showing the nick everywhere. (that way it's sorta like a new username, but it isn't)
  

Other Possible Implementations

WolfCat67 wrote:

It could possibly work something like how the website Reddit uses its nicknames (not saying Scratch should be more like Reddit [it shouldn't] but this is one good feature to have) - you have your nickname visible on your profile only, but in other locations, like the forums or comments on other projects, you have your username visible. I've created an example:

On Menu:


On Profile:


On Forums (stays the same):


Basically, it'll only be visible to people who view your profile - that way, nobody gets confused if they only see you on the forums and on other projects, but if they see you on your own profile, it'll already tell them who you are right underneath in the rest of your profile information. It also doesn't change your username at all, so website URLs remain the same.

--_Nova_-- wrote:

Maybe on the forums and studios (and maybe comments), it has the nickname in large, then the actual username smaller below it?

Scratch_Attacker wrote:

Maybe the inverse of that, like a large username, but a smaller nickname, as a title of some sort.

StrangeMagic32 wrote:

gerbilgiblit01 wrote:

I want this setting too. Maybe the real username would be next to the date of the comment.

So, like this?

Inkulumo wrote:

I think this could work similar to the Steam nickname system where you can show Inkulumo (Nickname1337) or rather, with a user set option, just Nickname1337 then hover over it to see the real name. Support if implementation is like this.

Support Percentage %94

Supporters: 16
StrangeMagic32
adsuri
WolfCat67
TheRealNetherBefore
Scratch_Attacker
-Emaryllis-
LegoManiac04
SuperDoom
paws48
Invisible_Factory
–Waterfall–
TheDiamonGamer
PrincessPandaLover
NilsTheBest
Inkulumo
student20008931
Zizzle8383
————————–
Non Supporters: 1
Za-Chary

Support mostly as a compromise for changing usernames.

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Li   Be                                                     B    C    N    O    F    Ne
Na   Mg                                                     Al   Si   P    S    Cl   Ar
K    Ca   Sc   Ti   V    Cr   Mn   Fe   Co   Ni   Cu   Zn   Ga   Ge   As   Se   Br   Kr
Rb   Sr   Y    Zr   Nb   Mo   Tc   Ru   Rh   Pd   Ag   Cd   In   Sn   Sb   Te   I    Xe
Cs   Ba        Hf   Ta   W    Re   Os   Ir   Pt   Au   Hg   Tl   Pb   Bi   Po   At   Rn
Fr   Ra        Rf   Db   Sg   Bh   Hs   Mt   Ds   Rg   Cn   Nh   Fl   Mc   Lv   Ts   Og

          La   Ce   Pr   Nd   Pm   Sm   Eu   Gd   Tb   Dy   Ho   Er   Tm   Yb   Lu
          Ac   Th   Pa   U    Np   Pu   Am   Cm   Bk   Cf   Es   Fm   Md   No   Lr

It could possibly work something like how the website Reddit uses its nicknames (not saying Scratch should be more like Reddit [it shouldn't] but this is one good feature to have) - you have your nickname visible on your profile only, but in other locations, like the forums or comments on other projects, you have your username visible. I've created an example:

On Menu:


On Profile:


On Forums (stays the same):


Basically, it'll only be visible to people who view your profile - that way, nobody gets confused if they only see you on the forums and on other projects, but if they see you on your own profile, it'll already tell them who you are right underneath in the rest of your profile information. It also doesn't change your username at all, so website URLs remain the same.

WolfCat67 wrote:

It could possibly work something like how the website Reddit uses its nicknames (not saying Scratch should be more like Reddit [it shouldn't] but this is one good feature to have) - you have your nickname visible on your profile only, but in other locations, like the forums or comments on other projects, you have your username visible. I've created an example:

On Menu:


On Profile:


On Forums (stays the same):


Basically, it'll only be visible to people who view your profile - that way, nobody gets confused if they only see you on the forums and on other projects, but if they see you on your own profile, it'll already tell them who you are right underneath in the rest of your profile information. It also doesn't change your username at all, so website URLs remain the same.

Support. This doesn't seem like it would cause many problems plus it would be a nice feature in order to let people know what you'd like them to call you. However, I don't think this would solve the username change debate as the username still shows up everywhere else (though I think this is a good thing).

I have to agree, it sounds pretty good.

Maybe on the forums and studios (and maybe comments), it has the nickname in large, then the actual username smaller below it?

--_Nova_-- wrote:

Maybe on the forums and studios (and maybe comments), it has the nickname in large, then the actual username smaller below it?

Maybe the inverse of that, like a large username, but a smaller nickname, as a title of some sort.

Sorry, no support.

Will the nickname be visible on places such as the comments section of a project or profile?

• If it is visible, I think the risk of impersonation is much too high, considering it's really easy. Someone could very easily impersonate a Scratch Team member, or another user, and it would generally be quite annoying.
  
  
• If it is not visible, then when is it visible? Just on your profile? I'm not quite sure what this would solve, then, if it is only visible on one place. I could really see this being confusing, again, with the risk of impersonation.

If someone impersonates @ceebee, for example, they could make an account called @ceebee-test (or something similar), change their profile picture to @ceebee's current profile picture, and set their nickname to “ceebee”. They then could go on other Scratchers' profiles and say disrespectful things. If the nickname is viewable in comments, that would make it even more confusing.

Although impersonation exists already, it is a little easier to handle because one can look at the username and see that it's not the same. But if it does look the same, some people might believe that they are the real @ceebee.

Impersonation aside, I don't know if this is quite what others are looking for in terms of changing your username. If it's viewable everywhere on the website, it could be really confusing. If it's not, then what's the point? I would probably refer to everyone by their real username, anyway.

Za-Chary wrote:

Sorry, no support.

Will the nickname be visible on places such as the comments section of a project or profile?

• If it is visible, I think the risk of impersonation is much too high, considering it's really easy. Someone could very easily impersonate a Scratch Team member, or another user, and it would generally be quite annoying.
  
  
• If it is not visible, then when is it visible? Just on your profile? I'm not quite sure what this would solve, then, if it is only visible on one place. I could really see this being confusing, again, with the risk of impersonation.

If someone impersonates @ceebee, for example, they could make an account called @ceebee-test (or something similar), change their profile picture to @ceebee's current profile picture, and set their nickname to “ceebee”. They then could go on other Scratchers' profiles and say disrespectful things. If the nickname is viewable in comments, that would make it even more confusing.

Although impersonation exists already, it is a little easier to handle because one can look at the username and see that it's not the same. But if it does look the same, some people might believe that they are the real @ceebee.

Impersonation aside, I don't know if this is quite what others are looking for in terms of changing your username. If it's viewable everywhere on the website, it could be really confusing. If it's not, then what's the point? I would probably refer to everyone by their real username, anyway.

Yeah, impersonation is a problem. But I have an idea that fixes that, where the nickname appears under the real username in grey, a title of sorts. (I mentioned this in my other post, but I really don't care.)

Za-Chary wrote:

Will the nickname be visible on places such as the comments section of a project or profile?

That really depends on what the ST thinks would be best, but what I originally said, yes it would, but the original name would also appear.

Za-Chary wrote:

• If it is visible, I think the risk of impersonation is much too high, considering it's really easy. Someone could very easily impersonate a Scratch Team member, or another user, and it would generally be quite annoying.
  
  
• If it is not visible, then when is it visible? Just on your profile? I'm not quite sure what this would solve, then, if it is only visible on one place. I could really see this being confusing, again, with the risk of impersonation.

One thing that I just thought of while reading your post was that, what if you could turn nicknames off client side, that way it will only show the original username. This would, in a sense, fix that impersonation issue with this idea, since it's toggleable client side.

Za-Chary wrote:

If someone impersonates @ceebee, for example, they could make an account called @ceebee-test (or something similar), change their profile picture to @ceebee's current profile picture, and set their nickname to “ceebee”. They then could go on other Scratchers' profiles and say disrespectful things. If the nickname is viewable in comments, that would make it even more confusing.

Something else that I thought of is what if you could only use a non used name (as of the time of choosing the name)? That would stop the severe impersonation that would come from this type of addition into scratch. It would still let someone create the account with the nickname though since the nickname is only sorta a ghost scratcher. Maybe scratch could warn you if someone makes a use with the name you've chosen as a nick?

Za-Chary wrote:

Impersonation aside, I don't know if this is quite what others are looking for in terms of changing your username. If it's viewable everywhere on the website, it could be really confusing. If it's not, then what's the point? I would probably refer to everyone by their real username, anyway.

That's true that it may not be what people want, but since username changing is a rejected topic it would be a nice addition.

StrangeMagic32 wrote:

-snip-

I think your reply is very well thought-out. You clearly have some good ideas, and you have even more good ideas coming from your response.

However, I just don't see this working on Scratch. Your counter-ideas, although good, seem to make this whole idea more confusing. If not confusing, then honestly a little pointless.

Really, though, you've got great ideas. I still have to say no support, but I hope you turn this idea into something that can work for everyone.

Za-Chary wrote:

-snip-

Thanks, yeah I rushed it a little because I was a little busy, but I think I got the gist sorta. xD
I also hope I can get it to make more sense, and make it less confusing.

--_Nova_-- wrote:

Maybe on the forums and studios (and maybe comments), it has the nickname in large, then the actual username smaller below it?

yeah, sorta what I was getting at.

Support. The site Wattpad uses a similar feature, and it doesn't seem to cause too many issues.

Support!

I love this idea! I'm not much of a big LEGO kid anymore, but I'm attached to my LegoManiac04 username! This would be great!

Ａｂｓｏｌｕｔｅ　ｓｕｐｐｏｒｔ．　Ｉ　ａｌｒｅａｄｙ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈａｔ　ｍｙ　ｎｉｃｋｎａｍｅ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｂｅ．

ＳｕｐｅｒＤｏｏｍ１ＹＴ
SuperDoom


Ｌｉｋｅ　ｉｔ？

bump

Full support. Great compromise, and I doubt there would be any issues in the servers at all with the addition of this.

I guess support. I really like the idea of 1-3 months delay because its like how google does it: minimum 90 days before a name change.

Bump