I’ve really messed up on Geograph by ensuring forum nicknames are unique. Thank god clearer heads than mine are around to enlighten me! The names have been changed since I wish this chap no ill will…

Millions of people have the same nickname, so why does your site insist that a nickname has to be unique? It certainly refused mine “because this nickname is already in use”.

I can’t manufacture a nickname! I suppose I could call myself GNDSTYVSDT but it wouldn’t help much would it because I couldn’t remember it anyway? I would have thought that my nickname “Terry” along with my login email address, should be enough.

Is there now only one person in the entire world who is allowed to be called “Terry?” I think not! But apparently this is the situation on your site.

Could I venture to suggest that in this respect you are not actually in contact with the real world? If I’m invited to submit a nickname I do NOT expect it to be refused for some shortcoming in your programming. If this is really a problem for you then I suggest that you just remove the option.

This option on your otherwise wonderful site promises something and then does not deliver the goods, which is an absolute no-no in programming!

Tut tut – shame on you – I wag my finger sharply sharply at you and I bet the programming instructor wouldn’t have sanctioned this.

Thanks to “Terry” for raising a smile!