Unused Usernames

[Greg.]

This is similar to Aramant's thread on guests...

If you look in the members list, there are so many names that have been registered, but have never posted...

This irritates me, as i would like the username 'Greg' - which has 3 posts attatched, the last one being over a year ago...

What do these non-posters do? Where do they come from?

Thoughts?

[Fiona]

I suppose it is possible that some people register because they have a particular query about a game or something. Once it is answered they move on? I know I first registered because I was really stuck and I was hunting around for help when I found GB. It might well have turned out I never posted again - I never have anywhere else. Only people were so kind I wanted to stay here. Others my not have time for this, or be more focussed on their specific reasons for joining? Just a thought

[Greg.]

Look in the members list - there are so many people who have no messages posted...

I must admit, I posted to ask a question, forgot about GB for about 3 months, then started to post in more forums...

[dj_venom]

Yeah, I think I first visited, asked a question, then left. Then I came back when I had another question, then I answered a couple of questions I knew. I kept posting in just those forums, visited SYM once or twice, was scared off... then finally posted in the riddle thread, and thanks to Hill, began spamming.

As such, like Fiona and yourself have said, any of us could have simply gone down that path (and I agree with you, I would have taken Venom, but it was used, so instead I added dj, my initials).

[Bloodstalker]

The board has been purged of old threads every so often over the years. It could be that a lot of the people you see as having 0 posts have actually posted in the past but it's been deleted.

Also likely that some people registered then forgot about the board. Could also be that they registered and found what they were looking for in a walk-thru or by a search before they posted. Of maybe canibles ate them.

[TheAmazingOopah]

[QUOTE=Bloodstalker]Of maybe canibles ate them.[/QUOTE]
Ah yes, that almost happened to me (twice) when I started out at Gamebanshee. Those bad neighbourhoods, always full of exciting surprises!

[Hill-Shatar]

The last [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31864"]user pruning[/url] was almost two years ago, which removed 3000 people who never accepted their email verification or those who had not posted for a good long time and were still at 0 posts. Considering that left them with around 10,000, could you imagine how many names would have to be purged this time? I mean, my member number I recieved is actually much higher than the amount of members when I joined -- I believe it was still below 20,000.

[Sabre]

There are quite a large number of users who have not posted after registering, this might be because as soon as they have finished registering their questions were already asked and answered by other members, as Bloodstalker said.

I think it would be difficult for Buck to figure out what exactly identify an account that is no longer being used, or will not be used in the near future. I haven't been back to this forum in over a year - simply did not have time.

It comes down to what is more important: storage space taken up by accounts that are not used, or ensuring that other accounts are not mistakenly removed while deleting the unused ones. I guess the storage space for accounts is not that much of a problem when you look at the number of posts that are the forum have right now.

[Magelord648]

I first joined GB because I wanted to ask a question. Everyone here is very nice so I stayed. I also like finding out points of views of people like me.

[Ciba_Blue]

I'm with bloodstalker on this one.. They were simply eaten Greg. :speech: