Display unregistered and renamed-without-redirect usernames as struck through

[pauamma]

Title:
Display unregistered and renamed-without-redirect usernames as struck through

Area:
site-specific markup, renaming, registration, usability

Summary:
<user name="thisusernamedoesntexist"> is displayed with no strike through when the username was never registered, or was renamed to something else without redirection. This makes it harder to spot typos, and may have minor privacy consequences in the latter case. It should be made consistent with the way usernames of deleted accounts display.

Description:
Drawback: This would introduce an incompatible change for people who relied on the current behavior to display made-up generic usernames without having to register them or find ones already registered for that purpose, like "exampleuser". Finding one suitable for that purpose - eg, not that of an actual site user or community which might feel singled out - would become harder, and maybe even impossible without actually registering it, for languages other than English.

Poll #13088 Display unregistered and renamed-without-redirect usernames as struck through

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 50

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
2 (4.0%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
18 (36.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
16 (32.0%)

(I have no opinion)
11 (22.0%)

(Other: please comment)
3 (6.0%)