Page to check the status of a particular username

[cesy]

Title:
Page to check the status of a particular username

Area:
usernames

Summary:
Provide a page that allows people to check the status of a particular username, and (if appropriate) provide a link to sign up for notification of availability

Description:
See http://community.livejournal.com/suggestions/826254.html for original suggestion. Obviously the rename links would be placeholders for now, but renaming is a planned feature. Including "this username is reserved" and a FAQ link would also be good.

Poll #980 Page to check the status of a particular username

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 30

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
17 (56.7%)

Should be implemented with changes.
1 (3.3%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
3 (10.0%)

(I have no opinion)
8 (26.7%)

(Other: please comment)
1 (3.3%)

Comments

[7rin]

I would HATE for it to be possible to 'reserve' user names. *shudders*

[sofiaviolet]

"Reserved" means that the system is reserving them, not users. For example, Dreamwidth is configured so that no one can create accounts whose usernames begin with "dw_" in order to retain those in case they're ever needed for official comms/journals/whatever.

Currently, if you visit one of these reserved usernames' urls (for example, dw_foo), the site displays the same error message as the one shown for usernames which are available to users but haven't been registered (compare to sofiaviolet1).

This would prevent people from attempting to register usernames that the site won't allow them to register, then getting frustrated when it doesn't work.

[7rin]

Ooooh.

Well that makes more sense. :)

[kyrielle]

That's a good idea, but although I recognized the term 'reserved' I think the page should have a better term or an explanation of it, or you'll get at least some "how do I reserve a name, then?" requests. :P

[afuna]

"system username" or "system-reserved"? *g*

Also possibly "official" or expanding "reserved" to "reserved for official use".

[turlough]

I like "reserved for official use". It might be a bit long but it would hopefully be less prone to misunderstandings than I think one-word explanations will be.

[kyrielle]

I like the one from sofiaviolet better, only because it's less humorous if someone tries dw_sucks for example.

[sofiaviolet]

This is true.

Would something like "This username is reserved by Dreamwidth and is not available for registration" be enough?

[kyrielle]

Yes. I like this phrasing.

[triadruid]

Seems reasonable.