We could provide an example that we already have a KristinT, so they shouldn't register as Kristen_T).

I'm okay with this, if you want use this example. However, it could be made stronger by pointing out that there was first a Kristen, too.

EDIT: Actually, I think it's covered well by Bon-Bon's post here: bon bon "Bureaucracy 2: Like Sartre, Only Longer" Apr 6, 2004 2:59:51 pm PDT

That list of names idea has been updated, using actual names taken from some threadsucks. list.

The thing is automated now, so that a file of unordered names will be processed into the tables/pages.

Go you, Gus.

Gus is the script automatically capitalizing all the names it finds? Because you know how some people get when they're capitalized.

DX, yes. The sort order that pops out is non-intuitive, otherwise. I suppose I could fix it up at display time. I'd like to get a better sense that folks think it will be of some use, before fiddling with it much more, though.

Cranky. (eta: about the errant capitalisation)

I also have some poorly-verbalised hesitation here.

I know it's not efficient, but I'm not agog with the idea of a pages with all the user names available to unregistered users. It's sort of naked-making. I know it's completely ineffective in my case, but I wouldn't want my name there.

I'll work on articulating or abstracting that, but I got nothing better at the moment.

None of this is to say that I won't go along with community desire, and it's not like opt-out can co-exist with a useful list.

Implementing an opt-out would be easy. The capitals thing is pretty straightforward, as well.

Unregistered users can read the user names when they read the threads, so I am having a little trouble getting a handle on what is troubling ita, here. Anyway, if it bugs you, it bugs you. I don't suspect there will be enough opt-outs to invalidate the primary use of the list. I am seeing that use as avoiding near-duplicates, and giving examples of what names are like around here.

Implementing an opt-out would be easy.

Implementing it is relatively easy. It just nullifies the point of the system, especially since then it'd have to be opt in, to be fair (since we didn't tell anyone we were publishing their user names, and not all of them can be gleaned by looking through threads).

We don't have a privacy policy, but that strikes me as a sort of line that bears consideration.

It hadn't occurred to me that username searching would be available to non-registered users. I need to think on it more.

As I said, if everyone wants it, I can hardly object on the part of anyone but myself -- however, this discussion might want a larger audience than us geeks.

What can you do with a username besides know that someone is part of the board? I'm asking because that would have a lot to do with whether or not I'm in favor.