Introduction of permanent user names in the community

Dear guys,

Today (i.e. 17th Nov 2009) onwards, it's mandatory to have a permanent user name before you can interact in the community. This is applicable for forums alone as of now but subsequently will be applied on user reviews and photos as well.

I'm putting down a small Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here which we will keep updating as and when required. If you have any queries or problems, you can discuss them in this thread.

Update (18 Nov 09 4:05PM): The service is live now. If you are receiving any error, simply refresh the page that makes you choose your user name.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q 1. Why do we need to have a permanent user name? it was so cool earlier!

Frankly, it wasn't very cool earlier. The community is big now that we have thirty members with exactly same name posting in the community. When more than one person with same name participate in a forum thread, it becomes impossible to address a particular member.

Another reason is certain new features that are scheduled to be launched soon and they compulsorily need permanent user names. One good example is Private Messaging. Unless you know exact name of a person, you cannot send a private message to him, right? Even if we devise a member finder, it won't work effectively. For example, just imagine yourself searching for say 'Banwari' and 12 Banwaris returned, all with no surname or other differentiating identities!

Q 2. I can use community as I did earlier. I'm not asked for a user name or anything?

At the time of writing this FAQs (i.e. 17th Nov 09, 3:15PM), the service is not live as yet. It's expected to go live by evening (or late at night). The change will only be apparent when you try to write something in forum (creating a new thread or reply in an existing one). Reading threads, participating in user reviews and photos etc will not trigger this service.

Q 3. I see you have already assigned me a name, I think you could do better with my user name?

Nobody has chosen a name for you. It was done with the help of a computer program. The names are completely random and may have been derived from your existing names, email addresses or any other information that we had about you. Whatever has come up is purely coincidental and random. But nothing to worry, you can always update your name (only once).

Q 4. Can I update my user name?

Yes, you can update your user name here (unless already updated by you. Link is not provided yet). Please note that this service can be used only once. That's right, once you have chosen your user name, you can't update it anymore. We insist that you take utmost care while choosing your user name. We will not be in position of updating it once you are done!

Q 5. Can I update my user name later sometime?

Yes. But this 'later' doesn't mean 'ever'. You will have to update your user name before 25th December 2009. If you fail to choose a user name during this period, your system-generated user name will be considered final and will be marked as permanent!

Q 6. Is it compulsory to provide other community profile related information?

No. It's not mandatory, however, it would be nice of you to provide that information. It's for the community and other fellow-members may get benefited from it.

Will update this thread as and when required.

Thanks all.

This means now onwards, everyone has unique user name which can not be changed. So no more confusion about identity of your fellow Carwale member.  

Good move and a step forward.

I am looking forward to new features to be launched here.

We lose our existing names?

Banwari, is it possible that the current user names stay frozen as guys are comfortable with the current names for the existing members?

If there are duplicates, I would want post seniority to be a deciding factor in determining who gets to claim the username. I don't want any other newbie Krishna to squat on my username thanks to this freeze scheme...

I am not too sure as what algorithm is used to generate names but it's a mix of your name and or email address at CarWale.

@Steeroid,

You do not lose your existing name until somebody else chooses your name! For example, system chose my name as banwari.lal.sharma, however, I want it to be banwari. Name banwari is available to be chosen by until and unless somebody else chooses his user name as banwari. It's like the entire list is filled with random names based upon your name and email addresses, these names may coincide with your choice or not.

Once the system is live, you can go ahead and choose your name as quickly as possible hence eliminating the possibility of it being chosen by someone else.

It's an inconvenience but I hope you all will bear with us for a better future.

@Krishna,

You are going to increase my workload, maybe I will have to do it for a few manually! When I say a few, I mean very senior people in the forum! I cannot do it for all 10,000 members!

I have updated the user names of those with 400 or more posts. I'm sorry I had thought of doing it for all those with 250+ posts but had very little time in hand.

Also, I wish to tell you that the user names will not be reflected in the forum until Dec 25th. On 25th of December (or earlier, if members update the id really fast), this feature will go live along with Private Messaging.

Mr.Sharma, how may I change my username now? Is the link avl or not?

Ouch - I'm on 395.

Please put me on that list, you know I'll finish the 5 off soon - I just have to visit the Fiat thread.

@Anshum,

It will be in a while or tomorrow morning. Don't worry at all!

@Steer,

In my list, your post count is 419, probably because it included some deleted posts/threads as well. Your name is steeroid, still.