Comments on: Similar usernames confuse some readers

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:09:32 -0800

Naw, seriously, I just find it an amusing phenomenon. Since I don't have a written-out list of MeFites like http://www.metafilter.com/user.mefi/14271">jonson's, I keep a vague idea in my head of who these people are behind the usernames, based on what I remember them posting before, and I sometimes get 'em mixed up. Was that TreeHugger or tr33hggr? five fresh fish or FiveFrozenFish? banished or bannedThrice? I even mix up those that aren't all that similar, like
rushmc, jonmc and davidmsc. So my question is, does this happen to anyone else? And, more importantly, if you're one of these pairs (or others, of course), can you give me some hint about the main difference between you and the other user? Thank you.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:19:27 -0800

It's a good think sign-ups aren't open. I've got an overwhelming urge to register "hoyhoy".

By: mookieproof

mookieproof — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:19:37 -0800

I'm gonna sign up my girlfriend as soytoy.

By: danOstuporStar

danOstuporStar — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:22:16 -0800

poijoy

By: yhbc

yhbc — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:35:28 -0800

I get myself mixed up with vbfg all the time.

Obviously, a more pressing issue would be the Immediate Banning of Unpronouncable Acroynms ("IBUA").

By: salmacis

salmacis — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:44:01 -0800

Everytime I chat to salmonberry on IRC, it must be irritating for everyone else in the channel who are unable to abbreviate to 'salm'.

By: crunchland

crunchland — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:45:38 -0800

I was here first.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 10:47:22 -0800

In case I failed to make this clear above, the "banning" thing was just a joke. I just thought a couple other people might enjoy this topic, plus it could have educational value... right?

In all fairness, I did try to find others similar to "soyjoy," but only came up with very infrequent and/or defunct contributors soyabeanodoom, soynuts, mrjoy and MissyJoy.

By: Skot

Skot — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:26:24 -0800

I inevitably get weirded out when I see a post by Xkot. Not his fault, but it just makes me feel like I have my own Bizarro.

By: Johnny Assay

Johnny Assay — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:37:10 -0800

Let's see: Robot Johnny, johnny vagabond, johnnyv, johnny_cake, johnnyboy,
johnnyvienna, johnny7, johnny6667, JohnnyJohnny, lil_johnny, johnny2001, johnnyshite, johnny novak, johnnyutah, and johnnyace.

Anybody interested in forming a guild or something?

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:39:23 -0800

The arg! family:
bargle
argybarg
argybarple

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:41:17 -0800

Miguel, since when did you start posting as "soyjoy"?

By: Shadowkeeper

Shadowkeeper — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:44:40 -0800

Hey user 7879: who's your daddy? C'mon, say it.

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:45:00 -0800

shane
shaneflyer

Arg!

By: yhbc

yhbc — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:51:13 -0800

On the off chance that soyjoy seriously wanted some real discussion on this topic, I'll admit that back in my early days, I would often get kafkaesque, kokogiak and kirkaracha mixed up. Now, of course, I know the difference.

I still get stavrosthewonderocelot mixed up with that other guy with the similar name, though.

By: konolia

konolia — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:53:14 -0800

If you people paid attention this wouldn't be a problem.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:54:45 -0800

can you give me some hint about the main difference between you and the other user?

quonczar is a jerk.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:55:57 -0800

Not quite the same, but the number of times people call me 'Space Cowboy' or 'Space Ghost' is quite amusing.

Most of the time they just call me 'dipshit' though.

By: COBRA!

COBRA! — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:56:42 -0800

Cobra Libre and I are going to have to sort things out. And I think there's a Destro hanging around here somewhere...

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:58:04 -0800

Does anyone ever give in to the urge to make fun of usernames? It can be waaay fun. Um, theoretically.

By: matteo

matteo — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:14:22 -0800

yeah, I get mistaken all the time for mathowie

By: dabitch

dabitch — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:23:27 -0800

you can use that to get free beers!

By: matteo

matteo — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:31:36 -0800

free beers?

I get stuff from my Amazon wishlist all the time! We have cameras! Indeed!!

(nevermind the occasional "administrator, please hope me" annoying e-mail I get -- it's worth it)

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:32:13 -0800

All those Johnnys are confusing, but other than that it's not too difficult to keep track. (Especially now that the Carlos/Miguel thing has been cleared up.) Gender-confusion was much more prevalent for me - for the longest time I was convinced soyjoy and languagehat were both women. Which, btw, is a compliment.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:50:53 -0800

I demand a blood test.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:59:28 -0800

Never nor will I have this problem with my name, pretty much ruined them: thom cat or spike but my face has tails.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:04:43 -0800

widdershins, I accept the compliment. In case you didn't see it, there was a thread about just that topic, although not everybody was completely forthcoming. (coyboy? - hey, I wasn't the only one!)

By: thirteen

thirteen — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:10:47 -0800

(Especially now that the Carlos/Miguel thing has been cleared up.)

I would not say cleared up, just dropped.

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:25:54 -0800

Ooh, soyjoy, can't believe I missed such a juicy thread! Very impressed w/the girlie count. thirteen, don't have time to search for the links, but I do believe the Carlos/Miguel thing has been explained, exonerated, exhumed and ex...whatever else you can think of. I was convinced, anyway.

By: Johnny Assay

Johnny Assay — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:40:11 -0800

Widdershins: Unfortunately, we in the Legion of Johnnys aren't as confusing as we could be - fully half of our membership has never posted. But those of us who are active participants do try to keep you on your toes.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:43:01 -0800

I believed there was a Carlos before the last blow up. Nothing was, or can easily be proven if it is actually him posting here. Over time I have even more questions about the queer posting habits of the Portuguese.

Since it does not bother Matt, I am less inclined to pick now.

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 14:05:25 -0800

Well, I sometimes get tired of answering all quonsar's fanmail because so many people get us confused.

Myself, I have been known to confuse schlongs and dongs. Hilarity ensues.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 15:06:58 -0800

they all look alike to her.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 15:28:32 -0800

It's Hildago, not Hidalgo.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 15:58:33 -0800

How about ?! and interrobang? I'm always getting them mixed up.

By: konolia

konolia — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 16:05:02 -0800

Well, are miguel and carlos the same or not? I missed the memo.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 16:13:24 -0800

They are, in fact, the same, or my username isn't kortex.

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 16:53:26 -0800

thomcatspike and tomcosgrave

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 16:54:41 -0800

I too accept the compliment, widdershins.

*belches loudly in case anybody's still confused*

By: konolia

konolia — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 19:23:38 -0800

They are, in fact, the same, or my username isn't kortex

For one brief shining moment I thought you said "kotex."

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 19:26:26 -0800

Well, there is a stavrogin, and a Pollomacho, and there's a superchicken, too, which might be confusing...

But if I see that wonderocelot, I'm gonna have to lay down the law!

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 19:30:45 -0800

you can use that to get free beers!

The skipper on the second sailboat I crewed on in Mexico a few years back looked very much like Chuck Norris. We used to get free beers all the damn time. It was excellent.

By: eddydamascene

eddydamascene — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 19:46:33 -0800

can you give me some hint about the main difference between you and the other user?

eddymanidiforbice is from Sweden.

By: y2karl

y2karl — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 21:59:53 -0800

The skipper on the second sailboat I crewed on in Mexico a few years back looked very much like Chuck Norris. We used to get free beers all the damn time. It was excellent.

Had you no shame, sir? Had you no shame?

I could maybe see Chuck Connors, maybe, or even Chuck Barris--but Chuck Norris? Eeyew...

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 22:09:19 -0800

When it comes to free beer, shame is a concept best left in the parking lot.

This life-strategy has served me well.

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Fri, 06 Jun 2003 22:21:24 -0800

Outstanding! Had I been aware there was a user with such a similar name, I no way would have picked the one I did.

Matt - change my nick to CountChocula! Do it now!

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 09:30:30 -0800

crunchburger- I realized this would be a hot-button issue for you, because you've expressed this idea before. I also wish I had given more thought to my username before getting stuck for all eternity with this one, but there you have it.

Or maybe you don't. Not to derail my own thread, but is there any precedent for changing usernames? It's not a pressing issue for me, but if you did pursue this, it could probably be done pretty easily technically, if the gold stars are any indication. But the larger issue is that there would now be two users - one in "antiquity" called crunchburger, one in the modern era called CountChocula - who were the same person. For those of us who like to keep track of who we're talking to, that would be a liability - unless the new name contained a reminder of the old, like CapnCrunch or CountCrunchula or UsetabeCrunch. Those might be a little unwieldy, though. I guess I don't have the right answer either, I'm just musin'.

By: matteo

matteo — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 10:42:13 -0800

if your username is CountChocula you're guilty of viral marketing

By: crunchland

crunchland — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 12:38:21 -0800

Let's just ban him and be done with it.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 13:11:38 -0800

My name on some boards is Sexual_Chocula. Nobody finds it as funny as me, they just think I don't know how to spell Chocolate.

By: jonson

jonson — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 14:35:54 -0800

I just realized today that there's a cody AND a scody, although by all acounts scody appears to be more active.

By: TimeFactor

TimeFactor — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 16:00:47 -0800

Anyone else have trouble keeping these guys straight: timeistight and timeistightisanidiot?

By: Ignatius J. Reilly

Ignatius J. Reilly — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 16:10:03 -0800

i've always wanted konolia to make me mad so i could call her "cornholio." :)

By: sailormouth

sailormouth — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 17:55:26 -0800

mathowie and mathowietest2003.

By: Shane

Shane — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 20:23:44 -0800

i've always wanted konolia to make me mad so i could call her "cornholio." :)

LOL! I didn't have the guts to admit I think "cornholio" everytime I see "konolia."
(See. It is fun.)

By: jonson

jonson — Sat, 07 Jun 2003 23:01:31 -0800

Will someone please tell me the whole story behind the "timeistightisanidiot" nick? Who created it? And is the user page comment ("I hate dealing with immature people") really serious, or just an example of wildly un-self aware irony by a hugely immature person who got their nose out of joint by something the usually wonderful timeistight might have said? Also, Matt, why did you let that kind of crap stand? Your site shouldn't be a place to exercise private grudges, clearly.

On second thought, this has probably been discussed before, as much on here has.

By: konolia

konolia — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 03:27:02 -0800

I am glad you are having so much fun with my grandmother's name.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 10:48:57 -0800

your grandmother was named cornholio?

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 11:22:17 -0800

I am glad you are having so much fun with my grandmother's name.

Could be worse. Imagine what springs to mind when I see langugagehat.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 11:23:59 -0800

(That should be language, of course, but: "langugage"! Whatta cool word!)

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 14:09:41 -0800

Imagine what springs to mind when I see langugagehat.

Um... what? Asshat? This is the first I've heard of any off-color implications of my username (which I had vetted by the Legion of Decency before ever posting, I'll have you know).

Just imagine how many times I've typed "langugage." It is a pretty cool word, though.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 14:54:05 -0800

I think of a talking hat when I see your name. If nothing else, it makes everything you say more memorable.

It's a wrinkley top hat, by the way. Like a chimney-sweep would wear in my imaginary cartoon version of Victorian London.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 15:07:41 -0800

Um... what? Asshat?

Yeah, that's all. No biggy. Mefi's latest hot yesterday/cliche today meme. It is cliche today, isn't it? Should be.

By: i_cola

i_cola — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 18:36:43 -0800

I used to get vito90 & Vidiot mixed until the latter scored a drink from me.
[BTW, 'Vidiot intercaps' is a Googlewhack ;-)]

I always think of biscuits (cookies) when I see languagehat...

And I always thought quonsar was funny as hell and helpful until I found out that it was quarsan that went to Tazmainia.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 23:41:53 -0800

wow! I'm in a Googlewhack! kewl. You just made my crappy day, i_cola. (Which, I note, is quite different from "made my day crappy"...a far less-fun occurrence.)

By: monkey closet

monkey closet — Mon, 09 Jun 2003 01:33:15 -0800

g i v e n t h i s m a n y m o n k e y s, w e s h o u l d b e able to rustle up at least a sonnet...

By: ?!

?! — Mon, 09 Jun 2003 05:59:20 -0800

mr. crash davis: My god man! Can't you see I'm ? on the left side and he's ? on the right!

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Mon, 09 Jun 2003 09:31:39 -0800

i agree with banning unpronounceable acronyms, but unpronounceable abbreviations need to be left alone.

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Mon, 09 Jun 2003 22:51:34 -0800

can you give me some hint about the main difference between you and the other user? Thank you.

He has a penis.

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 05:04:09 -0800

Prove it

By: crunchland

crunchland — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:21:20 -0800

rushmc, jonmc and mc hammer... and to make matters worse, I'm pretty sure they're all bankrupt in one way or another.