[tim]

how can a system be built that can prevent special chars?

let's say i wanna switch my username to Eagle 95 and impersonate him.

i can add special char

but how can HF make system to chagne username to prevent specail char?

how is this possible? is it possible? easy to do? if it's easy to do and possible, can it be done? is there reason it won't be done? or?

just wondering. ty. am sure it was suggested, but idk .

[UpTheCrust]

how can a system be built that can prevent special chars?

let's say i wanna switch my username to Eagle 95 and impersonate him.

i can add special char

but how can HF make system to chagne username to prevent specail char?

how is this possible? is it possible? easy to do? if it's easy to do and possible, can it be done? is there reason it won't be done? or?

just wondering. ty.

I know Omni recently said if he started HF over he would disallow special characters. I dont think it would be hard to disable them but he might not want to force everyone using them now to change their username

[PerfectStorm]

Hmm I don't know.. it doesn't sound very easy to me. Impersonators get wacked pretty quick anyway, don't they?

[tim]

I know Omni recently said if he started HF over he would disallow special characters. I dont think it would be hard to disable them but he might not want to force everyone using them now to change their username

yeah i am wondering how could it be done programmatically. never done it in code, curious how.

basically to prevent people stealing other people's usernames etc.

---

Hmm I don't know.. it doesn't sound very easy to me. Impersonators get wacked pretty quick anyway, don't they?

yeah they do, but hwen they do it during a deal in marketplace, not quickly until a scam happens u know? thts wh i ask

[PerfectStorm]

yeah i am wondering how could it be done programmatically. never done it in code, curious how.

basically to prevent people stealing other people's usernames etc.

---

yeah they do, but hwen they do it during a deal in marketplace, not quickly until a scam happens u know? thts wh i ask

Well its an interesting Idea but I don't think anything is set in place to detect it. I guess let others reply.

[tim]

Well its an interesting Idea but I don't think anything is set in place to detect it. I guess let others reply.

yeah maybe admin can let us know if it's doable and worth the time to try to make iguess.

[PerfectStorm]

Yeah one of the mods will post here Im sure just be patient

[Narrate]

I mean, there's a way to block characters in usernames. It could be done in two seconds.

The issue is that a ton of people already use invisible characters in their usernames, and it would probably be pretty difficult to set a system for them to have the characters removed from their names. But again, not impossible. There's just so many invisible characters though, so that would take a while. Plus you would have to make it where, if someone with an invisible character in their username has their base username taken, has the option (or more likely forced) to change their username to something available.

But again, that seems like it would be pretty time consuming for something that's really a non-issue. You can't really impersonate staff since you don't have the usergroup.

[tim]

I mean, there's a way to block characters in usernames. It could be done in two seconds.  

The issue is that a ton of people already use invisible characters in their usernames, and it would probably be pretty difficult to set a system for them to have the characters removed from their names. But again, not impossible. There's just so many invisible characters though, so that would take a while. Plus you would have to make it where, if someone with an invisible character in their username has their base username taken, has the option (or more likely forced) to change their username to something available.

But again, that seems like it would be pretty time consuming for something that's really a non-issue. You can't really impersonate staff since you don't have the usergroup.

no need to get them to change usernames.

if they try to change their username AGAIN, it should enforce this new rule. Therefore, no site-wide change is required. all future changes must abide by the rule, done programatticaly.

[Narrate]

no need to get them to change usernames.

if they try to change their username AGAIN, it should enforce this new rule. Therefore, no site-wide change is required. all future changes must abide by the rule, done programatticaly.

Again though, it's really a non-issue. You can tell if someone's an imposter just by taking the minute to look at their profile.

And then once they get reported, they're gone.

[PerfectStorm]

no need to get them to change usernames.

if they try to change their username AGAIN, it should enforce this new rule. Therefore, no site-wide change is required. all future changes must abide by the rule, done programatticaly.

Im pretty sure l33t can change username correct? obviously r00t and ub3r. L33t isnt too expensive so that makes it easy for scammers I assume.

[tim]

Again though, it's really a non-issue. You can tell if someone's an imposter just by taking the minute to look at their profile.

And then once they get reported, they're gone.

true. i guess.

no idea, whatever. just suggestion/possible suggestion idk

[Xerotic]

It would be easy to do programmatically. Just limit allowed characters to ASCII range 32-126. At this point I just assume Omniscient doesn't want to because so many usernames already use special characters.

What is the solution? Tell all users on HF that they have a deadline to remove special characters before their account names are randomized? Then we have a bunch of random string usernames all over the place. You have to consider members that are not active as well.

[tim]

It would be easy to do programmatically. Just limit allowed characters to ASCII range 32-126. At this point I just assume Omniscient doesn't want to because so many usernames already use special characters.

What is the solution? Tell all users on HF that they have a deadline to remove special characters before their account names are randomized? Then we have a bunch of random string usernames all over the place. You have to consider members that are not active as well.

ye true makes sense.

it is tough i guess.

[Narrate]

It would be easy to do programmatically. Just limit allowed characters to ASCII range 32-126. At this point I just assume Omniscient doesn't want to because so many usernames already use special characters.

What is the solution? Tell all users on HF that they have a deadline to remove special characters before their account names are randomized? Then we have a bunch of random string usernames all over the place. You have to consider members that are not active as well.

Plus, can't you use a special character at the time of account creation?

So those who can't change their usernames since they aren't upgraded are either shit out of luck, or staff would have to deal with all of them manually.

It's just pointless imo.