cwb
join:2008-05-01
Mountain View, CA
| Reclaiming a previous username
Hello again!
I just wanted to make a quick suggestion regarding a former user reclaiming a previous username.
I just placed an online order to activate Sonic.net service. When I tried to select a username, the system said my choice was taken so I completed the order with an alternate username.
I then contacted online support, and asked if the username was really taken by a current user or just reserved due to my old account. I was told it was my account, but that now that the online order had been submitted (minutes earlier) it was "too late" to change it.
I would just like to suggest that either the web site give a previous customer the option to reactivate their old account, or at least add some text to the "username is taken" message to indicate that one should not submit their order online if they wish to reclaim an old login.
Hope that's clear, please let me know if not.
Thanks!
Craig |
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xan_user
join:2004-11-18
Windsor, CA | Good idea!
Will they let you use the old one as a second email address on your 'new' account? |
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cwb
join:2008-05-01
Mountain View, CA
| Nope, I get the same old "That name is already in use. Please choose another name."
The sales rep indicated that I may be able to change my username for a $5 fee. A little bit annoying, but I may give that a try once the service is up and stably running.
I also have the feeling I'd have gotten a better answer out of tech support than I did out of sales...  |
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billern
join:2003-01-22
Santa Rosa, CA
 ·SONIC.NET
1 edit | said by cwb  :Nope, I get the same old "That name is already in use. Please choose another name." The sales rep indicated that I may be able to change my username for a $5 fee. A little bit annoying, but I may give that a try once the service is up and stably running. I also have the feeling I'd have gotten a better answer out of tech support than I did out of sales... It is a good thing that your former isp makes it hard for someone to take over your old email address.
If you have not updated your contact email address on your other online accounts, it is often possible to takeover your other accounts if you can get the old email address. Click on the link 'forgot my password', enter old email address, and someone has an email with your login at your old address. doh!
I'm sure that there are probably other reasons (like maintaining customer and billing histories) but perhaps we should be happy that sonic.net does not make your old email address available. |
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DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs:
| reply to cwb
See Bill's good response for why it's important that previous email addresses cannot be taken over by new users. This is how, for example, someone hacked Twitter corp info via Hotmail, who re-assigned an address.
If you sign up with the staff by phone, you can re-sign-up under the old username. We'd be happy to have you back! 
Login changes are very challenging, and are NOT recommended, particularly if you've got any advanced services like SQL databases, webspace, etc. To get the old email address back, if you can prove that you are the old owner, we'll be happy to add an email alias toward another login.
-Dane |
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cwb
join:2008-05-01
Mountain View, CA
| Bummer.
I don't really care about the email address, it's the webspace URL and shell logins that are more important to me.
I am a sysadmin, and bouncing around between systems is just a little easier when your logins are consistent.
I know that changing usernames can be trouble, and that's why I brought the issue up immediately, before the account was provisioned.
Now I know that I should have canceled the online sign-up immediately and called in, thus my suggestion that you add that instruction to the process! |
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DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs: | Got it - thanks for the suggestion!
-Dane |
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