Alternative accounts - the rules Options

[Doug]

Alternative accounts

Inappropriate uses of alternative accounts

• Sock puppetry is using more than one account in order to violate forum rules or cause disruption. The user who uses a 'sock puppet' may be called a sock puppeteer. Using sock puppets and Sock puppetry is not allowed.
• Alternative puppet accounts should not be used to contribute to topics started by or contributed to from another account, i.e. talking to oneself.
• Alternative accounts are not to be used to vote more than once in a poll.
• Using alternative puppet accounts to split your contributions and hide activity from Mods is not allowed.
• Role accounts, accounts which are used by multiple people, are not allowed. If you run one account with multiple users, it is likely to be blocked.
• If a member has been banned or blocked from access, then he is not allowed to set up an Alternative account.

Legitimate uses of alternative accounts

• Alternative accounts have legitimate uses. For example, some Admins and Mods may use extra accounts for technical purposes and for testing.
• Some retailers may have a professional account as well as a personal account. This should be clear an unambiguous. If you are not sure, please ask the Mods in advance.

Clean start under a new name

• If you have a negative track record and you have decided to make a genuine, clean, and honest new start, and do not wish it to be tarnished by your prior conduct, with the permission from the forum Mods, you can simply stop using the old account(s), and make an unconnected new account. This becomes the only account you then use, and is used in a good manner.
• Discontinuing the old account means specifically that the old account is not used for changing ever again. If the old account is later used in addition to a new account after supposedly being discontinued, then it has not been discontinued and would fall under the policy for alternative accounts, above.

Note, if you wish to leave the forum, we do not delete your content. We will endeavour to protect your privacy and we can hide any email address or real name, but we will not delete old posts or topics.

[StuBeeDoo]

I'm sorry, I may be thick (or any other derogatory term you'd like to use) but I fail to see what can be gained from anyone having multiple accounts - other than mods/admins noted above. If this is happening, is there not away of setting-up the forum to filter it out?

[Doug]

Unfortunately not.

Some members use different email addresses and even different internet ISPs to register different accounts.

In the past we have tried to fair and we have let a few go by without fuss. We are now seeing abuse of multiple accounts so we are making these rules clear. Steps will be taken to sort out the problem accounts.

[Keef921]

Doug,

I have ended up with two accounts, Keef and Keef921.

The first one (Keef) was from when I only had access to a PC at work. When I was made redundant I had to buy a PC for the home but couldn't remember any logon details so I re-registered.
Is there anyway to 'merge' the accounts and posts under Keef921.

Regards Keith