Introduction to Forums – Choosing a Username
The more members a forum has, the more likely it is that someone is going to have your username. But if you are ‘always’ a certain username but that name is taken on the forum, don’t worry. You can think of another one.
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However, there are a few aspects to usernames that are sure to get you ridicule and/or make you sick of them after a certain amount of time. The last thing you want is to choose a name that you’re going to want to change soon after.
Here are a few tips for picking out a username that will last you for a long time and won’t open you up for insults:
*Don’t use your real name. As tempting as it might be to do so, it’s always best to use a pseudo name for your username. You can avoid a lot of trouble by doing so.
*Do choose something unique. For example, if you are signing up on a creative writing site, having ‘writer’ in your name isn’t going to be very original.
*Don’t put a year into your username. Especially not the current year. Your birth year is acceptable, but putting the current year is bound to put you off next year or the year after that…
*Do remember the simple is best. Simple, short usernames are easier to remember and faster to type. If you want to avoid a possibly unflattering nickname, keep your name short.
*Don’t be too boring with your chosen name – if you can think of something that relates to the forum, and is a little bit clever, feel free to use it. But calling yourself ‘Black Hole’ on an astronomy forum might lead to comments about how you really suck.
Keep these things in mind and you are well on your way to having a fun forum experience.

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