It would be nice to have an cleaner go through and wipe all the users that have the login once, no writeups designation from http://tinymicros.com/pm. Something like after a month, have NodeReaper or one of his minions do so for a few extra cherry pies.

Update: I agree with footpad, I'm just after the nicks that have never been used for more than one day with no input.
Current as of June 4, we have 1667 nicks with no login and 4395 that have logged in once with no writeups. Out of a total of 8553 logins that means only 30% of the nicks are or have ever been used

Update #2: According to jcwren, the "Logged In Once, No Write Ups" is really "Logged In at leastOnce, No Write Ups". So my math is a bit off. But anyone with a creation date and last time here that is the same should be considered if they have no writeups.

I'd support this so long as it didn't get out of control. Certainly clean up those that log in once but do not post and those who never log in at all. I'd make the limit about six months or so.

However, I'd be careful about cleaning up 'nyms from those who've simply wandered off for an extended pilgrimage. For example, a certain monk recently rejoined us after an extended (~9 months) absence. It would be nice for those folks to have a home node to return to.

--f

I agree with footpad, possibly this is a good reason to use the email. Maybe email those users after a six month period and ask if they still are interested in being a part of the community? Or just see if they respond (give them a time period of which a response should be expected, I'm not sure what that should be).. if not, reap 'em - and free them up for others.

I rather like this idea. No need to have 'nick' squatting. degauss has not posted any nodes, so I see no harm in this. I know tried to get the nick "Ovid" on http://www.everything2.com/ only to discover that this nick had been taken by someone who had never logged on or posted, though this nick has been taken for 2 1/2 years.

Cheers,
Ovid

Join the Perlmonks Setiathome Group or just click on the the link and check out our stats.

arhuman gives you(AnonMonk) a good name incase if you(AnonMonk) can not get just degauss you(AnonMonk) can use a real medieval name:

degauss from dalnet

or even

degauss of dalnet

--BigJoe

Learn patience, you must.
Young PerlMonk, craves Not these things.
Use the source Luke.

'degaussOfDalnet' isn't a bad idea, although I would rather not limit myself to being known only as being from Dalnet.. it could, however, be something i use until 'degauss' is freed up. but then, if i post anything, that'd screw things up..

sigh.. well, this is what i get for having a nick that's inscribed on every monitor on the planet..

..degauss of dalnet #perl.

*tiptoeing* on the subject as I don't know if I really have the authority/rep to comment on something this large, but...

I largely agree with what's been said. I'd like to say that Tye has the right idea about not deleting a username once someone has made a post. Deleting users who have made posts (correct me if i'm wrong) risks data corruption.

Unless you are willing to delete their posts and so forth, or come up with some kind of re-naming scheme, all of which seems rather undesireable.

If they are in danger of their nick being reaped, the Node Reaper should send an email giving them warning and a certain amount of time.

If the email address is invalid, or there is no response, logins or posts, then it seems reasonable to return the nick to the pool.

I am strongly against cybersquatting in principle, and this seems to be a similar issue.

For the future, I suggest a paragraph on the registration page which makes it clear that unused Nicks will be deleted after X time unused.
--
Brovnik

I believe warning might be sent to user's email address with info that 'xxx' nick is going to expire. If no action taken in X days, it'll expire and is free.

This will clean both inactive monks and typos.

Then wee need also to consider how to put 'hold' agains nick expiration, if somebody decided to sail around the globe alone without email... : )

pmas

Done. See Unused accounts zombified

... Except that that one user - degauss - was not swept up, yet remains eligible for zombification, afaict. Hmmm..

I reckon we are the only monastery ever to have a dungeon stuffed with 16,000 zombies.

That seems a little harsh. In addition, the node is tied to its creator, as I understand it. For an individual node by an infrequent user to have to revert to someone else's ownership would be a trifle awkward. I think that node creation (provided your node isn't reaped, of course) should give you a lifelong passport (right of sanctuary) at the Monastery.

Tiefling

So you think six months is harsh? Most sites only give you half as much. Three months of inactivity and your account is wiped. You would let someone squat on a name that has only 1 or 2 posts and its obvious that they either forgot about the account or abbandoned it completely. Maybe a reminder should be sent out if a person has been MIA for three months or more? So what would you suggest?

BMaximus

Oh... so Erudil can never take a sabatical? :-)