[opensource-dev] Down tools and play the "game" -- was Re: What was the point of display names?

[Dave Booth]

On 11/7/2010 19:06, Scruffy wrote:
> Can we not have the whining about Display Names on here please?  It's 
> happening so get over it. 

of course its happening, but yes its relevant to this list - because it 
impacts several areas that are VERY significant to the folks that read 
it and try to contribute.
1: it impacts the viewer-side appearance of any scripted content that 
relies on knowing nearby names,
2: it impacts any inworld experience where a residents name has become 
synonymous with a brand
3: it impacts display of friends lists and logging behavior

I dont intend to argue against its implementation, that is LLs privilege 
and they are welcome to do it - I'd even welcome it for some of the RP 
scenarios I am a member of.  However, its implementation has holes I 
could drive a Mack through without touching the sides. The vast majority 
of these problems would go away with one simple change to its 
implementation - disallow the use of an existing username as a display 
name unless the avatar in question is logged in on that username. if 
that were implemented it WOULD take display names out of any viewer-side 
context, but the word we have right now is that that isnt going to 
happen - even though it would only take a simple username lookup for the 
selected display name at any change, real trivial. So we have to discuss 
and deal with the viewer-side issues, given that  as you remind us, it 
IS going to happen.