After buying the name change, I thought I would see who had MY first choice............there isn't anyone, so why couldn't I have my first choice of name?

That username was already taken. Please remember that if you did just a "member search" that only shows you members that have logged in in the last year, its not everyone that is registered with Renderosity.

So if someone hasn't bothered to sign in for a year, surely they should asked to re-register and if they didn't, could I then have my first choice of name? My first choice of name, is the name I am known by on at least 50 sites and it seems daft that it is reserved but not used.

Can you email me (stacey@bondware.com ) with that first choice so I can do some digging on it?

Quote - So if someone hasn't bothered to sign in for a year, surely they should asked to re-register and if they didn't, could I then have my first choice of name? .

I could see that if this was just a site with a forum, but it's not. It's got a store and if that person purchased stuff, whether they have logged in or not in 3 years, doesn't mean their account should be closed and them denied access to their purchases, if they have made any.

Perhaps there is extenuating circumstances to them not having logged in. Maybe they have suffered personal loss of some kind, or having major financial problems and don't have access to the internet, or maybe their computer died and they can't afford another one currently, or any number of other reasons.

Quote - ... Perhaps there is extenuating circumstances to them not having logged in. ...

Definitely a possibility. I stopped making pictures and logging in for a year or more when my mom died, and then it was hit or miss when my dad got sick. He passed away this past summer, and I found myself becoming much more active again.

I agree with you both and you are right. All I was aying that maybe it should be policy that after say 18 months of inactivity three reminders, over three months should be sent  and then if no reply then the account closed. As more and more people use the internet, then  there is less space and it seems daft to have orphaned acounts just hanging about taking up space. 

A number of sites I am a member on (who also have stores) require a minimum of time/log ins and you are sent reminders.

Years ago, I would have agreed with you on the point of a computer failing and not being able to get back on but most people have some sort of access to the net either through library, cafe or friends/relatives these days.

If the person themselves have died, I doubt very much they will be needing to access their products and products have been bequeathed products to someone, then they should have their own account.

If at the end of the day, years down the line, they decided to revisit their account, then I am sure Renderosity would allow them to open another account but with a different name. If they haven't bought anything then there is no problem and galleries have been deleted for other reasons in the past.

Quote - Years ago, I would have agreed with you on the point of a computer failing and not being able to get back on but most people have some sort of access to the net either through library, cafe or friends/relatives these days.

I don't. I'm off work ill and it's had for me to get out, and between doctor appointments, tests and getting out to buy food, I'm too exhausted to go anywhere else, let alone a library to use a computer.

If my desktop dies on me (and I think it will be doing that really soon), I'm off line until I can get another computer and due to extremely tight  finances, that wouldn't be for several months.

As for friends and family with computers?  Amazingly enough none of my friends have computers, and the only family members I have that do live 3 hours away.

So while you may think that in this day and age it's impossible to not have computer access, there are some who don't.

I've always been a big proponet of closing inactive accounts at Rendo.  IMHO, if you haven't logged on in 12 months or longer, you're no longer interested and the account should be eliminated.  I would also agree that warnings should be sent via e-mail.

But with that said, and the policy here as it is, I'm afraid it's first come, first serve for user names.

As far as having past purchases in the MP available for download, as I've said before here, it's your responsibility to archive your purchased goods to DVD.  There is no excuse not to do this when considering how cheap burners and blank DVDs are these days.  What if Rendo goes belly up in the next 6 months?  What will you do then?

I **wanted to weigh in on this too. I think that a "Grandfathered" account with no activity should be stored in an archived area for no less than 6months and no more than a year. Ren is not and should not be responsible for an account where...

** **A) That party has not logged on/or made purchase for over a year>
****B) That party had a lot of $$$ tied up in purchases, and did not want to lose
them, They could not find the time in a whole year to let someone know to
safeguard said purchases>
****C) There has been a formal request to purchase use of that name, and there is
no recent history or notice, to show intent to return

That is very fair, and all that being said, in an emergency Ren does have an actual
phone# for the business office(*which I put in my phone book just in case)! So no
puter is neccessary to let someone know. I find on the very rare occassions that I
had to call, courteous attention was given.  I feel that is what makes Ren so much
more than any other site, there is always a Human if you really need one!
This is just my opinion...good luck KS!
HuggerZ!
Ariana 
**