Comment on On an open source platform, I'm supposed to be able to change my username/display name, right ?

• NABDad@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I think they’re just saying that open source doesn’t prevent crappy behavior by the creator. However, because it is open source, capable users can take the code, fix what they don’t like, and release their fixed version under the same license.

  I don’t think not being able to change your user name is at the same level of “crappy” as the examples mentioned in that paragraph. However, the point applies: you, or anyone, could take the source code and add the ability to change usernames.

  In previous discussions on the subject, I’ve read that the way Lemmy works makes it a very difficult feature to add.

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  • tiramichu@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    My comment was mostly hoping only to make a generalised point; although open source software often has certain (good) features, simply being open source doesn’t mandate or guarantee any feature at all.

    On the username subject in particular then absolutely; an inability to change your username is not the same level of ‘bad’ as things like lock-in or spying. As other commentors have mentioned I’m sure it’s not intentional at all, and simply a consequence of the implementation difficulty with federating that sort of change.

    Like the same way you can’t ‘change’ your email address. The email address is your identity - if you want a different one, you need to make a new one.

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