Are accounts expired?

[thorin]

Do AT Forum accounts expired (deleted) after a certain period of non-use (3 months or something). The 91k + user that are registered are likely 50% or more bogus and non-used accounts. It would free up alot of nicks, and a bit of DB space if accounts were expired from time to time.

Thorin

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From time to time, we prune "dead" accounts, but seldom if they are only three months old. Usually, they are over a year old, and almost always with no posts, unless they belong to a known banned troll.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[yiwonder]

But then it would allow nicks previously used by trolls to be used again. I don't think that would work out. It also might create some confusion with people that left a long time ago, their account is deleted, then someone else comes back and either claims to be that real person or gets some big welcome back.

I certainly don't think it's a bad idea, but I guess for a few minor reasons, once a nick is taken, it's taken for good. (and I bet 50% is quite conservative...)

 

[richleader]

Plus, the big number looks impressive up top.

 

[Maggotry]

Is there a way to see how many accounts are active (used in the last 3 months)? I wonder if Zuni could get that kind of info, just for grins. I think that would be interesting.

 

[ProviaFan]

I'd agree with what yiwonder said about the problems with account expiration. But still, it'd be interesting to see what kind of stats there are for active accounts, and I'd also think it'd be cool to see a graph of distribution of post count numbers (i.e. how many junior members, members, senior members, etc.)