Deleting old, inactive users

celeste • 6 January 2012 at 7:57 PM

I remember suggesting this a while ago, but there were many comments which showed they did not approve of my idea. However, I decided to improve upon the original idea, as I still like the idea of having a bit more space and less waste when searching for users (as well as epic free usernames!)

If an account is to be nominated for deletion, it should have:
-Not logged in for a year
-Little/No profile comments
-Little/No rares
-Barely any creatures, if any
-Barely any friends, if any
-Low creature levels

If there is inactivity for 1 year 8 months, an email notification will be sent, reminding the user to log in, get some creatures, and maybe some forum posts as well. If they cannot achieve this within 3 months, then their account is deleted. It's fair enough, as they have already been notified, and it's only their fault if they don't log in after this again.

The message could read:

"Hello, *insert username*!
We, the Egg Cave Council, have noticed you have been inactive for quite a while. Why not come back, log in, get some creatures, and maybe some forum posts? If you do not log in after 3 months from the date of this message, we're afraid your account will have to be deleted. Thanks!
From, the Egg Cave Council"

If they choose not to return, they can always make a new account at a later date.

Opinions?
@dionaea
@catherineprettty
@inhabitant
@plushie
@cafe

smilies • 6 January 2012 at 8:00 PM

Little or no profile comments? Hmmm :/
Otherwise, ya.

Deleted • 6 January 2012 at 8:01 PM

Possibly :/

Deleted • 6 January 2012 at 8:07 PM

@celeste Good idea. Maybe the time should be a little shorter though? Like six to eight months 😊

celeste • 6 January 2012 at 8:08 PM

@cupcakeninja
The last time I posted this topic, people have been talking about extending this timeframe - up to 5, 10, or even 15 years, so I thought just leaving it at one year should be enough 😊

crescentfeather • 6 January 2012 at 8:08 PM

I support this.

Because they're just clogging up space.

Also because I want star for a side account name. :x

There could be more than one notification, like if they accidentally delete it or something.

Sorta like account purges on Neo...?

Deleted • 6 January 2012 at 8:09 PM

@celeste Fifteen years? Jeez! 😋 We have enough inactive users already! Haha.

toy • 6 January 2012 at 8:09 PM

No.
If my account Chatial was deleted,
I wouldn't have rejoined.
And I was inactive with VERY old comments.
And no critters.
If that account was deleted then I wouldn't be here.

harrypotter123698 • 6 January 2012 at 8:11 PM

I like the idea but not this part:

Little/No rares

Because everybody that plays egg cave doesent have rare eggs 😊

And, not too fond of the little/no profile comments one because people delete their profile comments and some users are just quiet/shy 😊

Deleted • 6 January 2012 at 8:20 PM

Exactly.
I am like @toy.
I rejoined in Feb. 2011, so I would've have rejoined if my account was deleted

balletninja • 6 January 2012 at 8:25 PM

I guess if you get a fair warning?

I mean a on of long gone users probably sway Ian's stats on people joined in on eggcave.

I might not be here, but I dunno.

This might be good.

pebblestar-nightclan • 6 January 2012 at 8:25 PM

@celeste

Erm... I disagree... What if someone goes on hiatus for a while? Well, there goes their account...

balletninja • 6 January 2012 at 8:27 PM

@pebblestar-nightclan A year? Of hiatus?

Deleted • 6 January 2012 at 8:27 PM

@pebblestar-nightclan Well maybe they could like tell Ian before they go? Or if they have a note on their profile or status about it, maybe he won't delete their account..

pebblestar-nightclan • 6 January 2012 at 8:28 PM

@balletninja

It's definitely possible. I've heard of it before... Not that it would be for every user, but it still can happen. I would be pretty upset if my cove got deleted...

rainbowen • 6 January 2012 at 8:31 PM

@celeste
I like your idea! Lots of websites do it, and it does make things less cluttered. I think if this went underway, at least 2 emails should be sent.

Even if people go on a hiatus, they could just log on every month or so and then leave right after they long on.

celeste • 6 January 2012 at 8:31 PM

@avelaingia
Adding! 😸 I'm not too sure about creature levels, but friends, yes! 😸 Can you please explain the creature levels part?

balletninja • 6 January 2012 at 8:32 PM

I just don't see the point of users hanging around and taking up usernames when they are never even online.

celeste • 6 January 2012 at 8:34 PM

@avelaingia
I see... Adding! 😸

phoenixfox • 6 January 2012 at 8:38 PM

I don't think so, there are some they may have to leave for long periods of time with limited or no internet access at all. Like a trip overseas for instance...

((I'm playing devil's advocate on this one))

brokendragon • 6 January 2012 at 8:44 PM

i like the idea mostly (except the part about not havingenough rares 😋)

musicgurl333 • 6 January 2012 at 8:55 PM

I think that there are too many restrictions. It would be hard to create an computer program to figure out who to delete, and who to keep, and Ian isn't going to go through every account by hand. Plus, I don't think a year is a long enough time. If you have immortal creatures, you could easily leave for a year, and then come back.

tawolf • 6 January 2012 at 9:03 PM

Sorry, but i disagree. I've gone on hiatus lasting years in neopets, but i always come back. I think ive had that account like 7 years now or something close. I always enjoy coming back because i know it'll still be there. Besides, eggcave is not meant to be a lifelong commitment. It's just a game for those who have time to spare. Punishing them for actually having a life outside of eggcave is not the right hing to do. Those extra accounts aren't doing anything to hurt you, I don't understand why this is so big an issue. If they take up names, well than maybe people just need to be a little more creative. Just my opinion, Im not trying to get into a giant debate with anyone over this.

dionaea • 7 January 2012 at 2:51 AM

I think the period of not logging in should be the only criterium, though maybe I'd make it two years. Neopets deletes old inactive accounts too, but they wait much longer (like 5 years or something...). +1

space • 7 January 2012 at 2:53 AM

I agree with @dionaea
+1 😊

celeste • 7 January 2012 at 3:03 AM

@dionaea @catherineprettty
Thanks! ❤️ Adding...

icymuffin • 7 January 2012 at 3:22 AM

The only problem to me is that, each user varies. One user will always use the forum frequently, one user won't. One user usually will pop in a few times a month, one user every day. One user mostly rares & LEs, another whatever they get their hands on. And you get the idea.

Just a suggestion to this, I think if they are inactive for # months they get a mail. If they do not respond/click sent link/whatnot in a certain period of time then their account is nominated for deleting {then investigated & if viewed as inactive, deleted.}
The list would be taken into account, but not as a checklist of things the account -must- have or not to be deleted.

bunnyshadow • 7 January 2012 at 3:25 AM

I like this, support! 😊

evolutary • 7 January 2012 at 3:37 AM

People can have multiple email addresses that they don't use any more, such as making a new one and abandoning the old email address which could be linked to their Egg Cave account. The notification would be sent to the email address which they no longer use. This would probably be a minor issue, though. 😉

I'm a person who likes numbers. So I'd actually be interested to see how many active users there are, not how many were created. Same with how many alive creatures there are, as the number on the front page shows how many were created, including the ones that died.

gigglesraindrop72 • 7 January 2012 at 4:08 AM

@harrypotter123698 I like your idea. I new to Egg Cave. Love it. I don't have many eggs in my little egg family(working on it). Some people have work, school, kids, etc that can only play maybe on the weekends or a little during the week.

I think if a player shows that he/she is taking care of their eggs and their friends eggs without any "downtime" e.i. 1 month.

Then the account should stay open. There should be a set of guidelines in place like the Start up rules when you join Egg Cave that clearly explains this policy.

This way there are no surprises or unhappy players. Just a thought. Thanks for your time everyone. Jocelyn 😊