change name in app

[designtrooper]

I am building a web app were I will require the name and lastname from the user.

My question is if it reasonable to give the option to the user to alter/modify these two.

I mean, people, have the same name and lastname throughout their lifes.

Of course there are some exceptions to the above rule-but from another point of view changing the name and lastname in
an account might hide security issues.

What do you think?

[DaveMaxwell]

The only thing you should really prevent someone from changing in a profile is the identifying portion (what they use to login). And even there, a mechanism should be in place to allow that as well....

[designtrooper]

The only thing you should really prevent someone from changing in a profile is the identifying portion (what they use to login). And even there, a mechanism should be in place to allow that as well....

Τhe identifying portion will be the e-mail and the password.
I have never witnessed a site that does not give you the option to change these two.

[DaveMaxwell]

Τhe identifying portion will be the e-mail and the password.
I have never witnessed a site that does not give you the option to change these two.

They do, but there's usually extra steps (email confirmation / password validation & double entry).

as for name, people change names all the time - marriages, religious reasons, just because....

[dresden_phoenix]

Don't underestimate the need for for change in ones life.


For example, I may drop hotmail for another email provider after I sign up. Will you still send me all my notices to a nonexistent email by not allowing me to update my email (since is part of the log in )


User names, that is monikers specifically chosen by the user, well that 50-50. It can be a exercise in vanity to be able to use a cooler nick that occurred to you after you initially signed up , but still be able to retain any seniority/data. However this could be confusing to other users.

I assume you are checking for duplicate emails/usernames before submission? that is to prevent the coincidental choosing of the same pass/login by different users?

Incidentally, your DB should contain a UNIQUE field/key for each sing up, data which is invisible to the user him/herself .. and this is the way site management should be able to identify the user.