10

I sometimes see unregistered users losing their cookie and editing their original question with another account. For example, in this edit, you can see it.

So, what should we do to help them? Is there a way for 2 unregistered accounts to be merged? I know of the way you can merge to registered accounts, but does it work for unregistered accounts as well?

3
  • I agree it would be REALLY useful to be able to merge unregistered accounts, but unlike registered accounts there is no way to PROVE it's the same person on the other end of the line, even an IP address is no guarantee (shared IPs, Dynamic IPs, public computers), it's important to respect the original account holder's rights. A silverlining would be it provides incentive to register. To me, even what this example user did (edited from another account) is not acceptable, because the new information should be treated as if it comes from a different person. Am I coming off snarky?
    – Robin Hood
    Commented Sep 20, 2014 at 22:05
  • @RobinHood I agree that it is very difficult to actually find out whether the editor is the same person, but in this particular case, I think it was acceptable because it is a small amount of info, and I know it's a response to my comment. In cases where a lot of text is added/removed and the meaning is changed, it is more likely it is a random user. Also, the OP user id was 370412 and the editor 370434 - they're very close which probably means the OP figured out he lost his cookie and reregistered.
    – ᔕᖺᘎᕊ
    Commented Sep 21, 2014 at 9:54
  • 6
    Here, I have a spare one upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/… (sorry, couldn't resist)
    – user201262
    Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 20:28

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
11

Unfortunately, other than suggesting they use the contact us link, and asking SE to merge the accounts in questions, there is nothing you can do. And yes, this works with unregistered accounts as well.

8
  • That's too bad. I'd make a feature-request, but I have no idea what to request! I can't think of anything that could help people without their cookie!
    – ᔕᖺᘎᕊ
    Commented Sep 20, 2014 at 12:26
  • @ṧнʊß How about a box in the ??moderator area?? where they can enter the 2 account user id's (not names), and click a merge button?
    – Robin Hood
    Commented Sep 20, 2014 at 22:20
  • Mods used to be able to do it, but there's some potential underlying issues so... its dev only.
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Commented Sep 21, 2014 at 7:53
  • 1
    meta.stackexchange.com/questions/192725/… That's the full, official story.
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Commented Sep 21, 2014 at 11:45
  • ah, ok. thank you
    – ᔕᖺᘎᕊ
    Commented Sep 21, 2014 at 17:23
  • Speaking of which, it used to be that mods would merge spam users into a special user called the "deposit" user, but they no longer do, both because of this, and because "there are better methods now than merging into the deposit user".
    – gparyani
    Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 15:09
  • @JourneymanGeek actually, to merge accounts automagically, you need at least one registered account.
    – Braiam
    Commented Sep 25, 2014 at 0:35
  • Oh true. You still need to get a dev to do it tho
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Commented Sep 25, 2014 at 0:40
-4

I usually recommend Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate for someone who is losing their cookies.

1
  • 1
    this should really be a comment.
    – ᔕᖺᘎᕊ
    Commented Oct 2, 2014 at 18:35

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .