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Comment by echelon | Hacker News Reader

I would so switch to using Gitlab if my username was available. I'm `echelon` here, on Twitter, on Gmail, on Github... I was so disappointed to be `echelon1`.

Is there any means to claim a username if it isn't in use?

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Same. I'm @kel on github and twitter but that's taken on here and gitlab. I emailed to ask since it was just being squatted on but gitlab told me no.

Wow. Well, if that's the case I'll never be using Gitlab then. :(

I'd pay money to have my username, too.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to claim a username that is already taken. That would be unfair to other users.

GitLab.com is growing fast, but most people should be able to still claim their username.

Of course, you always have the option to run your own instance relatively easily [0].

[0]: https://about.gitlab.com/downloads/

GitHub has a policy of releasing dormant usernames, will GitLab do that?

We have currently no plans, but happy to discuss it [0].

[0]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/14932

Would love to be able to use my GitHub username on GitLab as well. Currently occupied by a dormant user with zero activity over the last 10 months, no repos except a fork of GitLab CE and no added commits to it. Of course I don't know if he has private repos or not.

We're considering adopting the same policy, see the issue linked above.

That would be amazing.

(I'm not sure why I got downvoted into oblivion. I stated my honest opinion--I haven't signed up for a lot of services where I can't use the username I want.)

I can't speak for anyone else, but it seems exceptionally ridiculous to me that you'd make a choice of which technology to use based on whether or not your username is available. I don't know if I'd downvote anyone for that, but it did inspire a laugh out loud moment.

Dude, I can't even use my preferred username here (it's too long).

Worse things happen at sea.

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