

HN Bug: Case sensitive login - edent
https://github.com/HackerNews/HN/issues/50

======
ColinWright
It's not the case that all usernames are lower case. User names are case
sensitive, but the system prevents you from registering with a name that
differs from another only in case. That seems a reasonable choice.

Your browser insists on capitalizing something when you don't ask for it.
That's not the fault of HN. I agree that the UI could pander to the foibles of
your system, but it's not a bug.

By the way, you have a typo. You say:

    
    
        If I try to register a user with the name "eDeNt"
        I get the error "That username is taken.  Please
        choose another."
    

But then you say:

    
    
        If I try to visit the user page
           https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=edenT
        I get an error.
    

Note that you didn't test the same username you attempted to register.

~~~
edent
Hi,

If you can't register Colinwright, does it matter what case representation you
use to log in?

You're quite right that one shouldn't capitulate to every user-generated bug.
But I'm sure I'm not the only person in the world with an Android phone which
insists on capitalising text fields. At some point one has to say "it's not
our problem - but will our users benefit if we make this change?"

It's not a typo - I was trying to show two different places where there was
apparent case sensitivity.

Thanks for the feedback.

Terence

~~~
ColinWright

      > If you can't register Colinwright, does it matter
      > what case representation you use to log in?
    

Maybe not, but maybe yes. It adds to the difficulty of hacking into an account
if you have to get the capitalization right, but I'm fairly sure you will
argue that it's not enough security to offset the frustration of not being
able to log in with differing capitalizations.

    
    
      > You're quite right that one shouldn't capitulate to
      > every user-generated bug. But I'm sure I'm not the
      > only person in the world with an Android phone which
      > insists on capitalising text fields.  At some point
      > one has to say "it's not our problem - but will our
      > users benefit if we make this change?"
    

True, but does it deserve to be called a bug?

    
    
      > It's not a typo - I was trying to show two different
      > places where there was apparent case sensitivity.
    

That wasn't at all clear to me. I'd've thought your point was that you tried
to register a name only to be told it was taken, and then provide evidence
that it was, in fact, not taken. Your reasoning is unclear on that point - you
might consider re-phrasing what you've said.

I take your point that it's an annoyance, but my experience is that it won't
be changed. I do, by the way, sympathize, because I have similar problems on
other sites.

