# Use same @references everwhere

**URL:** <https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139>\
**Category:** Data Management\
**Created:** [August 26, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139 "2015-08-26T18:20:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RHL](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/rhl/32/25_2.png) [@RHL](https://www.rubin.community/u/RHL)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/1 "2015-08-26T18:20:25Z")

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Is there a way to make @ksk work in discourse (instead of or as well as @ SimonKrughoff)? I’d like to use the same @ everywhere if possible.

And I hope the phrase “contacts database” isn’t in the reply.

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**Author:** ![jsick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/jsick/32/672_2.png) [@jsick](https://www.rubin.community/u/jsick)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/2 "2015-08-26T18:23:04Z")

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I plan to build a ‘database’ for DM to relate people’s HipChat, discourse, email and other identities to automate groups. My plan is to side-step the official contacts database.

Right now people are free to choose their username and typically have 3 days after signup to change it. An admin (me) can change it anytime thereafter. But before I consolidate handles, I’d want to have everyone’s consent and give them a heads-up.

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**Author:** ![RHL](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/rhl/32/25_2.png) [@RHL](https://www.rubin.community/u/RHL)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/3 "2015-08-26T18:24:58Z")

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I’d default to making everyone the same here as hipchat, but check with individuals. E.g. @SimonKrughoff did you mean not to be @ksk here?

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**Author:** ![swinbank](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/swinbank/32/24_2.png) [@swinbank](https://www.rubin.community/u/swinbank)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/4 "2015-08-26T19:22:09Z")

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In my case at least – and I’m guessing more generally, although I forget the details of the signup process – the Discourse username is lifted from GitHub. I was not a sufficiently early-bird to nab `jds` on GitHub, but did on HipChat where there’s less competition. Standardization would be nice (& also with JIRA, Confluence etc).

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**Author:** ![timj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/timj/32/10_2.png) [@timj](https://www.rubin.community/u/timj)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/5 "2015-08-26T19:38:37Z")

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> [@jdswinbank](#):
>
> the Discourse username is lifted from GitHub.

but as @jsick notes you can change your user ID on Discourse. Mine used to match my LSST email root until I changed it. I had not realised there was a time limit on users being able to change their own.

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**Author:** ![KSK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/ksk/32/393_2.png) [@KSK](https://www.rubin.community/u/KSK)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/use-same-references-everwhere/139/6 "2015-09-08T17:32:31Z")

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I didn’t realize that I had a time limit either. I’d be happy to change mine as well, but I don’t seem to be able to do it anymore.