Confusion over dates

[Deleted User]

Can anyone explain this confusion over dates please?

born_again

Forum software update?

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81905019#Comment_81905019

I don't think that resets member joining dates, as it would presumably do so for everyone?

My guess would be a 2017 account was renamed to use the same name as an old dormant/closed pre-2009 one, thereby inheriting/blurring posting history…

[Deleted User]

I'm not sure. It appears to be the same forumite. They have the same post count (5+6=11). And the badges appear to be the same. (8 yr & combo-breaker)

If a forum member leaves, doesn't their username get changed to [Deleted User] ?

I wouldn't have thought it was possible until then that you could create a new user account with the same username as a former forumite.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81905277#Comment_81905277

I think they only appear to be the same because they have potentially been different accounts previously but both now point to the same set of details.

MSE_Stephen

Hi

I think the most likely reason is a forum migration issue.

We have moved in the past from:

YABB2 → vBulletin → Vanilla

Looking at the dates, I'd guess vBulletin held the account imported without a date, then the first time the user logged in after the migration, it decided to give them that date for the Registration date.

The Forum Team did have the ability to manually change the registration date in vBulletin, but as far as I'm aware, this was only did for one reason - Forum Team accounts, like the very one I'm using now, were back-dated because only older accounts had access to the vBulletin legacy 'Green' theme, which had superior moderation controls.