Question

Question for the mods: if two different people (say, siblings) sign up for OS on one computer, it's the same ip. my question is, do you consider it a double account of one person or how do you resolve it?

Answer 1

well, many universities and schools have just one ip so they may be hundreds of account from just one IP

Answer 2

This issue has come up and rarely creates some gaffs and minor blunders. But in general, OpenStudy users are so widely distributed geographically that one IP address corresponds to one user, regardless of how many usernames are associated with it. Duplicate accounts are frowned upon.

We are also good at recognizing certain patterns - like a whole lot of activity out of one IP address and realizing that it corresponds to a bunch of friends all on different computers, etc. Or successive usernames coming out of the same IP address after the first account is suspended is a classic trollz pattern.

But it is imperfect. Definitely.

Answer 3

As blues mentioned, we can usually figure out if its the same person. However, mistakes are made periodically. On these occasions we do our best to resolve it without hurting the sibling who was well-behaved, but we can't always guarantee that. If we need to do an IP ban, we're going to do it regardless.

The best way to prevent this from ever being an issue is to keep your siblings in line. haha.

Answer 4

Multiple personality syndrome doesn't count, imran. ;)

Answer 5

LOL, you will always be caught, unfortunately :P

Answer 6

?

Answer 7

IP errors can happen. However, what is generally looked for is general unruilness and banter....or problematic issues like that account ABC always logs off and then account XYZ logs on and gives "best answer" to ABC without posting, logs off, etc

Answer 8

thanks for deleting what i said , your cool.

Answer 9

whoever it was.