Email addresses and getting the wrong account when you sign in

I've just deployed a change to fix a very old bug, but in doing so some people will now see a side effect of the bug.

Background:

• We create your account, and your email address identifies it
  
• Whenever you sign in with that email, we give you your account
  
  

The bug was that we created duplicate accounts if:

• You sign-in with @gmail.com and originally used @googlemail.com
  
• You sign-in with user@ but originally used user+comment@
  
• You sign-in with u.s.e.r@ but originally used user@
  
  

In essence... if your email address even slightly varied from what you originally signed in with, we went and created a second account for you.

To solve this, I've created the idea of a canonical email address.

The fix is that no matter how I enter my email, I now understand that it is one and the same email:

• david.kitchen@gmail.com
  
• davidkitchen@gmail.com
  
• david.kitchen@googlemail.com
  
• david.kitchen+lfgss@gmail.com
  
• D.a.V.i.D.k.I.T.c.H.e.N+lfgss(comment)@googlemail.com
  
  

All of those are actually the same email (one I stopped using years ago, but meh).

This solves the bug, we no longer create duplicate accounts.

But...

If we had already created duplicate accounts, then during sign-in I'm going to give you the older account. The first one we saw.

That means for a tiny minority (around 0.5% of users), that we may now give you the wrong account. We fixed the big bug, but created an annoyance.

If this affects you... if now you get the wrong account when signing in. LET ME KNOW.

For those who let me know there is an issue, I'll let you know which profiles are affected and you can pick the one you want... and I'll nobble the other.

PS: This was needed because I've just changed the authentication mechanism for everyone.

Just logged out from googlemail and signed in with gmail and it all seems to have worked! Thanks!

Hi, when everything migrated over to microcosm I tried to log in to my normal account and it couldn't find it so I created a new one. Now with this new log in I did the normal details and it's put me back in my old account. Can you please merge me with Sumo.

For some reason, I've been logged out and now when logging in my user name and avatar have gone all wrong.

I'm not a number, I'm johnnyhotdog.

I tried again and I'm someone else again.

Wait..... I'm BACK!

@Velocio can't find the thread I commented on earlier - but thank you, that was enough of a hint. All sorted now.

Wait..... I'm BACK!

How many emails do you have!?

BTW, I can change your account such that whichever email you want to use you can. Let me know.

thank you, that was enough of a hint. All sorted now.

Awesome.

If you want to change the email to another, let me know.

Heeeeeelp! Can anyone assist? I'm locked out I think. I'm 'FatManOnAFixie' but today (Matthew) I'm appearing as User 67532.

To add to the problem, I no longer have access to my old work email address which I registered LFGSS with many years ago.

Can it be mended or do I have to give up cycling now?!

I have just logged in using the Gmail option (previously used an old Yahoo address). I'm @mustardbeak could you link my Gmail please?

Can it be mended or do I have to give up cycling now?!

Sign out and sign in again, I've fixed it for you.

could you link my Gmail please?

Done, sign out and sign in.

Oooo, ta Velocio! It sort of works, I logged out then in again but still 'appeared' as User 67532 but at least I've managed to reply to you adding in the word 'Old' to my FMOAF user name.

I can live with that if it makes things easier. Also, the forum software (I'm guessing) still has my old work email address, I can't seem to change it which is a bit of a bum.

Let me PM you.

I usually sign in as 'lmananimal' (https://www.lfgss.com/profiles/64378/) however with this update now have this very similar username which I don't even remember making!

Please can you work your magic? Thanks!

hi, I can't sign in any more either (fax_yourself) - my gmail got a code sent to it instead and now I am ..userxxx

Please can you work your magic? Thanks!

Magic worked, @lmananimal now works and the other has been nuked.

hi, I can't sign in any more either (fax_yourself) - my gmail got a code sent to it instead and now I am ..userxxx

Sign out and sign in again.

Now I am getting server error when I attempt sign in?

Tried both ways of logging straight in with Google, and inputting email and entering code. Both get the same response. I'm using Google Chrome and cleared cookies both times if thats an help?

Thanks!

My fault... try now.

I nuked the old profile, but not the knowledge of your email. Ooops. It should now work.

Appear to be ok.

Been logged out by the system.
Asked to log in again, did so via email address, log in code sent to my email and logged back into the right account allright :)

Back in business! Cheers.

What's with this sending a code to my registered email. Isn't that what passwords are for?