Stop using my nick!

About three years ago, I registered my name as my nickname on IRC. I had to ask the staff to expire the previous registration, given the last registered 'kitt' hadn't logged in for years, they were willing to give it to me. I also followed Andy's lead and started supporting the Peer-Directed Project Center financially (mainly with a yearly subscription).

One of the nice things about registering a nickname is that, if you use it regularly, it's yours.

So, imagine my annoyance when I logged in yesterday, and someone else, someone in Amsterdam, was using my nickname. Worse, he had it as a 'KiTT' login, with a "Remember the famous car?" tagline. He wasn't relinquishing it, and I was stuck with a secondary nick name. People in the channels still knew who I was, but I wanted my nick back! I mean, isn't that the whole point of registering a nick AND supporting the network?

After being frustrated for a bit, I asked one of the staff for help.

The answer was so simple, I was embarrassed.

[15:43]        ---| /msg nickserv help ghost
[15:43]  >nickserv< help ghost
[15:43]  -NickServ- ***** NickServ Help *****
[15:43]  -NickServ- Help for GHOST:
[15:43]  -NickServ-  
[15:43]  -NickServ- GHOST disconnects an old user session, or somebody
[15:43]  -NickServ- attempting to use your nickname without authorization.
[15:43]  -NickServ-  
[15:43]  -NickServ- If you are logged in to the nick's account, you need
[15:43]  -NickServ- not specify a password, otherwise you have to.
[15:43]  -NickServ-  
[15:43]  -NickServ- Syntax: GHOST <nick> [password]
[15:43]  -NickServ-  
[15:43]  -NickServ- Example:
[15:43]  -NickServ-     /msg NickServ GHOST foo bar
[15:43]  -NickServ- ***** End of Help *****

And so...

[15:43]        ---| /msg nickserv ghost kitt
[15:44]  >nickserv< ghost kitt
[15:44]  -NickServ- kitt has been ghosted.

And now...

[15:44]  ---| /nick kitt
[15:44]  --- You are now known as kitt
[15:44]  --- services. sets mode +e kitt

Whoo!

I'm 'kitt' again!