Question about changing user name

[feelingbad]

I had this school project that said we have to change the user name to our
full name. So after I downloaded the trial version of MS Project, I changed
my user name. (Tools > Options > General...) Finished my project. But I did
commit a big mistake. I don't want to go into details...
My question is:
Is it possible that I send someone my project (with my user name) and they
change the user name to their name, save the project ...and when the teacher
opens it my user name shows???
I don't know if it is clear what I'm asking....but....I feel really bad
because never ever did something like this. I guess that's what they call
cheating.
Anyway, thanks for the answer.

 

[Jim Aksel]

Oh my friend, it is not the Author or "User Name" that is going to catch you.
That is what a novice does to cheat....

To directly answer your question, if you give the file to a friend who
changes your name to theirs it will overwrite in the file and your name does
disappear. No, your name will not magically re-appear when the file is
re-opened.

But you are not out of the woods yet... You need to pray your instructor is
not too sophisticated. Here is how you can be easily caught...

If the instructor suspects two files share a common anscestor file, all they
have to do is run a file compare utility within Project and check a few
things like Creation Date for each task, and UniqueIDs for the tasks. If
they are all the same for the two files, it seems highly unlikely the files
were created independently. Additionally, the files will share the same
creation date .... another unlikely coincidence unless you both started from
the same file given to you by the instructor.

So, if the instructor suspects cheating, and is smart enough to look further
than the Author in the file properties, then you are caught if they can match
one of the files back to you.

I suppose the way you feel right now is evidence enough not to do it again...
--
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Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com