Change (rename) short names on existing Users

The simple answer is 'no.' But if you're really bent on it, Apple documents the process of creating a new user and integrating the old user's files. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106824 (updated 2005 so i assume the process has not changed)
I believe this is targeted at OS X client, as a standalone. The process for an OpenDirectory account may differ.

Also, there is a utility called ChangeShortName that supposedly automates this process at www.danfrakes.com. I haven't run it and I believe it's intended for standalone OS X clients -- I have no idea what it'd do on a server. I think it's one of those "run at your own risk" things.

Hi

The quickest and easiest way would be to simply add another short name. The inital short name would still be there but you dont have to use it, just ignore it. Off hand I think you can have up to 256 short names limited to a length of 30 characters. Funnily enough the initial short name can be 256 characters long.

You could take this further if you want and delete the account and recreate it with the desired initial short name. You can do all this using whats available in the GUI.

There are ways of doing this using terminal as has already been stated, why bother it takes half the effort and time doing it the standard way. Of course you could treat it as a challenge and have a go anyway.

Tony

Actually, Apple's method that I linked to documents the process of making a new user account. Changing the permissions without resorting to command line can be done through Get Info (you'd think apple would document the 'standard way'?)

Too bad Migration Assistant only works between two system volumes.