But hey, every time I try to contribute cpu cycles to a new project, I run up against this absurd wall of "name not available."

Have to call it absurd 'cause if my name were not available then how could I have used it to log in here and type this note?

If I were disposed to paranoia I'd be tempted to conclude that membership data is not safe here.

Thanx for your attention and please please suggest some way I can actually start doing something helpful here instead of constantly having to try and persuade the system I'm actually a member.