diff --git a/www/code/inner.js b/www/code/inner.js
index 4328f0d8f..4f6c0308e 100644
--- a/www/code/inner.js
+++ b/www/code/inner.js
@@ -388,9 +388,7 @@ define([
     var andThen2 = function (editor, CodeMirror, framework, isPresentMode) {
 
         var common = framework._.sfCommon;
-        var metadataMgr = common.getMetadataMgr();
-        var privateData = metadataMgr.getPrivateData();
-        CodeMirror.uid = metadataMgr.getUserData().uid;
+        var privateData = common.getMetadataMgr().getPrivateData();
 
         var previewPane = mkPreviewPane(editor, CodeMirror, framework, isPresentMode);
         var markdownTb = mkMarkdownTb(editor, framework);
diff --git a/www/code/markers.js b/www/code/markers.js
index b8a53bdd9..48e5a25fb 100644
--- a/www/code/markers.js
+++ b/www/code/markers.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ define([
     '/customize/messages.js',
     '/bower_components/chainpad/chainpad.dist.js',
     '/common/inner/common-mediatag.js',
-], function (Util, SFCodeMirror, Messages, ChainPad, MT) {
+    '/common/common-interface.js',
+], function (Util, SFCodeMirror, Messages, ChainPad, MT, UI) {
     var Markers = {};
 
     /* TODO Known Issues
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ define([
             });
         }
         uid = Number(uid);
-        var name = Util.fixHTML((author.name || "").trim());
+        var name = Util.fixHTML(UI.getDisplayName(author.name));
         var animal;
         if ((!name || name === Messages.anonymous) && typeof(author.uid) === 'string') {
             animal = MT.getPseudorandomAnimal(author.uid);
diff --git a/www/common/outer/cursor.js b/www/common/outer/cursor.js
index 95b2b34c6..b1a5e7cd0 100644
--- a/www/common/outer/cursor.js
+++ b/www/common/outer/cursor.js
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ define([
         data.color = Util.find(proxy, ['settings', 'general', 'cursor', 'color']);
         data.name = proxy[Constants.displayNameKey] || ctx.store.noDriveName || Messages.anonymous;
         data.avatar = Util.find(proxy, ['profile', 'avatar']);
+        data.uid = Util.find(proxy, ['uid']) || ctx.store.noDriveUid;
         c.cursor = data;
         sendMyCursor(ctx, client);
         cb();
diff --git a/www/common/sframe-common-codemirror.js b/www/common/sframe-common-codemirror.js
index 4e490288d..58475bbed 100644
--- a/www/common/sframe-common-codemirror.js
+++ b/www/common/sframe-common-codemirror.js
@@ -509,7 +509,6 @@ define([
             var cursor = {};
             cursor.selectionStart = cursorToPos(editor.getCursor('from'), doc);
             cursor.selectionEnd = cursorToPos(editor.getCursor('to'), doc);
-            cursor.uid = exp.uid; // FIXME this is inefficient for the network but it's unlikely to trigger errors
             return cursor;
         };
 
diff --git a/www/kanban/inner.js b/www/kanban/inner.js
index 6934dd210..368d18139 100644
--- a/www/kanban/inner.js
+++ b/www/kanban/inner.js
@@ -1272,9 +1272,7 @@ define([
 
         var myCursor = {};
         onCursorUpdate.reg(function (data) {
-            console.log('onCursorUpdate', data);
             myCursor = data;
-            myCursor.uid = myData.uid;
             framework.updateCursor();
         });
         framework.onCursorUpdate(function (data) {
diff --git a/www/pad/cursor.js b/www/pad/cursor.js
index fbca1a9cf..5b4c60ad7 100644
--- a/www/pad/cursor.js
+++ b/www/pad/cursor.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ define([
         $(el).remove();
     };
 
-    Cursor.create = function (inner, hjsonToDom, cursorModule, uid) {
+    Cursor.create = function (inner, hjsonToDom, cursorModule) {
         var exp = {};
 
         var cursors = {};
@@ -147,12 +147,6 @@ define([
             var cursorObj = data.cursor;
 
             if (!cursorObj.selectionStart) { return; }
-            if (cursorObj.name === Messages.anonymous) {
-                // save a little bit of data from going over the wire...
-                // remote clients will interpret this as Messages.anonymous (in their UI language)
-                cursorObj.name = '';
-                cursorObj.uid = uid;
-            }
 
             // 1. Transform the cursor to get the offset relative to our doc
             // 2. Turn it into a range
diff --git a/www/pad/inner.js b/www/pad/inner.js
index e89cd9a0a..95e7c1bff 100644
--- a/www/pad/inner.js
+++ b/www/pad/inner.js
@@ -678,7 +678,6 @@ define([
 
         var metadataMgr = framework._.sfCommon.getMetadataMgr();
         var privateData = metadataMgr.getPrivateData();
-        var myData = metadataMgr.getUserData();
         var common = framework._.sfCommon;
         var APP = window.APP;
 
@@ -705,7 +704,7 @@ define([
         var cursor = module.cursor = Cursor(inner);
 
         // Display other users cursor
-        var cursors = Cursors.create(inner, hjsonToDom, cursor, myData.uid);
+        var cursors = Cursors.create(inner, hjsonToDom, cursor);
 
         var openLink = function(e) {
             var el = e.currentTarget;
diff --git a/www/slide/inner.js b/www/slide/inner.js
index 9bbfc6e4d..9c9b9c70b 100644
--- a/www/slide/inner.js
+++ b/www/slide/inner.js
@@ -459,9 +459,7 @@ define([
     var andThen2 = function (editor, CodeMirror, framework, isPresentMode) {
 
         var common = framework._.sfCommon;
-        var metadataMgr = common.getMetadataMgr();
-        var privateData = metadataMgr.getPrivateData();
-        CodeMirror.uid = metadataMgr.getUserData().uid;
+        var privateData = common.getMetadataMgr().getPrivateData();
 
         var $contentContainer = $('#cp-app-slide-editor');
         var $modal = $('#cp-app-slide-modal');
@@ -513,7 +511,7 @@ define([
                 framework.updateCursor();
             }, 500); // 500ms to make sure it is sent after chainpad sync
         };
-        framework.onCursorUpdate(CodeMirror.setRemoteCursor); // XXX
+        framework.onCursorUpdate(CodeMirror.setRemoteCursor);
         framework.setCursorGetter(CodeMirror.getCursor);
         editor.on('cursorActivity', updateCursor);