diff --git a/yaboli/basic_types.py b/yaboli/basic_types.py
index 8f31a69..5ba0110 100644
--- a/yaboli/basic_types.py
+++ b/yaboli/basic_types.py
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 import time
 
-def mention(name):
-	return "".join(c for c in name if not c in ".!?;&<'\"" and not c.isspace())
-
 class SessionView():
 	"""
 	This class keeps track of session details.
diff --git a/yaboli/utils.py b/yaboli/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a3e3a4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaboli/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+def mention(name):
+	"""
+	mention(name) -> name
+	
+	Removes all whitespace and some special characters from the name,
+	such that the resulting name, if prepended with a "@", will mention the user.
+	"""
+	
+	return "".join(c for c in name if not c in ".!?;&<'\"" and not c.isspace())
+
+def reduce_name(name):
+	"""
+	reduce_name(name) -> name
+	
+	Reduces a name to a form which can be compared with other such forms.
+	If two such forms are equal, they are both mentioned by the same @mentions,
+	and should be considered identical when used to identify users.
+	"""
+	
+	#TODO: implement
+	pass