Avatars

[COBOLdinosaur]

I propose that we end the use of avatars in the forums.

[COBOLdinosaur]

I like most of the avatars, but they so add overhead to the pages, and the current open use of them could be abused as there is no limit on them.  What I am hoping is that wi vote to discontinue the and then someone brings back a detailed proposal to allow them with tight restrictions and strict guidelines.  That way a mentor could use an avatar for a little self promotion; which is one of the reasons that people participate on help sites.

So let's eliminate the current danger of abuse and go to a more controlled format; such as gallery only Avatars with an upload of custom avatars to the gallery subject to review for appropriateness.

[keneso]

Posting to second that.

[Huntress]

Thirding.

[CrYpTiC_MauleR]

So mentors and ERT staff get to choose their own avatar? While regular members have to choose from predefined list, which will lessen page load because will be commonly used by many users and cached in browser?

[COBOLdinosaur]

Okay CM that is an alternative proposal.  I don't know that it is an ammendment.  If you want we can ask that the poll go up with 3 options  a- leave it as it is; b- no avatars; c- the limits as you have outlined.

I think it would still need to have some detail added but it is in line with what I would really like to end up on the issue.  So let's do it with the three options and then comback and see what guidelines we need; if that is alright with you.

[coral1]

Personally, I like them, it make it easy to tell who the poster is (except those who change it every other day)   :wink:

But as a dialup user, they are a real killer in a long thread. So I'm all for no Avatar's or very limited use.

[Daydreams]

Although avatars are fun, indicating the user and their status can easily be done with styled text.

Just say no to avatars!

[Kevin3NF]

Voting for no avatars.

Reasoning: avatars are generally found on "fun" sites, not as much on technical sites (or at least the ones I hang on.) That, and the bandwidth thing

[Esopo]

Avatars right now are a messy mess. But they do serve a purpose. They add live to a thread and they help identify the poster with a quick look (after all, we human beings are more visual than anything else).

I propose we reduce the size of the avatars heavily, down to about 30x30. We can further limit their physical weight to say, 700 bytes which is more than enough for a full color jpg that size with 20-30% compression.

[Huntress]

I think we're better off with none at all at this point.  Limiting the size makes them unintelligible at higher resolutions.  Mine now looks like a purple blob to me at 1280x1024.

[CrYpTiC_MauleR]

30x30 is more of an icon =oP. 50x50 which is half the current size is more of an avatar. Size should be 1-2kb or less current size allowed is 9kb. Allow JPG, GIF and PNG.

[Esopo]

Exactly Huntress, I want to make them almost completely abstract spots, only useful to recognize the poster.

Even when there is nothing obvious to recognize, colors ans shapes tell a thorough enough story. For example, look at DDs avatar. It if was half its size, you would still get a beautiful clouded sky.

Coral's could be the eye and nose of a the cat.

Yours is screwed though ;)

C_M,

I want them even smaller than 50x50, but it wouldn't hurt me too much if they end up that size.

[CrYpTiC_MauleR]

My icon as 50x50

[Esopo]

A lot more sufferable, but still too big for my taste. Maybe we could settle at 40x40 ;)

In any case, it still makes complete sense at 50x50.