Would you like DBR to use Avatars?

[gadzooks]

But I had a third (middle) option: "they're cool as long as they're size-limited," which I would have chosen. But I voted yes on your poll.

Same here. I'm not opposed to them, but would definitely be in favor of limiting the size, and disallowing or strictly limiting images in sigs. I belong to a couple other boards where it's frequently hard to find the post amongst all the stuff.

[bluebutton]

I voted no before realizing I could turn off the avatars per my own preference. I think I really should have voted, "No I won't use that feature". As long as I can experience the boards as sleek, easy to navigate and skim, I'll be happy. I like the gator and blue bones but wouldn't want too many more.

The thought that avatars might increase the cost to B&J would make me lean against them generally since we did well without them for years. However, I don't know if there actually is a cost.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I like size-limited avatars, but would prefer no animation and no large type in signatures - annoyingly distracting, plus it calls attention to the screen when I'm reading at work.

I beg to differ about the large type. Sometimes, it is just plain necessary!

[mapei]

I wish I could make an exception in your case, Ozzie, but it really does annoy me! Love your content, though.

[DankeShane]

Anyone stragglers out there still want to vote?

[throatybeard]

That poll went weird. It was close early, lopsided for midway thru, and then against closed the gap. But I like it.

Another point I didn't make earlier is that avatars let people get their attach-an-image-to-myself Jones outside the sig. It's off to the side in an area that already has stuff in it, like a post count and a screen name.

[DankeShane]

Yeah that struck me as odd as well. The "yes" vote was running away with it for most of the day yesterday, at more than 2 to 1. Now it's a bit closer, but I think a lot of the "no"s didn't realize you can just turn 'em off if.

[alteran]

I thought I'd weigh in since my objection to avatars in another thread may have triggered this discussion.

My primary objection to avatars is content. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look at some of the many sites that allow essentially unrestricted avatars and I think you'll get it pretty quickly. I do think they can add to a site somewhat, but the minusses always outweigh the plusses.

Minor issues: they detract from the site's aesthetics-- you've got people mixing grainy photos, stick figure drawings, and cartoons. They eat more bandwidth than the actual messages. And when they're animated (and they will be), then they're the message board equivalent of pop-up advertising.

But my primary complaint is the content.

But since it turns out I can turn the [expletive deleted] things off, it's not really that big a deal for me anymore.

[pratt '04]

but would prefer no animation and no large type in signatures - annoyingly distracting, plus it calls attention to the screen when I'm reading at work.

You can turn off signatures in your preferences as well.

[Cavlaw]

You can turn off signatures in your preferences as well.

I've done that on a few of the sites I frequent where the messages are few and far between, scattered among the absurd signatures.

I voted yes back at the beginning based on the question describing avatars as "those little pictures next to your name" like Throaty demo'd above (you should also be able to animate there".

I would immediately turn off sigs as soon as large (and certainly multiple) images started showing up in them. I suspect most people would, too, in which case the signature feature becomes largely useless, anyways.

[throatybeard]

These are limited 80x80 pixels.

[BoC]

I also voted 'yes', and as has been mentioned already, a size limit (file size included) would be a good idea. Another site I'm a member of has a size limit of 125X125px and a file size limit of 60kb, which still allows for some neat animations, but nothing outrageous. That site, like this one, has taste restrictions, too.

And for those who don't mind avatars but would rather not see the animations, I believe hitting the 'esc' key stops all that sort of thing; I do it all the time to stop blinking banners and what not.

[DukeDevilsBB]

so how do we set them up? or can we even do it yet?

[DukeDevilsBB]

no message

[mjones723]

I'm all for avatars.

[IndyBoilerDevil]

Avatars are always a good thing. Especially on vBulletin, it handles them perfectly.

I like sigs with pictures too, but only to a certain extent. A good site that displays the best of vBulletin's features is www.coltfreaks.com check it out sometime.