No Avatars Here? Why?

[Gezmo]

How come none of us can have picture avatars at this forum?

Who here wiches they had an avatar?
i do

[DrFidelius]

Because we are a group of conservative old farts who miss the wild and woolly days of USENet.

We know people by their ideas and spelling skills, and not on what picture they can find to put up next to their names.

[Gezmo]

Originally Posted by DrFidelius

Because we are a group of conservative old farts who miss the wild and woolly days of USENet.

We know people by their ideas and spelling skills, and not on what picture they can find to put up next to their names.

there's no polls here either.

[DrFidelius]

Sure there are. In the forums where polls might be useful. Read the Forum Descriptions - I have taken the liberty to Report your post for a forum change, About This Message Board is the best place to ask about board culture and mechanics.

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

there's no polls here either.

You are correct. At least in this forum.

[Gezmo]

Straight Dope should move to Xenforo, or it could move to Forumotion.

Forumotion is free, more modern, and more customizable. here is an example of a forumotion forum.

http://urbaniteforums.halofight.com/

We also cant post pics and vids here either.

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Straight Dope should move to Xenforo, or it could move to Forumotion.

Forumotion is free, more modern, and more customizable. here is an example of a forumotion forum.

http://urbaniteforums.halofight.com/

We also cant post pics and vids here either.

Just to clarify: you've just joined this forum today, a forum that has been here for years, and you want to change it?

Why did you join it if it's not to your liking? There are roughly 7,9374,892,768,934 other forums out there with all the avatars and flashing lights you need.

[Nava]

To publicize the other fora he finally linked to, of course. It looks like this thread is going to be deleted, rather than moved.

[Gezmo]

Originally Posted by Candyman74

Just to clarify: you've just joined this forum today, a forum that has been here for years, and you want to change it?

Why did you join it if it's not to your liking? There are roughly 7,9374,892,768,934 other forums out there with all the avatars and flashing lights you need.

Hey, don't get pissy I was just making suggestions. I actually think this is one of the tbest forums on the webs because of its well built community.
It has many members, quick response times, and actual comments. I was just thinking of the software. thats all

[Mijin]

The issue has been thrashed out many times.

Basically, some dopers feel that avatars would lower the tone -- even if they have to be manually enabled per-user, and would be off by default.

It's quite an irrational position IMO, but unfortunately it is held by several of the mods, so it is not likely to change any time soon.

More's the pity because I do find that avatars make it easier to keep mental track of who said what.

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Hey, don't get pissy I was just making suggestions. I actually think this is one of the tbest forums on the webs because of its well built community.
It has many members, quick response times, and actual comments. I was just thinking of the software. thats all

The software is vBulletin. No need for new software; it handles avatars and plenty of other stuff just fine. The SDMB has chosen to turn them off.

[Desert Nomad]

We don't need no stinkin' avatars.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

More's the pity because I do find that avatars make it easier to keep mental track of who said what.

Since a great number (possibly the majority) wouldn't even bother to use avatars, this isn't a very convincing reason. On other boards that allow them and that I had to go to the trouble of turning on myself, I notice a great many who don't bother, and those are boards far less "conservative" than this one is.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

... I actually think this is one of the tbest forums on the webs because of its well built community.
It has many members, quick response times, and actual comments. I was just thinking of the software. thats all

This forum might be good like that because it has no avatars. The lack of avatars might attract people who form a good community like this.

[kayaker]

Early in his career, James Cameron slighted one of TPTB here. Thus, no avatars. Ever.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Giles

This forum might be good like that because it has no avatars. The lack of avatars might attract people who form a good community like this.

And this "reason" is the other side of the fence. I hope you were joking.

[Alessan]

Personally, I'm capable of reading without the assistance of pictures.

[Nava]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Personally, I'm capable of reading without the assistance of pictures.

And without moving your lips and without tracking your spot with a finger? Wow!

[Alessan]

Originally Posted by Nava

And without moving your lips and without tracking your spot with a finger? Wow!

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that.

[boytyperanma]

Avatars also end up being nothing but one copy-write infringement after another. On a forum that actually cares about such things, why bother adding policing avatars to the workload.

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by srzss05

Since a great number (possibly the majority) wouldn't even bother to use avatars, this isn't a very convincing reason. On other boards that allow them and that I had to go to the trouble of turning on myself, I notice a great many who don't bother, and those are boards far less "conservative" than this one is.

Only a minority of people using a feature =/= the feature is not worthwhile having.

And clearly SDMB don't actually think that, as there are already a bunch of features you can enable that the majority keep disabled.

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by boytyperanma

Avatars also end up being nothing but one copy-write infringement after another. On a forum that actually cares about such things, why bother adding policing avatars to the workload.

Some forums have a set of images from which you must select an avatar, and they are often just abstract images.
This is the option I've suggested several times; genuinely I just want avatars to help track conversations, not to show off some "funny" photoshop effort.

[DrFidelius]

Originally Posted by Mijin

Some forums have a set of images from which you must select an avatar, and they are often just abstract images.
This is the option I've suggested several times; genuinely I just want avatars to help track conversations, not to show off some "funny" photoshop effort.

If it cannot be personalized, why have an avatar at all? Wouldn't a few hundred Users choosing the blue spirally image force you to track participants by their Username anyway?

[Mangetout]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Straight Dope should move to Xenforo, or it could move to Forumotion.

Forumotion is free, more modern, and more customizable. here is an example of a forumotion forum.

http://urbaniteforums.halofight.com/

We also cant post pics and vids here either.

You might have picked a better example. That's one horrendous colour scheme.

I mean, I realise you were talking about the features, rather than the theme, but... my eyes! My Beautiful Eyes!

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by DrFidelius

If it cannot be personalized, why have an avatar at all? Wouldn't a few hundred Users choosing the blue spirally image force you to track participants by their Username anyway?

There will be some collisions, sure, but they will be the exception rather than the rule assuming a decent number of images.

Anyway, it provides another degree of freedom. Currently, if two people's names are alike, they can get confused in a thread -- so people sometimes confuse me with Mijail, shijinn or Muffin or others I can't think of right now.

With avatars you're unlikely to get that unless the name and the avatar is alike, within a given thread. Significantly less often.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

Only a minority of people using a feature =/= the feature is not worthwhile having.

And clearly SDMB don't actually think that, as there are already a bunch of features you can enable that the majority keep disabled.

I didn't say it was useless, just that it isn't a very convincing reason. In fact, it is a pretty weak reason if only a few use it. If you think it is a good reason for you, then say so. But don't try to generalize something like that.

[Mijin]

nm

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

nm

OK. You edited in the middle of my response, so I'll drop it. But I will say that although I don't care one way or another on this, people who do care on both sides are using some pretty silly reasons to support their positions.

[Mijin]

ETA: Doh, we're both editing over the top of each other...

Originally Posted by srzss05

I didn't say it was useless, just that it isn't a very convincing reason. In fact, it is a pretty weak reason if only a few use it. If you think it is a good reason for you, then say so. But don't try to generalize something like that.

I did say it would be a useful feature for me, my exact words were: "I do find that avatars make it easier to keep mental track of who said what".

Now of course it is my belief that there are others that share this opinion -- and indeed such people have said as such in the other avatar threads.

I'm not really sure what your point is now: that in your opinion few people will use avatars so I must say that I am alone in wanting avatars

[Northern Piper]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Who here wiches they had an avatar?
i do

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Forumotion is free, more modern, and more customizable. here is an example of a forumotion forum.
...
We also cant post pics and vids here either.

Originally Posted by Gezmo

...I actually think this is one of the tbest forums on the webs because of its well built community.
...
I was just thinking of the software. thats all

It's because these forums prefer proper capitalisation, punctuation and spelling over pretty pictures of kittens.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

I'm not really sure what your point is now: that in your opinion few people will use avatars so I must say that I am alone in wanting avatars

OK, I'm going to say what I originally wanted to say, as we are editing over each other...

There is no consensus as to what the majority want. Just because a few people stumble into a thread and state their opinion is meaningless. My opinion is that your "reason" isn't very viable if the majority (or a sizable minority) don't bother anyway (and I used other sites as an example).

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by srzss05

OK, I'm going to say what I originally wanted to say, as we are editing over each other...

There is no consensus as to what the majority want. Just because a few people stumble into a thread and state their opinion is meaningless. My opinion is that your "reason" isn't very viable if the majority (or a sizable minority) don't bother anyway (and I used other sites as an example).

OK, and to finally summarize my position:

I never claimed the majority want avatars, nor is it necessary for the majority to want a feature for a feature to be worthwhile doing.

But in my opinion a sizable proportion of dopers would use this feature.

Finally, it's always worth me pointing out the reason that I want avatars (to make threads easier to follow) because many of those against the feature seem convinced it is just about looking at pwetty pictures and making the dope less cerebral.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

Finally, it's always worth me pointing out the reason that I want avatars (to make threads easier to follow) because many of those against the feature seem convinced it is just about looking at pwetty pictures and making the dope less cerebral.

As I said in a post above, people on both sides are using silly reasons to support their positions. Giving one silly reason to counter another isn't very helpful. I prefer to point out the flaws on each side. If people want avatars, fine. If they don't, fine. But be honest about it, and have an open mind.

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by srzss05

As I said in a post above, people on both sides are using silly reasons to support their positions. Giving one silly reason to counter another isn't very helpful.

So you keep saying. What exactly is silly about my reason?

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Mijin

So you keep saying. What exactly is silly about my reason?

Because if people don't use avatars anyway, you can't use them for recognizability purposes. Just having a few people stand out a bit won't really accomplish anything. It is a better reason than the anti-avatar reasons, but if you are honest about it you will see the flaws in your reason as well.

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by srzss05

Because if people don't use avatars anyway, you can't use them for recognizability purposes. Just having a few people stand out a bit won't really accomplish anything. It is a better reason than the anti-avatar reasons, but if you are honest about it you will see the flaws in your reason as well.

No -- that's only if I accept your premise, which I do not.

In any case, it still wouldn't make it "silly". If I were to say a benefit of self-driving cars is that they will be able to drive almost bumper to bumper and so roads could handle more traffic -- then it's fine to be skeptical about how many people will buy self-driving cars, but it doesn't make the perfectly valid point silly.

[billfish678]

Originally Posted by Mijin

More's the pity because I do find that avatars make it easier to keep mental track of who said what.

Good point. But I think the avatar associated with a poster should get chosen by the reader not the poster. So, I read a post from bob I see an avatar I chose for him beside his name. And the straightdope should charge a nominal fee for the good ones like asshole, nutjob, and the pedobear. They'll be rich bitch.

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by Northern Piper

It's because these forums prefer proper capitalisation, punctuation and spelling over pretty pictures of kittens.

Yes, and with the exception of the OP, no member of this board posts sans typos consistently.

Oh, wait, that's not true at all and many boards that allow avatars have just as high standards regarding communication.

[Marley23]

Welcome to the board, Gezmo. The general reason we don't have avatars is that we prefer to emphasize what people are saying and not the flashy stuff. And yes, it's also true that some people find that stuff extremely annoying and we've gotten by for a very long time without them at this point. We tend to take it very slow with things like upgrades because we want to make sure the bugs are worked out before switching over to something else that might inconvenience people. If you stick around a while, maybe you'll see why things are the way they are around here.

[Baal Houtham]

This forum functions fine without avatars. It could reduce occasional confusions at which poster said what, and if Agent Foxtrot and Argent Towers are the same poster. I don't see confusing one poster with another as a big problem here.

If the administration did want to allow avatars to reduce confusion, I'd suggest offering an assortment of monotone images of historical figures or small objects. Tasteful, and could be copyright free. Maybe one or two hundred.

It seems to me that much of the appeal of avatars is picking out the perfect image --obscure, ironic, damnclever, whatever-- and while it's fun for a week or two, familiarity breeds contempt and most avatars look tired and precious soon thereafter.

[Northern Piper]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

Yes, and with the exception of the OP, no member of this board posts sans typos consistently.

Oh, wait, that's not true at all and many boards that allow avatars have just as high standards regarding communication.

Sure, that was just my response to a newbie who, on his first day, whines about no avatars because they'd be like kewl and can't put together a sentence without an error. It was a "consider the source" reply.

Other posters, like you, I pay attention to. I may not agree with you, but I pay attention to you.

[Siam Sam]

No avatars please.

[Czarcasm]

Originally Posted by Baal Houtham

If the administration did want to allow avatars to reduce confusion, I'd suggest offering an assortment of monotone images of historical figures or small objects. Tasteful, and could be copyright free. Maybe one or two hundred.

With one or two hundred images available, how many posters would have the exact same image as I, assuming that the images were distributed evenly throughout the board?

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by Baal Houtham

It seems to me that much of the appeal of avatars is picking out the perfect image --obscure, ironic, damnclever, whatever-- and while it's fun for a week or two, familiarity breeds contempt and most avatars look tired and precious soon thereafter.

You have to turn avatars on in your CP in order to use them. If you find they look far too twee, you can just turn them off and the people who want them and like them are happy and the people who don't care for them are happy.

[Cheshire Human]

Originally Posted by Mijin

More's the pity because I do find that avatars make it easier to keep mental track of who said what.

Except that many of the places that have them, people are changing their avatar on a weekly, or even daily basis, rendering them useless for that purpose.

[Mijin]

Originally Posted by Cheshire Human

Except that many of the places that have them, people are changing their avatar on a weekly, or even daily basis, rendering them useless for that purpose.

Actually I just meant within a thread.

[Kenm]

Originally Posted by Gezmo

Forumotion is free, more modern, and more customizable. here is an example of a forumotion forum.

http://urbaniteforums.halofight.com/

Damn, that's ugly.

[zoid]

I vote we add a section to the FAQ detailing the fact that we've discussed this ad nauseam and initiate a policy that any discussion of avatars is immediately locked and the OP directed to read the FAQ.

I confident this suggestion will be met with complete aproval.

[elbows]

I do not care for them and would likely wander off should they arrive. I think, a lot of people, who don't really want to argue over it, feel the same way. Just my opinion.

[Gezmo]

Here is an example of a forum with avatars, and also, a well built community.


http://forums.spacebattles.com/