# Avatar holdouts: going to stick to your guns or eventually get one? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 15, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022 "2021-04-15T01:21:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/41 "2021-04-17T11:56:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > _Visual_ information is pretty important on a message board that’s accessed by most everyone _visually_ . Duh The importance of graphics and colors vs. text varies, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/42 "2021-04-17T12:50:53Z")
Looking through this thread: John\_DiFool: the head of a bird (falcon?) in profile digs: a custom d LSLGuy: a custom LSL mikecurtis: a custom mc Thudlow Boink: Hobbes “boinking” something Qadgop: Some kind of space monster Frodo: Frodo Baggins from the Spectrum computer game kaylasdad99, an off-white square ThelmaLou, a lady’s head viewed from behind squeegee@ a ninja with a car cleaning rod needscoffee: a cup of coffee panache45: some kind of abstract art piece runningcoach: a hand propelled cart Galactus: a comic character Northern Piper: some stylized bagpipes BippityBobbityBoo an old lady in a hat made to look like an old photograph EnoySlurm: A can of Slurm Mijin a dog’s face Gorsnak ??? Dr Strangelove: Doctor Strangelove Green Wyvern: A Tolkeinesque elf? aceplace: a guitar erysichthon: Snoopy CardboardBoxx: A cat hiding in a box Most of them are pretty obvious, and very few are too small to tell what it’s supposed to be. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/43 "2021-04-17T12:53:39Z")
And of course, if you click the avatar. you get to see a larger version of it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/44 "2021-04-17T12:53:40Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Okay, I’ve been convinced to make the effort. Nice! Minimalist, local, attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/45 "2021-04-17T13:11:21Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Now, many many years later it’s added and… What a surprise no one cares about the avatars they are just a handy way to visually distinguish posters. This, to me, isn’t true. There were definitely contingents of people who were against them and contingents of people who were for them. If you went to certain (sub)forums, you’d see avatars more in some than others. I don’t recall having an avatar on the old board. I’ve changed a couple times on this board because you’re assigned one anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/46 "2021-04-17T13:33:35Z")
Im not sure what thing I said that you think is untrue. Yes prior to avatar support being added there were people that argued for them (including me) and many that argued against them. And now… It doesn’t seem to be a big issue to anyone because, quelle supris, none of the slippery slope nonsense has happened. It just mildly adds visual clarity of who’s who, and that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/47 "2021-04-17T13:37:56Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I honestly don’t find them any easier to remember or distinguish than actual user names. I find them significantly **more difficult** to remember; I don’t think I’ve memorized a single one. I’d rather there were words who told me on the forum page who last posted in a thread than some icon that’s basically meaningless to me unless I’m on my computer where I can mouse over to see the name. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/48 "2021-04-17T13:48:23Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I didn’t want avatars > use one anyway > if tomorrow they go away > I won’t shed many tears I was really, really, against avatars and swore I’d never have one. But now I’ve found I really appreciate them simply because they are little memory aids that help me find my way around and keep track of who’s who and what’s what. I was against them because I saw what so many other forums had with their full-motion, cartoon, audio, full-screen avatars and sigs and I worried we’d move in that direction. And maybe we have just a bit, but the avatars are so small that it’s hard for any of them to be too obnoxious. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/49 "2021-04-17T13:51:08Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > Northern Piper: some stylized bagpipes !!! All this time I had assumed that it was a hummingbird, wings beating too fast to be visible, or something. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/51 "2021-04-17T13:55:31Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Nope, iPad. They are small, and I can’t tell what the devil that’s supposed to be. > > On my screen they are less than a mil each side. You’re probably using a theme where the avatars aren’t prominent. Do you know about the themes here? Avatars are plenty large on my phone and my computer. I do 99% of my SDMB-ing on my phone, and the avatars are a big help. > [@elbows](#): > > I’m glad it makes the user happy, but you’re kidding yourselves if you think people can distinguish from that little smear whatever wildly clever thing you’re referencing. In all this time, haven’t you wondered why you’re not seeing what everyone else is? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/52 "2021-04-17T13:57:02Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I find them significantly **more difficult** to remember; I don’t think I’ve memorized a single one. That’s where people are different. I recognize dozens of avatars of regular posters, without any effort, and without ever having tried to memorize them. I may not remember all their _names_ immediately, but I know exactly who they are. It’s like seeing the faces of people you know by sight. It’s a mistake to think that everyone’s mind works the same way. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/53 "2021-04-17T14:15:19Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > That’s where people are different. I recognize dozens of avatars of regular posters, without any effort, and without ever having tried to memorize them. I may not remember all their _names_ immediately, but I know exactly who they are. It’s like seeing the faces of people you know by sight. > > It’s a mistake to think that everyone’s mind works the same way. Agreed. I’m mostly text-oriented, but I like to have some kind of visual differentiator between members, even if I never inspect it closely enough to understand it. Avatars are good. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/54 "2021-04-17T14:54:39Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Does _anyone_ have a cutesy avatar? Opinions may differ, but those of **Nars\_Glinley** , **ZipperJJ** , and **Kamino\_Neko** come to mind for me. > [@Mijin](#): > > It’s not my dog and I don’t even really like it You had me fooled the whole time! > [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > panache45: some kind of abstract art piece It’s a time-lapse transit of Venus across the Sun. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/55 "2021-04-17T15:00:45Z")
I can read. BTW, I also hate that Reuters just changed to a new format this is all pictures with just a headline. I liked it better when they looked just like our old boards, text only and a picture of something meaningful if you opened the post instead of the past few years where everything had a picture but many of them were stupid shit like an artsy pic of a Google logo that contained no useful information at all. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/56 "2021-04-17T15:01:06Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Nice! Minimalist, local, attractive. Thanks. Doodled it years ago for my brother to use as a logo for his bison ranch. I’m not sure he ever used it much, and then eventually folded the operation. I was always quite proud of it, though. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/57 "2021-04-17T16:10:38Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I was always quite proud of it, though You should be, it’s handsome and distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/58 "2021-04-17T16:14:30Z")
On the old board, I didn’t think they were necessary to help identify different posters-a claim often made. On the new board the choice was taken away by board software that assigned an avatar of sorts, so I decided to pick my own. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/59 "2021-04-17T16:32:20Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > Frodo: Frodo Baggins from the Spectrum computer game Close!, it’s the one from Interplay that came out in 1990 not the one for the Spectrum in 1982 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/60 "2021-04-17T16:36:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I didn’t think they were necessary to help identify different posters-a claim often made. I think the claim is that they are _useful_ for identification purposes. Think of it like using different colors for different lines of a subway map. The colors aren’t essential, but do help speed up usage. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022/61 "2021-04-17T17:07:10Z")
Another handy thing about a recognizable avatar is when someone is typing a reply to a thread you’re reading, you see their icon appear below the last post. “Oh, look, Ann\_Hedonia is typing a reply, this might be interesting.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-holdouts-going-to-stick-to-your-guns-or-eventually-get-one/940022.md?page=4)