# Avatards **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161 "2010-10-05T19:22:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/161 "2010-10-06T21:25:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If the OP gets this upset about avatars, I hope he never finds out about Darfur. That was caused by avatars? Good gracious… ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/162 "2010-10-06T21:27:09Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Does talking to someone with a face bother you? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/163 "2010-10-06T21:43:45Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I think a better analogy is that the current situation is akin to everybody at a conference wore nametags … on their identical black burqas. With avatars, you can see their faces. [snip] Only on sites with avatars, most users really don’t change them that often. Most stick with their trademark avatar for months or years. You’re thinking of a worst-case scenario again. I think a better analogy is more like changing hairstyles; it happens, but not that often. I love that you independently came up with almost exactly the same response as me. > [@spark240](#): > > That’s what I thought, but some advocates in one of the other threads said no. Said no to what, exactly? > [@elmwood](#): > > How about this hypothetical situation: a gifted coder creates a Mozilla plugin for the SDMB That does nothing for those of us who don’t, or can’t, use Mozilla. I use Chrome at home and am forced into IE at work. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > No. With avatars you get to see a static picture of their face, expression frozen whether that person is happy, sad, angry or bored. The point is to give something visual to tie to individuals. You know, for those of us crazy visual learners. Fuck us for daring to not have brains that work the same way as yours, right? I mean, if names are good enough for _you_, then by god, they must be good enough for all of us. :rolleyes: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Does talking on the telephone sans picture upset you? Do you avoid texting for the same reason? I already know the people I’m talking to on the phone or texting with. > [@RaftPeople](#): > > ```auto > > OOOOOOOO _______________________________________ > O O [] > O [O] [O] O [This Space Reserved for Advertisers] > O O [contact me at Avatar-Ad.com] > O o O [_______________________________________] > O O > O [_____] O Shot From Guns - Your hypersensitivity to > O O wording is making this avatar sad :( > OOOOOOOO > > ``` I almost spat all over my keyboard when I saw that. Amazing. > [@MeanOldLady](#): > > > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > > > Does talking to someone with a face bother you? > > Yes. To be fair, it’s only because they’re _people_. It’s not the face\* per se\*. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/164 "2010-10-06T22:09:06Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Said no to what, exactly? _No_ to the idea that the point of avatars was for readily identifying posters. > [@Would it bother you if avatars were allowed, but off by default?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/31): > > …don’t be too quick to associate the avatar with the name, as a lot of people (myself included) like to change their’s from time to time. Apparently, avatars are supposed to be _just for fun,_ duh, rolleyes. I’m pro-fun, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s a good idea to incorporate any kind of fun anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/165 "2010-10-06T22:12:17Z")
> [@Would it bother you if avatars were allowed, but off by default?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/31): > > > [@Would it bother you if avatars were allowed, but off by default?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/31): > > > > …don’t be too quick to associate the avatar with the name, as a lot of people (myself included) like to change their’s from time to time. > > Apparently, avatars are supposed to be _just for fun,_ duh, rolleyes. There can be various reasons for wanting them. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/166 "2010-10-06T22:22:30Z")
I was going to print out **bucketybuck** ’s picture, glue it to a Popsicle stick, and hold it up next to the monitor every time I read one of his posts, but apparently he deleted his pictures off the gallery. So I guess I’ll use [this](http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/images/uploads/bucket_head_buck.jpg). I have assigned [this](http://www.nataliedee.com/012908/self-esteem-is-awesome.jpg) to the **MeanOldLady** ’s Popsicle stick. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/167 "2010-10-06T22:27:19Z")
> [@Peeta\_Mellark](#): > > I was going to print out **bucketybuck** ’s picture, glue it to a Popsicle stick, and hold it up next to the monitor every time I read one of his posts, but apparently he deleted his pictures off the gallery. > > So I guess I’ll use [this](http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/images/uploads/bucket_head_buck.jpg). > > I have assigned [this](http://www.nataliedee.com/012908/self-esteem-is-awesome.jpg) to the **MeanOldLady** ’s Popsicle stick. I am pretty sure that has been done already. But hey, knock yourself out. In fact, PM me and I will send you a nice selection of radcoolawesome pictures you can put on your popsicle. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/168 "2010-10-06T22:31:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@elmwood](#): > > > > As opposed to no face at all? > > Does talking on the telephone sans picture upset you? Do you avoid texting for the same reason? Nope. But would if bother you if you called me on my smart phone, and a picture of you appeared with the Caller ID data, even though you can’t see it? Would it bother you if I used a different custom ring for everybody in my directory? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/169 "2010-10-06T22:35:35Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You’d be missing out if you couldn’t see mine–I’ve introduced more than one person to [NPWIL](http://www.bohemiandrive.com/comics/npwil.html) through them! O hell no - do you think I want to see an otherwise halfway-on-topic thread being diverted by “golly, that’s a nifty avatar you have there!” “Gee wow, it’s from \!” Do you think I want to see that _even once_? I was on the side of allowing avatars since I can turn them off, but with this, no. I can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars, so let’s just keep the crap out completely, eh? You wanna show off your pretty pictures, make a thread specifically devoted to it. Keep it out of my GD. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/170 "2010-10-06T22:59:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you avoid texting for the same reason? Yes. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > > > Does talking to someone with a face bother you? > > If it was just a never-changing picture of their face? Probably. Which is why avatars would be disabled by default. If you don’t like it, you can just never turn it on. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/171 "2010-10-06T23:30:55Z")
> [@Peeta\_Mellark](#): > > I was going to print out **bucketybuck** ’s picture, glue it to a Popsicle stick, and hold it up next to the monitor every time I read one of his posts, but apparently he deleted his pictures off the gallery. > > So I guess I’ll use [this](http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/images/uploads/bucket_head_buck.jpg). > > I have assigned [this](http://www.nataliedee.com/012908/self-esteem-is-awesome.jpg) to the **MeanOldLady** ’s Popsicle stick. Is that her…butthole? You can put [this](http://swongled.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/lemur.jpg) on my popsicle stick if you like. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/172 "2010-10-06T23:34:33Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > > > First of all, we already do get by on something far better than a ‘list of attendees’. We already do wear nametags at this ‘conference’. We each have a distinct user name. No need to doodle silly pictures on these ‘nametags’. You really don’t see random artwork too often on nametags at most conferences (outside of maybe Cosplay and Lolzcats conventions). > > No, but you do get _a face above the nametag_. All we get here is nametags. 1. Sometimes nametags at conventions have head-shot photos, sometimes they don’t. Similarly, some message boards have avatars, some don’t. 2. I wouldn’t have a problem with people having the option of including a small, uniformly-sized, head-shot photo next to their user name–you know, just like they do with nametags. No Lolzcatz or vacation photos there! You are probably aware that unlike business nametags, the ‘nametag pictures’ on message boards (avatars) are often random images–not photographs of users. > [@](#): > > Please explain how it hurts you in any way whatsoever to allow people to upload avatars if they choose to do so. That’s the way it is now and it doesn’t hurt me a bit. In their profiles Dopers can, and do upload pretty pictures for people to look at and I think that’s great. In fact, I wish more people would do so. As long as avatars aren’t taking up space and interfering with the conversations in the fora, everything’s cool. Reminder: \*\*WE ALREADY ALLOW AVATARS. \*\* They are located in the user profiles. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/173 "2010-10-06T23:38:46Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > [@Peeta\_Mellark](#): > > > > I have assigned [this](http://www.nataliedee.com/012908/self-esteem-is-awesome.jpg) to the **MeanOldLady** ’s Popsicle stick. > > Is that her…butthole? I don’t know, but I’m going to make a waving gif out of it for my avatar! Edit again: Hey, **Love** , nice av! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/174 "2010-10-06T23:41:12Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Reminder: \*\*WE ALREADY ALLOW AVATARS. \*\* They are located in the user profiles. If they’re the same, then they’re the same and you can’t bitch about other types of avatar. If they’re different, then they’re different and you can’t claim they’re the same. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/175 "2010-10-06T23:44:28Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I was on the side of allowing avatars since I can turn them off, but with this, no. I can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars, so let’s just keep the crap out completely, eh? I’m a charter member. I can’t turn off people talking about banner ads, embedded malware, and so on. Really, on message boards with avatars, people don’t talk about them much. I can guarantee you that if avatars were enabled here, there would probably be at 100 instances of tired SDMB memes uttered (Hi Opal!, 1920s style death ray, etc) for every time someone makes note of an avatar. Even then, why would the rare mention bother you _that_ much? Just filter it out, like some other Dopers do with the ceaseless Hi Opals and Monty Python quotes they can’t really do anything about. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/176 "2010-10-06T23:49:24Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > I was on the side of allowing avatars since I can turn them off, but with this, no. I can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars, so let’s just keep the crap out completely, eh? > > I’m a charter member. I can’t turn off people talking about banner ads, embedded malware, and so on. > > Really, on message boards with avatars, people don’t talk about them much. I can guarantee you thatatars were enabled here, there would probably be at 100 instances of tired SDMB memes uttered (Hi Opal!, 1920s style death ray, etc) for every time someone makes note of an avatar. Even then, why would the rare mention bother you _that_ much? Just filter it out, like some other Dopers do with the ceaseless Monty Python quotes and memes they can’t really do anything about. I’m sorry, I’ve also read blogs with avatars, so you can’t fool me. They get mentioned pretty damned frequently. And the “there’s already some potentially annoying stuff happening, so what’s wrong with more?” argument is still as stupid as always, I see. Especially since you to the degree it’s not parallel (you start to learn the memes, but if you have the avatars off you’ll **never** appreciate those comments), the avatars are **worse**. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/177 "2010-10-06T23:53:08Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@elmwood](#): > > > > I’m a charter member. I can’t turn off people talking about banner ads, embedded malware, and so on. > > > > Really, on message boards with avatars, people don’t talk about them much. I can guarantee you thatatars were enabled here, there would probably be at 100 instances of tired SDMB memes uttered (Hi Opal!, 1920s style death ray, etc) for every time someone makes note of an avatar. Even then, why would the rare mention bother you _that_ much? Just filter it out, like some other Dopers do with the ceaseless Monty Python quotes and memes they can’t really do anything about. > > I’m sorry, I’ve also read blogs with avatars, so you can’t fool me. They get mentioned pretty damned frequently. > > And the “there’s already some potentially annoying stuff happening, so what’s wrong with more?” argument is still as stupid as always, I see. Especially since you to the degree it’s not parallel (you start to learn the memes, but if you have the avatars off you’ll **never** appreciate those comments), the avatars are **worse**. Nothing is worse than dope memes. The worst one? “This is the smartest board on the internet!” Yes, if the internet is solely comprised of the [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) domain, and even then it’s a tie. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/178 "2010-10-07T00:18:49Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Especially since you to the degree it’s not parallel (you start to learn the memes, but if you have the avatars off you’ll **never** appreciate those comments), the avatars are **worse**. Signatures are supported by this forum. People comment on them. I can’t see them because I disabled them. By your logic, they should also be disabled for all. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/179 "2010-10-07T00:23:19Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You can put [this](http://swongled.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/lemur.jpg) on my popsicle stick if you like. **Cat Whisperer** , the shocked lemur! Your Popsicle stick is currently my favorite. > [@begbert2](#): > > I’m sorry, I’ve also read blogs with avatars, so you can’t fool me. They get mentioned pretty damned frequently. I post on a couple of boards and all of them except this one use avatars. The only place where anybody is actually discussing avatars is in art threads or _here_. Seriously, places with avatars typically remark on them about as often as people remark on sigs. They’re there, they add a little more character, but it’s just part of the general presentation of the poster _and you can turn them off_. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/180 "2010-10-07T00:28:59Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Signatures are supported by this forum. People comment on them. I can’t see them because I disabled them. By your logic, they should also be disabled for all. [This](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22regards+shodan%22+signature+site%3Aboards.straightdope.com&). Do some really think there will be more talk about someone’s avatar than about even [one of the SDMB’s tired memes](http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22hi+opal%22+site%3Aboards.straightdope.com&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161.md?page=10)