# Avatars: Yay or Nay? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 14, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353 "2008-05-14T22:47:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/81 "2008-05-15T17:05:07Z")
I’ve said it before - if we want this board to have a look and feel consistent with modern message board, and thus be attractive to new users, then it must have avatars. If we want to keep this message board stark and text-only, then it will eventually become the stylistic equivalent of a 1980’s modem BBS (and eventually suffer the same fate). Remember, Ed’s plan is to gain ad revenue by growing the traffic on the board. Are new people more or less likely to keep visiting a text-only board, or one which allows use of avatars and inline images (something not mentioned here, but which I think need to be added)? That doesn’t mean that we must or should have embedded Youtube videos and sounds, or even animated avatars, but surely we can bring the board forward a little bit. _Especially_ when, as it’s been posted _innumerable times_ on this message board, you can turn off avatars from showing up. I agree with **CarnalK** on one point and I’ll go even further - I doubt that even a single, solitary person will actually leave (despite any protestations to the contrary made in this thread) if the board allowed avatars. **Kid\_A** - if the avatars are uploaded to the vBulletin database and stored in there as binary objects, then yes, they will add CPU time and bandwidth requirements to the server (as well as slightly increase the database size). In vBulletin 2.x, that’s how it’s done. I do not know for certain if it is done that way in this version, but I suspect it is. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/82 "2008-05-15T17:21:56Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] or one which allows use of avatars and inline images (something not mentioned here, but which I think need to be added)? [/QUOTE] Hold on a minute! Switch-offable avatars are one thing, but inline images are surely the quickest way of sending this board to Goatse in a handcart. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/83 "2008-05-15T17:56:28Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] Here’s the one thing most of the anti-avatar crowd people don’t seem to get. **[Avatar display can be turned off](http://www.imagepup.com/up/t3UM_1208177083_Cyburbia_Forums_-_Edit_options_1208177072123.png).** [/QUOTE] Stop scaring people with things like freedom and making choices. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/84 "2008-05-15T18:45:15Z")
My objections would instantly vanish if only there was a way to turn off display of avatars at the message boards, but I don’t know if that’s possible or not. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/85 "2008-05-15T18:55:34Z")
pointless; useless ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/86 "2008-05-15T18:56:25Z")
All right, before someone shoots me (hey - I thought my previous post was funny) I’ll add a longer explanation. 1. I am happy without avatars 2. I prefer the board without avatars but 3. If avatars are allowed at the board, I will display them because I had being confused and if I don’t display them I run the risk of reading a comment like “Hey PosterX that was pretty funny” and then combing through a thread pointlessly for a sign of humor from PosterX until I finally realize that PosterY was commenting on something in PosterX’s avatar picture. I might even run the risk of being called a hypocrite by having an avatar picture myself. My conclusion: if this were up to a vote, I would vote no. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/87 "2008-05-15T18:59:19Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] I’ve said it before - if we want this board to have a look and feel consistent with modern message board, and thus be attractive to new users, then it must have avatars. If we want to keep this message board stark and text-only, then it will eventually become the stylistic equivalent of a 1980’s modem BBS (and eventually suffer the same fate). [/QUOTE] Avatars are the wave of the future? I don’t think so. If a graphics-free message board inspires such devotion from current members, surely there are others who will also be drawn by our style. It is a promotable feature, not a drawback. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/88 "2008-05-15T19:33:58Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Avatars are the wave of the future? I don’t think so. If a graphics-free message board inspires such devotion from current members, surely there are others who will also be drawn by our style. It is a promotable feature, not a drawback. [/QUOTE] Not so long ago, all the cool guys had a Rat Fink t-shirt and window stickers to show their loyalty to Thrush mufflers and STP (Scientifically Treated Petroleum, not Stone Temple Pilots). It was **terribly important** to have those hip things, to express our individuality and coolness. :rolleyes: Now, it’s avatars. Two years from now, you cutting-edge avatar pushers will get avatars-and-feathers. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/89 "2008-05-15T20:02:05Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] All right, before someone shoots me (hey - I thought my previous post was funny) I’ll add a longer explanation. 1. I am happy without avatars 2. I prefer the board without avatars but \*\*3) If avatars are allowed at the board, I will display them because I had being confused and if I don’t display them I run the risk of reading a comment like “Hey PosterX that was pretty funny” and then combing through a thread pointlessly for a sign of humor from PosterX until I finally realize that PosterY was commenting on something in PosterX’s avatar picture. I might even run the risk of being called a hypocrite by having an avatar picture myself. \*\* My conclusion: if this were up to a vote, I would vote no. [/QUOTE] Bolding mine. And here you’ve hit on why I’d vote no avatars. I don’t want avatars, I don’t want to see them. I don’t need them to tell me who is who. So I would turn them off. But what we’d end up with is threads with responses like this, in-jokes relating to avatars. _They would still impact the boards even if they were turned off for a particular user_. We’ve seen it with the google ads. Of course it’s going to happen with someone’s “funny” or “really fitting” avatar. I would not leave just because avatars were implemented. But again, this is why if there were a vote, I would vote “no”. Besides, to turn the argument back around - if avatars or the lack thereof is the sole reason that someone would choose to join this board or not, what would that person really add to the discussions on the board? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/90 "2008-05-15T20:08:27Z")
And now that you’ve bolded it an error jumps out at me: “I had being confused” should be “I hate being confused”. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/91 "2008-05-15T20:11:38Z")
[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo] Besides, to turn the argument back around - if avatars or the lack thereof is the sole reason that someone would choose to join this board or not, what would that person really add to the discussions on the board? [/QUOTE] Deep, profound conversation like [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9698320#post9698320)? And no, there’s nothing at all wrong with that post or that thread - I’m just scratching my head at the notion that people who like avatars on messageboards are some kind of master race of troglodytic half-wits. Give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/92 "2008-05-15T20:13:36Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] As I’ve written before, not all implementations of avatars are what’s seen on teen and gamer boards, with huge animated monstrosities. Opal’s url=“[http://fathom.org/FFF](http://fathom.org/FFF)”]Fabulous Forums of Fathom and Una’s [Unaboard](http://unaboard.coalgoddess.net/) include them, they’re tasteful, and they don’t detract from the content. [/QUOTE] All avatars detract from content. By their very nature. NO AVATARS! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/93 "2008-05-15T20:17:38Z")
Personally, I don’t like avatars and would prefer not to have them–so call it a nay vote. On the other hand, if they’re implemented, I’ll probably have one. Yeah, we’d be able to turn avatars off, but if we had them, I might as well provide a visual cue for the members who need one, and I can always ignore the “explain your avatar” threads, sigs that reference the avatars, comments and jokes about avatars, and complaints about inappropriate or insensitive avatars. And besides, it would get rid of all these “should we have avatars” threads 😃 (See that? I even used a smilie. I’m hip) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/94 "2008-05-15T20:19:45Z")
[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo] I don’t want avatars, I don’t want to see them. I don’t need them to tell me who is who. So I would turn them off. But what we’d end up with is threads with responses like this, in-jokes relating to avatars. _They would still impact the boards even if they were turned off for a particular user_. We’ve seen it with the google ads. Of course it’s going to happen with someone’s “funny” or “really fitting” avatar. [/QUOTE] Should we eliminate sigs, too? I turn them off, and when people comment about them, I ignore it. If somebody says something I don’t understand, I ask or move on. I’m not sure you people realize that you are voting not only against avatars, but against anyone else having a choice about it. Then again, maybe you do. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/95 "2008-05-15T20:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] Aww, all you nay-sayers are just sticks in the mud. Imagine this place coming to life with all of the in-jokes visualized in a 100x100 pixel square. [/QUOTE] On second thought, I’m switching my vote to “no”. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/96 "2008-05-15T20:35:27Z")
Wow, I never even thought of the horrors of missing a joke somewhere! Change my vote to “no” as well! Yikes! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/97 "2008-05-15T20:46:25Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] I’m not sure you people realize that you are voting not only against avatars, but against anyone else having a choice about it. [/QUOTE] They’ll have a choice. They can go hang out on a board that allows them. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/98 "2008-05-15T20:56:24Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] They’ll have a choice. They can go hang out on a board that allows them. [/QUOTE] Hopefully Ed will be a little more forward thinking and ambitious about expanding membership than that. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/99 "2008-05-15T20:59:21Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] Hopefully Ed will be a little more forward thinking and ambitious about expanding membership than that. [/QUOTE] Before we went pay-to-post we were expanding pretty well without avatars. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353/100 "2008-05-15T21:05:01Z")
No. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars-yay-or-nay/449353.md?page=6)