Avatars

[Una_Persson]

…and my rules over “avatar stalking” (or whatever one might term it) disputes would be very simple:

Rule 23a) Unless an avatar clearly violates the rules of this message board, complaining about other people’s avatars for any reason is a warnable offence.

Rule 23b) On a second complaint about anyone’s avatar, said avatar not clearly violating the rules of this message board, the complainant will be banned for being a fucking whinging annoyance.

There you go, easy-peasy.

[Revenant_Threshold]

@Exapno_Mapcase

Avatars that you can turn off are the equivalent of having a “kick me” sign taped to your back. You might not be able to see it, but everybody else can. And to the rest of the world its very existence reflects as poorly on you as to the perpetrators.

Can everyone else? I mean, as noted, on this board you have to actually go and select a “yes, avatars, please” option. I’ve seen boards where avatars aren’t visible to non-users.

Anyone know how vBulletin works in this regard?

[Revenant_Threshold]

@silenus

Because based on previous polls on the subject, we out-number you by quite a ratio.

That’s why.

Out of interest - cite?

[Mewl_Dear]

Sorry I can’t quote, but again silenus, why would avatars bother you. Is it something about other people enjoying experiences that you seem to find repulsive?

[Guinastasia]

@Mewl_Dear

Sorry I can’t quote, but again silenus, why would avatars bother you. Is it something about other people enjoying experiences that you seem to find repulsive?

No one seems to have an answer, for some reason. It’s usually just, “I don’t like avatars, they will somehow ruin the board.” I don’t get it.
Exapno Mapcase, all you’d see is a blank space where your avatar, if you had one, would be. That’s it.

[silenus]

@Revenant_Threshold

Out of interest - cite?

The last major trainwreck.

[silenus]

@Mewl_Dear

Sorry I can’t quote, but again silenus, why would avatars bother you. Is it something about other people enjoying experiences that you seem to find repulsive?

Why I don’t want avatars is irrelevant. I don’t want them, and nobody has yet convinced the members here that we should enable them. “Because I want one” is not a valid reason. My enjoyment of the SDMB would be enhanced by nekkid pictures of Allyson Hannigan as a backdrop, but I don’t demand that the Board implement such a thing.

[Red_Barchetta]

@silenus

Why I don’t want avatars is irrelevant. I don’t want them, and nobody has yet convinced the members here that we should enable them. “Because I want one” is not a valid reason.

Is this meant to be ironic?

[Revenant_Threshold]

@silenus

The last major trainwreck.

A very brief look at the thread in question suggests that people’s dislike of the idea stems from not wanting to see them. Given that we have a means of not seeing them (that isn’t just not having them, of course!) I think a re-poll wouldn’t be too unreasonable an idea (granted, some people actually note their disapproval even when there’s a visibility option, but they seem to be a minority).

[Heffalump_and_Roo]

@Red_Barchetta

How does this differ from the potential “risks” of signatures?

It doesn’t. It just potentially doubles the source of the potential “risks”, as you put it.

I was countering the several people in this thread who said that there would be no issues or not change the experience for anyone at all, except positively for those who wanted it. I disagree. I think that’s hyperbole or exaggeration on their part. I think there would be some change.

[Red_Barchetta]

@Heffalump_and_Roo

It doesn’t. It just potentially doubles the source of the potential “risks”, as you put it.

I was countering the several people in this thread who said that there would be no issues or not change the experience for anyone at all, except positively for those who wanted it. I disagree. I think that’s hyperbole or exaggeration on their part. I think there would be some change.

Perhaps, but my question was largely rhetorical. My point was that, so far as I know, those “risks” have not been a factor with regards to sigs. Which I would propose serves as precedent for the behavior we should expect of avatars.

[GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams]

Check the link in my signature for how to get round this whole ridiculous issue.

[Rhythmdvl]

@GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams

Check the link in my signature for how to get round this whole ridiculous issue.

Didn’t weirdarron’s greasemonkey scriptgive similar–and expanded–functionality too? Since your link is SMDB-specific, perhaps referencing it there (if it’s still active and useful) might round things out a bit.

[GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams]

That’s a nice-looking script, but have to go through Weirdarron to get it. Nothing stopping anyone and everyone using “mine” though.

[elmwood]

@Heffalump_and_Roo

I think there would be some change.

And the anti-avatar crowd has never been able to put a finger on what exactly that change would be. The arguments so far:

• Hypothetical arguments about duplicate avatars, copyright, using avatars to troll, and so on, which never comes up on message boards that have avatars enabled.

• “It’ll bring in the wrong element”, which is disproved by sites like BAUT, various atheist/secular boards (you guys LOVE atheist boards, right?), professional boards, and so on.

• “People will be talking about their avatars all the time”, again, something that just doesn’t happen on most message boards outside of avatar request threads.

• “It will change the tone of conversation”, but the anti-avatar crowd has never been able to describe exactly how. Besides, the tone of conversation on the SDMB has changed over the past few years, even without the help of avatars; it’s much snarkier than in the past. Is that seen as a positive change? Maybe we can blame that on the ability to edit posts. :r:

• It will affect board performance, which isn’t an issue on every other message board that has avatars.

• Users will be forced to see them, when the pro-avatar crowd has said time and time again that THEY CAN BE TURNED OFF, AND MANY BOARDS HAVE THEIR DISPLAY OFF BY DEFAULT.

• Users will be forced to use an avatar, which just doesn’t happen outside of Gravatar-enabled blogs.

• “Users are identified and judged by their words”, which won’t go away. There are also popular Dopers, not otherwise known for their intellectual ability, that could post keyboard mashing, and everybody would flock to their threads.

[Sarahfeena]

@Heffalump_and_Roo

It doesn’t. It just potentially doubles the source of the potential “risks”, as you put it.

I was countering the several people in this thread who said that there would be no issues or not change the experience for anyone at all, except positively for those who wanted it. I disagree. I think that’s hyperbole or exaggeration on their part. I think there would be some change.

The example you gave requires the poster to have an avatar that can be copied. I don’t see how allowing avatars would change the board experience for people who 1) don’t have an avatar and 2) can’t see anyone else’s avatar. I’m not exaggerating, I’m seriously at a complete loss to think of one.

[Red_Barchetta]

@Sarahfeena

The example you gave requires the poster to have an avatar that can be copied. I don’t see how allowing avatars would change the board experience for people who 1) don’t have an avatar and 2) can’t see anyone else’s avatar. I’m not exaggerating, I’m seriously at a complete loss to think of one.

But we can’t destroy the sanctity of the board!!!

[elmwood]

@GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams

Check the link in my signature for how to get round this whole ridiculous issue.

Cool!

A couple of things, though:

1. It’s a bit cumbersome to configure.
2. You choose the avatar that represents others, rather than that user choosing their own avatar.

[RaftPeople]

  OOOOOOOO     
 O        O   
O [O]  [O] O  
O          O   
O    o     O  
O          O  
O [_____]  O  Hello - I am RaftPeople's Avatar!
 O        O     
  OOOOOOOO

I’m back.

[No_umlaut_for_U]

I’m fairly new, and am aware about how common this discussion is. Recently I revisited another message board that I joined and left after a few months. The reason why I left jumped out at me: avatars and pictures in sigs.
Visual clutter: there’s a lot in society today, from video displays on gas pump islands and checkout aisles to “wrapped” cars and vans. It’s nice to be on a message board without the clutter, and it’s nice to have a site where someone behind you doesn’t realize where you are at a casual glance.
No avatars, please.