# Avatars **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 5, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133 "2018-08-05T16:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/21 "2018-08-06T07:55:03Z")
**Moderator Note** Let’s not have any further discussion of Giraffeboards here. The purpose of the SDMB is not to provide free advertising for other message boards. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/22 "2018-08-06T10:22:37Z")
Held within reason, avatars can help identify posters (anyone else constantly get **silenius** and **septimus** mixed up at a glance? Probably just me) and show off a little personality. Personally, my expectation of the maturity of this forum is that we could definitely do avatars without them being horribly awful. Maybe keep it to 100x100px? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/23 "2018-08-06T12:32:10Z")
My line would be no animation. I actively avoid fora that have animated avatars. I’d have to turn off avatars entirely if those were allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/24 "2018-08-06T14:57:53Z")
Addendum: No anime avatars. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/25 "2018-08-06T15:03:14Z")
No animal avatars?? ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/26 "2018-08-06T15:12:00Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > Let’s not have any further discussion of Giraffeboards here. The purpose of the SDMB is not to provide free advertising for other message boards. Does this apply only to Gira **e or are mentions of places like Re** it, Faceb\*\*k, etc., also now disallowed? ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/27 "2018-08-06T16:04:40Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Does this apply only to Gira **e or are mentions of places like Re** it, Faceb\*\*k, etc., also now disallowed? Good question. I’d also be curious to hear the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/28 "2018-08-06T16:30:42Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Held within reason, avatars can help identify posters (anyone else constantly get **silenius** and **septimus** mixed up at a glance? Probably just me) and show off a little personality. Personally, my expectation of the maturity of this forum is that we could definitely do avatars without them being horribly awful. Maybe keep it to 100x100px? > [@Ludovic](#): > > My line would be no animation. I actively avoid fora that have animated avatars. I’d have to turn off avatars entirely if those were allowed. That seems to be the standard on most boards I visit, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/29 "2018-08-06T16:48:22Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Does this apply only to Gira **e or are mentions of places like Re** it, Faceb\*\*k, etc., also now disallowed? And whatever Steam is. People here are always promoting that place. ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/30 "2018-08-06T16:53:46Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > And whatever Steam is. Steam is a platform, mostly for PC, people use to download and play games. Steam has active discussion and game modding communities. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/31 "2018-08-06T17:02:45Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Held within reason, avatars can help identify posters (anyone else constantly get **silenius** and **septimus** mixed up at a glance? Probably just me) and show off a little personality. Personally, my expectation of the maturity of this forum is that we could definitely do avatars without them being horribly awful. Maybe keep it to 100x100px? I get **asterion** and **astorian** confused. Luckily, one of them has some text under his/her name (winner of something?) and the other doesn’t. Please, no avatars. I love the clean look of this place. “Hey, you could always turn them off in your preferences.” Sure, but I almost never view this page logged in – I log in to post and then log out, usually. I don’t like the way it keeps track of your unread posts when you’re logged in. So, once again, please, no avatars. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/32 "2018-08-06T17:13:08Z")
Once again, for those in the oblivious seats: **AVATARS CAN BE ENABLED AND DISABLED AT THE USER’S PREFERENCE THROUGH THE USER CP. IF YOU DON’T LIKE AVATARS, YOU CAN TURN THEM THE FUCK OFF AND HAVE THE UNSPOILED EXPERIENCE YOU PREFER, WHILE OTHERS CAN SEE THEM OR NOT AS THEY PREFER.** There is nothing so irritating as someone who insists that EVERYONE be restricted by their own preferences. Learn to cope with other people having a different preference, it’s not difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/33 "2018-08-06T19:04:37Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > AIUI, the profile photo is what is seen when people visit your profile page. And your avatar is the picture they’ll see next to your name in every post you make. So my question was, even though we don’t allow avatars here (yet), is there a place to load one in advance? Or is that also shut off? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/34 "2018-08-06T19:56:55Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Does this apply only to Gira **e or are mentions of places like Re** it, Faceb\*\*k, etc., also now disallowed? Yeah, funny. I guess I need to spell it out that if you need to discuss something pertaining to the rules, you can actually use the real words. Promotion of other web sites is only allowed here with moderator approval. That applies to Giraffe and any other message board or web site. That’s not a new rule. While other sites can be mentioned, especially to show examples of things, **SmartAleq** ’s post goes way too far and comes off as an actual advertisement. **SmartAleq** did not post “look here for an example of avatars” and instead posted this: > [@SmartAleq](#): > > If you haven’t already, go register an account at the Giraffe board These comments (and a couple of others that I didn’t quote) boil down to basically bitching about our rules here and the way we moderate our board, which is far outside of the scope of a thread that is only about avatars: > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > That sounds like anarchy. > > Where are the million rules and the posting police? > [@Grrr](#): > > You can add your own tag lines too. It’s total anarchy over there. > [@cochrane](#): > > **Fenris** will arbitrarily and capriciously box you for a period of up to an hour. I have never known a Facebook or Reddit mention to drag an ATMB thread completely off-topic like the mention of Giraffeboards here can, so at the moment I don’t see where any restriction on any other site is necessary. But again, promotion of any other site, Giraffe or otherwise, needs moderator approval. This is a thread about avatars. Discussion of the way that Giraffeboards is run and how some feel the entire rule system of the SDMB should be changed is way off topic. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/35 "2018-08-06T19:59:26Z")
> [@Panther\_Modern](#): > > Steam is a platform, mostly for PC, people use to download and play games. Steam has active discussion and game modding communities. Discussions of Steam and other game-related web sites are often permitted in the Game Room, but would be considered spam or promotion of an off-board site in other forums. This is to facilitate the discussion of games and gaming sites, which is part of the purpose of the Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/36 "2018-08-06T20:00:50Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > We’ve brought them up with the administrator, **TubaDiva**. No indication if she’s considering them, just something that’s been brought up as a suggestion. FYI, we are currently discussing this in the mod loop. It is being considered. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/37 "2018-08-06T20:50:23Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > FYI, we are currently discussing this in the mod loop. It is being considered. If you do add them, could the default be not to show them? So, when someone visits without logging in, they wouldn’t see them? That is, make it opt-in, not opt-out. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/38 "2018-08-06T20:52:10Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > … “Hey, you could always turn them off in your preferences.” Sure, but I almost never view this page logged in – I log in to post and then log out, usually. I don’t like the way it keeps track of your unread posts when you’re logged in. > … I wonder if the default (which would include those not logged in) could be set to “off”. I really find avatars make boards easier to read. I’ve never understood why people are so opposed. De gustibus and all that. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/39 "2018-08-06T21:13:40Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > If you do add them, could the default be not to show them? So, when someone visits without logging in, they wouldn’t see them? That is, make it opt-in, not opt-out. I think we are all in agreement that it would be opt-in, not opt-out. The default would be to not show avatars. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatars/819133/40 "2018-08-06T21:16:13Z")
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