# Can we get 'how to enable avatars' added to the 'FAQ - Technical issues for Posting' sticky? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 22, 2012, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033 "2012-07-22T10:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/101 "2012-07-24T17:03:59Z")
From vbulletin (scroll to the image): > [@](#): > > Avatars are small images displayed under usernames in thread display **and user info pages** (bolding mine) > **[vBulletin Manual](https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/vb2_manual_cp_avatars_upload)** Can we get past this now? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/102 "2012-07-24T17:06:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The way you were stating it as a fact, I thought that you already _had_ a dictionary definition picked out. As you have so gracefully pointed out there might be some conflict of interest there, so I invited others to offer definitions or cites. Feel free to suggest something more fair. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/103 "2012-07-24T17:11:42Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > We don’t. Why do we need to? There is a picture that represents me on Internet forums, peer-to-peer chat programs and other places. It’s the same picture whether you’re looking at it in my public profile or next to my posts. That’s my avatar. \ > > Unless you’re going to say that this image is called a “profile picture” on the user’s control panel, but suddenly becomes an “avatar” only when the “show this image in threads” feature is turned on. Which is kind of nuts and I’m not even sure what the point is of making the distinction. A: I wish the pictures were bigger, B: The profile pictures? A: No, the avatars. A: I really want an avatar that is different from my profile pic. B: Why does it make a difference? A: I want my profile pic to show me, and my avatar to be some crazy thing. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/104 "2012-07-24T17:14:20Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > As you have so gracefully pointed out there might be some conflict of interest there, so I invited others to offer definitions or cites. Feel free to suggest something more fair. I don’t recall pointing out anything like that, but since you went ahead and came up with a definition from vBulletin itself, I’m going to reluctantly accept it. However, if the SDMB wishes to differentiate between the “avatar” on the profile page and an “avatar” attached to individual posts, how might they do so to avoid confusion in the future? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/105 "2012-07-24T17:15:06Z")
> [@](#): > > A: I want my profile pic to show me, and my avatar to be some crazy thing. “I want my avatar to be 100 by 100 in thread display and some other size when it’s viewed in my profile.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/106 "2012-07-24T17:17:06Z")
No one is saying you can’t call the picture on the profile page a profile pic, because it is a profile picture. It is also an avatar. Both words are accurate. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/107 "2012-07-24T17:21:34Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > “I want my avatar to be 100 by 100 in thread display and some other size when it’s viewed in my profile.” I think you’re being asked if both pictures, even if totally different, would be considered his avatar. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/108 "2012-07-24T17:23:53Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > No one is saying you can’t call the picture on the profile page a profile pic, because it is a profile picture. It is also an avatar. Both words are accurate. Clearly there’s a need to distinguish them (without paraphrase). So we do in a regular, shared way. See my discourse examples (again). ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/109 "2012-07-24T17:24:48Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > [Avatar: > 3. a graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet.](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/avatar) > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > [A graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet.](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/avatar) > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think you’re being asked if both pictures, even if totally different, would be considered his avatar. Since they are both “graphical images that represents a person” then I would say both are avatars. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/110 "2012-07-24T17:25:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I don’t recall pointing out anything like that, but since you went ahead and came up with a definition from vBulletin itself, I’m going to reluctantly accept it. However, if the SDMB wishes to differentiate between the “avatar” on the profile page and an “avatar” attached to individual posts, how might they do so to avoid confusion in the future? We could introduce them to the terms we’re using: avatar and profile pic. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/111 "2012-07-24T17:27:58Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Since they are both “graphical images that represents a person” then I would say both are avatars. So how would you differentiate between them? ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/112 "2012-07-24T17:28:23Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Since they are both “graphical images that represents a person” then I would say both are avatars. And when you need separate words to distinguish them? (circumlocutions not allowed–what are their names?) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/113 "2012-07-24T17:29:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So how would you differentiate between them? Why would you have to? “Hey Bob, what’s the deal with your avatar?” “Which one?” “The one in your profile.” “Oh, it’s from A Fish Called Wanda.” “Cool.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/114 "2012-07-24T17:31:33Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Clearly there’s a need to distinguish them (without paraphrase). So we do in a regular, shared way. See my discourse examples (again). An avatar is a graphical representation of a user. A profile pic is an avatar on a user’s profile. Distinguished well enough for our purposes. If you’d like to come up with a new word, like, I dunno pavatar to denote a post avatar, that’s your business, but it’s unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/115 "2012-07-24T17:32:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So how would you differentiate between them? How do you differentiate between the color orange and the fruit? ---
**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:** [July 24, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/116 "2012-07-24T17:34:24Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > How do you differentiate between the color orange and the fruit? By the words “paint” and “eat”. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/117 "2012-07-24T17:36:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > By the words “paint” and “eat”. Problem solved. I’m glad we were all able to share this time together today. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/118 "2012-07-24T17:36:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So how would you differentiate between them? By the words “profile” and “post.” ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/119 "2012-07-24T17:38:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think you’re being asked if both pictures, even if totally different, would be considered his avatar. “Hey, the avatar in your posts is different from the avatar in your profile!” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033/120 "2012-07-24T17:39:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > By the words “paint” and “eat”. What if you eat paint? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-how-to-enable-avatars-added-to-the-faq-technical-issues-for-posting-sticky/629033.md?page=7)