# I turned on avatars today. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 8, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255 "2018-08-08T00:29:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**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 8, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/101 "2018-08-08T15:43:48Z")
> [@Fiveroptic](#): > > Ahhhh… It’s like putting on a pair of well-worn slippers. You shop at Goodwill too? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/102 "2018-08-08T15:45:19Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I give up. Can’t get a picture to the right size. I downloaded Gimp, resized an image, saved it, then tried to install it and it failed. Oh, well. I had success using plain ol’ Irfanview. If you like, send me your picture ([TubaDiva@aol.com](mailto:TubaDiva@aol.com)) and I’ll give it a shot. And yes, I know they’re really really tiny right now – that’s the system default. Want to see how this affects the server load before I make things any bigger. Yes, I know it shouldn’t … and hopefully, it won’t … but careful goes it here. Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/103 "2018-08-08T15:48:19Z")
Hmm… I just wrote a snarky post about me resisting avatar use and realized that my avatar didn’t show up. Nothing to see here, move along. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/104 "2018-08-08T15:49:27Z")
Hmm. Not sure I like it, but I’ll try it out. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/105 "2018-08-08T15:57:19Z")
Hmmm… I uploaded a first attempt that didn’t look right; I’ll see if I can tweak it when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/106 "2018-08-08T16:18:26Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > [Picresize.com](http://Picresize.com) is easy to use. I didn’t have any trouble doing it. So it’s very idiot proof.🙂 > [@susan](#): > > Yo. OK, I can tell most of the avatars, but you two have me lost. Please tell me what I am looking at. **Beckdawrek** , I get the Andy Warhol part but can’t tell what the little base image is. **susan** , is that trees or building or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/107 "2018-08-08T16:25:11Z")
Well, I can’t figure out how to resize a photo to the right dimensions/pixels, so I’m outa luck on this I guess. ---
**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 8, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/108 "2018-08-08T16:30:49Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > It seems to say “upload failed” no matter what. Even when your avatar is working. If you click “use this” (or whatever it says) again after uploading, you do get that message. I think you can just back out ofter the actual upload without getting it. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > I had success using plain ol’ Irfanview. > > If you like, send me your picture ([TubaDiva@aol.com](mailto:TubaDiva@aol.com)) and I’ll give it a shot. > > And yes, I know they’re really really tiny right now – that’s the system default. Want to see how this affects the server load before I make things any bigger. Yes, I know it shouldn’t … and hopefully, it won’t … but careful goes it here. > > Jenny > your humble TubaDiva > Administrator I think they might be overwhelming on a phone if you made them bigger. They do look small on my laptop, but they are perfect on my phone. At any rate, please check what larger avatars would look like on a phone before making them bitter – there’s not a lot of screen space on a phone (and too much of it is chewed up by the persistent ad at the bottom.) > [@Chefguy](#): > > Well, I can’t figure out how to resize a photo to the right dimensions/pixels, so I’m outa luck on this I guess. What platform are you using? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/109 "2018-08-08T16:36:46Z")
As I said in the other thread, I think they look a little off in the themes available. I’m not sure what the problem is. One thing I can think of is to add a border and some space, but then that messes with avatars like mine that use transparency. (I actually added a couple pixels of space on the right of mine, to hopefully make it align the way I want it.) Oh, and I really don’t want them bigger. One of the annoyances of avatars is that they add more whitespace to the name part. Right now, they take up as much space as the full info on the right, so they add barely any whitespace. Though, if you could enable automatic resizing, that would be really nice. The software acts like it’s a possibility. And it would only run when someone changes their avatar, so it would not likely be a big server issue. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/110 "2018-08-08T16:39:15Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > If you click “use this” (or whatever it says) again after uploading, you do get that message. I think you can just back out ofter the actual upload without getting it. > > I think they might be overwhelming on a phone if you made them bigger. They do look small on my laptop, but they are perfect on my phone. > > At any rate, please check what larger avatars would look like on a phone before making them bitter – there’s not a lot of screen space on a phone (and too much of it is chewed up by the persistent ad at the bottom.) > What platform are you using? Chrome browser in Windows. I still use Picasa for photo stuff. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/111 "2018-08-08T16:40:30Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Well, I can’t figure out how to resize a photo to the right dimensions/pixels, so I’m outa luck on this I guess. [Go here](https://imgur.com/upload) and drag your photo onto the screen. It should tell you it’s creating a post. Once it shows you the photo, hover over the down arrow and select [edit image](https://i.imgur.com/8Xg573V.jpg) (circled in red). That opens up the [editing menu](https://i.imgur.com/EI8kPLi.jpg). Click on whichever number is bigger in the area circled in red and change it to 50. Make sure you leave the lock proportions checkbox checked and apply changes. You should now have a picture that is 50x50 pixels or less in size and it’s hosted online. You can either save the photo to your computer and upload it or rightclick on the photo and choose open in new tab and link to that url in your user CP instead. Either way should work. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/112 "2018-08-08T16:41:20Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > OK, I can tell most of the avatars, but you two have me lost. Please tell me what I am looking at. > > **Beckdawrek** , I get the Andy Warhol part but can’t tell what the little base image is. > > **susan** , is that trees or building or something else? That’s me. It kinda small to really see on this avatar thing, but it’s a real artsy-fartsy thing I did on my iPad with what I thought was a cool selfie of my self. I likes it. Hint: it’s a profile. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/113 "2018-08-08T16:42:07Z")
Do you have to be using the new theme to see them? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/114 "2018-08-08T16:42:19Z")
I likes it. Thanks, Tuba! mmm ---
**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 8, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/115 "2018-08-08T16:43:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Chrome browser in Windows. I still use Picasa for photo stuff. Sorry, I’ve never used Picassa and can’t help. But maybe try using some other software, as Inner Stickler, Beckdawrek, or Tubadiver suggest? The browser should be fine, you probably just need to use some other image manipulation software. (or find the right settings in Picassa.) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/116 "2018-08-08T16:50:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Chrome browser in Windows. I still use Picasa for photo stuff. **Chef** , do you have access to Paint? If so it’s simple as a pimple. Open your image in Paint. Click on Resize. Change from ‘Percentage’ to ‘Pixels’ Change both Horizontal and Verticle to 50. Click OK. Click Save (or Save As). Upload to the SD. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/117 "2018-08-08T16:56:59Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Do you have to be using the new theme to see them? Nope. I’m using Straight Dope v3.7.3 and see them fine. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/118 "2018-08-08T16:59:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Nope. I’m using Straight Dope v3.7.3 and see them fine. They also show up on Tapatalk, with the annoyance that it has a circular avatar spot. ---
**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 8, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/119 "2018-08-08T17:19:41Z")
If you’re seeing that big-ass space between the name and the avatar, you can try switching to the Straight Dope v3.7.3 – it doesn’t show up there. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255/120 "2018-08-08T17:26:51Z")
> [@dba\_Fred](#): > > **THE STRAIGHT DOPE** > Fighting Avatar Ignorance Since 2018 > (It’ll Take Longer Than We Think) > > First Brexit, then Trump, now avatars … where will it end??? And once again, you, can turn them off. > [@RitterSport](#): > > and avatars off And once again, you, can turn them off. > [@Skammer](#): > > Hmm. Not sure I like it, but I’ll try it out. And once again, you, can turn them off. > [@BigT](#): > > Oh, and I really don’t want them bigger. Not everything is about you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-turned-on-avatars-today/819255.md?page=7)