Usually avatars are hosted on some other site and the board simply holds the URL. I suppose the BBS does have to do that one extra lookup, but each page would also load slower because the users would be downloading images from the hosting sites–so effectively the rate at which users were making new requests to the Dope would be lowered.
Are we certain that avatars actually slow things down?
I do think the site looks more professional for not having them, but just the truth-getter in me wanted to know…
Unless vBulletin 3.0 is substantially different than the one I run, you have two options: link to a URL for the avatar (local or remote) or else upload the avatar into the database as a binary object. Storing it in the database and/or hosting it on the server is, as you say, bandwidth intensive, while storing it off-site is not really.
However, two of the main reasons are human factors ones. First off, every single avatar would have to be checked and confirmed as being “appropriate” by the Mods, and given how much stepping over the line happens with sigs, I can see a hundred times the problems with people with porn avatars, offensive avatars, and of course avatars that may or may not be copyright violations.
Then of course this is the SDMB, where some people bitch and moan all the time about everything, and some people look for reasons to start fights with each other. You can post simply “Evil is Bad” in the BBQ Pit and get at least half a dozen windbags calling you out for your “narrow-mindedness” and “conservative hate crimes”. Imagine how people will complain and bitch and moan over avatars. Let me post the top ten threads that will be posted on a weekly basis here:
“I saw an offensive avatar! Can’t someone protect me? Some of us browse from work!”
“Hey mods, is this avatar acceptable now? Yeesh! Stop picking on me!”
“Pitting (name) for their (religious/racist/political/sexual/stupid) avatar”
“Please ban animated avatars. Thanks!”
“Why is the SDMB so sloooooow? It takes 1 day, 13 hours, 22 minutes, and 8 seconds to load a page!”
“Should MPSIMS avatars be used in GQ? Should Cafe Society avatars be used in the Pit? How come we’re limited to only one avatar at a time? This is the greatest injustice in the history of humankind. Oh, sniffle, the irony!”
“Mods shouldn’t be allowed to use funny avatars when giving warnings because then I don’t know if they’re serious or not and we need to have every moderator decision be as serious as a Trial of the Pyx, so please ban all mods from using avatars when giving warnings, thanks!”
“Hey Tuba, why did you ban my avatar? Under the IP Laws of the Assgoblin Convention of Trinidad and Tobago, Section 201, Part V, Subparagraph 5(b)(iii), it’s NOT a copyright violation. Didn’t you know that? Yeeeeesh!”
“Someone stole my avatar! WaaaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaa! Make them stop!”
and finally,
“how do i add an avatar i don’t understand computers and my mom doesnt no and i asked my brother what a faq is and he said shut up. tia!”
Thanks for the warm welcome.
Goats and hamsters are a nice change. My other board is salwater fish.
Cheese mites I could do without, but I’m sure the cheese couldn’t.
My avatar is my 57 Chevy.
An avatar by definition is religius/spiritual.
I think the avatars help give personality to the chicken scratch we call type.
If I pay up do I get access to more smilies?? I gotta have lots of smilies to function properly.
Second, one of the many reasons I love the Dope is the fact that avatars are nonexistent. No offense to those of you that like them but I personally can’t stand using message boards that have them. They’re distracting.
Any Una is so right about all the B.S. that having them would cause.
I would not mind an avatar. Mine is a small picture of a Loach, usually Miss Clawd. It’s unanimated and unoffensive. However I do understand that it would be opening up a door we don’t want to go through. There are a number of boards I wouldn’t mind visiting more except each post starts with a giant animated avatar. Then there is the giant cute message under the avatar. Then there is the 10 line pre-signature. Then there is the two paragraph signature. Somewhere in there is the actual post, “ROFL”. I’ll put up with the board snobbiness around here to keep away from that.
Chevy if you can get past the lack of bells and whistles you will see this place is worth it for the content and (most) of the people. They do allow you a signature if you like.
I keep 2 windows open at all times.
One for each of the 2 boards I’m posting on at the same time. As for the multiple thread thing…he he he
I have a half dozen going now on the other board and the newbie thread I refered to earlier was, in fact THIS ONE. oops…
I understand that there are bunches of aavitarists like you on the board but you have to realize that there are many people here who do believe in avitars. You should limit such offensive comments to the Pit.