# Would it bother you if avatars were allowed, but off by default? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045 "2010-10-04T20:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/41 "2010-10-05T12:18:20Z")
I post at a few other boards that allow small, non-animated avatars, and I like it. It helps me remember who people are. And I’m someone who can easily forget the entire plot of a movie that I saw less than a year ago, so I can use the help. 😛 Anyway, I voted that no, it wouldn’t bother me, and I’d turn them on. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/42 "2010-10-05T12:44:03Z")
Avatars, embedded pictures and video, but off by default. Why punish the people that like/would use those features? I’m with \*\*elmwood \*\*and **Ruby**. The Dope is populated with fuddy duddies and people that have either never seen these features, or only seen these features implemented poorly. If they’re off by default anyways, and assuming no degradation in the board’s feeble powers (Say, can we just disable the board’s search function completely? We’re indexed on Google already.). ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/43 "2010-10-05T12:52:01Z")
Nah, they’re stupid and shit and boring and pointless and if I don’t like them then nobody else should be allowed to have them ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/44 "2010-10-05T12:53:29Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > > [@Merneith](#): > > > > I would like avatars. I like having faces with names. I wouldn’t mind having to turn the option on. > > We don’t need avatars for that. Anybody here can put a photo in their profile which is available to anyone who clicks on their name. It’s sort of a “two-click rule” that allows you to see someone’s mug, but keeps our fora uncluttered. > > But it’s disappointing how few people have their picture in their profile. I would guess that a lot more people would include avatars than currently put their picture in their profile. Why? I don’t know, but I suppose it might be because people don’t mind tossing up a picture of Godzilla stomping on Bambi, but balk at uploading their own face. > > To me, that represents part of the problem with making avatars available. Yes, just like many other people here, I’m curious about attaching a face with a name. But I don’t need to see the Gozilla/Bambi pix. Often, I click on a Doper’s name in order to see their picture in their profile (I might also check **Arnold Winkelried** ’s [SDMB Portrait Gallery](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/gallery_home.html), but I’d rather the pic be available on the SDMB). Unfortunately, not many Dopers have a picture in their profile, > > I’d like to see widespread encouragement of Dopers to add a photo to their profile. I think that would give many “avatar supporters” what they are looking for, without adding a lot of unnecessary nonsense. You can only put a photo in your profile if you’re a paying member, and it isn’t worth $15 for me. I also disagree that it would give those who want avatars what they’re looking for. The reason I’d like avatars is that when I’m reading posts, the names that go with the posts become a bit of a blur, and I have trouble remembering the identity of posters. For some reason, my brain just skips the poster’s names, but a small photo next to the post registers for me. It doesn’t need to be an actual photo of the person, but some image would help me recognize specific posters more often. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/45 "2010-10-05T12:54:47Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > > [@Merneith](#): > > > > I would like avatars. I like having faces with names. I wouldn’t mind having to turn the option on. > > We don’t need avatars for that. Anybody here can put a photo in their profile which is available to anyone who clicks on their name. It’s sort of a “two-click rule” that allows you to see someone’s mug, but keeps our fora uncluttered. Yeah, no. That’s not the same thing at all. What I was actually talking about was wanting to have a visual cue right next to the username to help make the usernames more memorable. I’m good with names but I’d like to have a visual cue, also. If I have to click around for each person it would defeat the purpose I’m talking about. For my purposes, I don’t care if the ‘face’ I mentioned is an actual photo or whatever. The avatar I’d use is the Rocky Horror Picture Show Lips. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/46 "2010-10-05T13:02:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@Giraffe](#): > > > > I’m going on the assumption that they would handle it like every other message board I’ve ever seen, i.e. the responsibility for what pictures are used rests with the poster and the staff doesn’t get involved unless someone complains. > > And I would assume that it is possible that a personal message board might operate under different rules than one owned by a corporation, especially one that is involved in the newsbiz-their lawyers tend to be a bit more skittish when it comes to copyright matters. > IMHO, of course. I wouldn’t mind hearing from those who would know. While it might, it seems that the system described above is sufficient for every other possible infraction, including people posting too much in copyrighted excerpts. I wonder why it would be insufficient for this purpose. Also, it may surprise everyone, but I don’t even want them. I experimented with them, and while it was nice, when I switched it back I liked it better. But I am adamantly against the idea that people should be able to veto something just because they don’t like it. You need logical reasons. And the one about people talking about avatars: easy solution. Either don’t allow people to talk about avatars, or let you view them on the profile page, so if you feel like you don’t know what someone’s is like, you can find out without turning them on. Surely having pictures in profiles doesn’t bother you. Also, I experimented with commenting on people’s avatars back when I used my avatar script. And nobody seemed to care. ETA: That leads me to another idea. Implement and see what happens. I may have been vehemently against nested quotes, but I admit that I would have been better off to have just shut up and let people see what would happen. It would have been a lot more effective. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/47 "2010-10-05T13:58:52Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Because I like using avatars? Because they’re fun? Because a lot of times people will use really interesting ones, and it’s fun to check them out? > > Hey – why use signatures? I agree. Sigs suck too, especially the unkillable ones. Regards, Turnip ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/48 "2010-10-05T13:59:41Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > > [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > > > We don’t need avatars for that. Anybody here can put a photo in their profile which is available to anyone who clicks on their name. It’s sort of a “two-click rule” that allows you to see someone’s mug, but keeps our fora uncluttered. > > > > But it’s disappointing how few people have their picture in their profile. I would guess that a lot more people would include avatars than currently put their picture in their profile. Why? I don’t know, but I suppose it might be because people don’t mind tossing up a picture of Godzilla stomping on Bambi, but balk at uploading their own face. > > > > To me, that represents part of the problem with making avatars available. Yes, just like many other people here, I’m curious about attaching a face with a name. But I don’t need to see the Gozilla/Bambi pix. Often, I click on a Doper’s name in order to see their picture in their profile (I might also check **Arnold Winkelried** ’s [SDMB Portrait Gallery](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/gallery_home.html), but I’d rather the pic be available on the SDMB). Unfortunately, not many Dopers have a picture in their profile, > > > > I’d like to see widespread encouragement of Dopers to add a photo to their profile. I think that would give many “avatar supporters” what they are looking for, without adding a lot of unnecessary nonsense. > > You can only put a photo in your profile if you’re a paying member, and it isn’t worth $15 for me. I also disagree that it would give those who want avatars what they’re looking for. The reason I’d like avatars is that when I’m reading posts, the names that go with the posts become a bit of a blur, and I have trouble remembering the identity of posters. For some reason, my brain just skips the poster’s names, but a small photo next to the post registers for me. It doesn’t need to be an actual photo of the person, but some image would help me recognize specific posters more often. Hell, link it to Facebook, so those that have Facebook or choose to link it can have their Facebook photo as their avatar. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/49 "2010-10-05T14:30:26Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > So what would be the point? Jesus, it’s an avatar, not a definitive statement of who you are as a human being. > [@elmwood](#): > > _OMG people will use inappropriate avatars, like Goatse, Tubgirl, turds, penises, autopsy and accident scene photos, and other NSFW images!_ Well I was going to make a collage of photos that included Goatse, Tubgirl, penises with sores on them, and try somehow to work in the video of Two Girls, One Cup, along with some images of aborted fetuses. > [@mutantmoose](#): > > Nah, they’re stupid and shit and boring and pointless and if I don’t like them then nobody else should be allowed to have them Ha! This more or less sums up the opposition around here. I mean, seriously, who gives a shit? I could take or leave avatars, but why would I be opposed to making it an _option_ for _other people_? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/50 "2010-10-05T14:59:02Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > ]Ha! This more or less sums up the opposition around here. I mean, seriously, who gives a shit? I could take or leave avatars, but why would I be opposed to making it an _option_ for _other people_? It reminds me of opposition to same-sex marriage. Oh, I can’t think of a reason to be agin it, but I’m agin it! ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/51 "2010-10-05T15:00:27Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > while we’re at it, maybe we only allow JPG so we can avoid all of the animated GIF silliness. There’s an option in the vBulletin admin control panel that restricts avatar uploads to only static images, even if they’re a .gif. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/52 "2010-10-05T15:00:47Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Question to those who voted “I would prefer to continue to have avatars off for everyone.” Why? I have signatures turned off, but I still have to read “Regards, Shodan” and “Enjoy Steven” often enough to irritate me. I’m atavistically suspicious that allowing avatars will somehow result in some of them slipping past my having turned them off. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/53 "2010-10-05T15:05:29Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I have signatures turned off, but I still have to read “Regards, Shodan” and “Enjoy Steven” often enough to irritate me. I’m atavistically suspicious that allowing avatars will somehow result in some of them slipping past my having turned them off. No. Turn off avatars, and none of them are displayed. No user-side hacks to force their display, no override for administrators and mods. No bugs have been reported about this in the vBulletin forums. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/54 "2010-10-05T16:45:07Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > It reminds me of opposition to same-sex marriage. Oh, I can’t think of a reason to be agin it, but I’m agin it! You’ve inspired me to reconsider. My avatar will be a picture of me taking a dump on your avatar’s head. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/55 "2010-10-05T17:09:42Z")
Myself, I don’t care for them. But as long as I can keep them off, I’m meh about the whole deal. I will say this: I really like the single column thing the Dope’s got going. The other boards I’m familiar with use a two-column format, to make space for the avatar and such. When I’m skimming these boards, I end up totally losing all sense of who has said what, because I utterly ignore the left column where such information is listed. It then becomes a string of utterly anonymous voices and I quickly lose interest. I think one of the reasons I’ve stayed here so long is that I do see those names (even if I may not pay especial attention to them - sometimes they do get lost). For me, the one-column format makes it much easier for me to notice people’s names; I tend to not see them at all in two-column formats. It’s more personalized, if that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/56 "2010-10-05T17:14:17Z")
I think that small avatars would greatly improve the board experience. Right now a huge percentage of you are anonymous, interchangeable entities to me, because I’m bad with names. Images, on the other hand, click with me very quickly. On the fathom board we have very small avatars enabled and it’s never been a problem and it really helps remember who is who. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/57 "2010-10-05T17:25:13Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > > [@spark240](#): > > > > So what would be the point? > > Jesus, it’s an avatar, not a definitive statement of who you are as a human being. > > Well I was going to make a collage of photos that included Goatse, Tubgirl, penises with sores on them, and try somehow to work in the video of Two Girls, One Cup, along with some images of aborted fetuses. > > > [@mutantmoose](#): > > > > Nah, they’re stupid and shit and boring and pointless and if I don’t like them then nobody else should be allowed to have them > > Ha! This more or less sums up the opposition around here. I mean, seriously, who gives a shit? I could take or leave avatars, but why would I be opposed to making it an _option_ for _other people_? You forgot lotus boob and lamprey fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/58 "2010-10-05T17:43:33Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I think that small avatars would greatly improve the board experience. Right now a huge percentage of you are anonymous, interchangeable entities to me, because I’m bad with names. Images, on the other hand, click with me very quickly. On the fathom board we have very small avatars enabled and it’s never been a problem and it really helps remember who is who. Except for those lovely people that change their avatar as often as they change their underwear. I can never keep up with those people on other sites. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/59 "2010-10-05T17:51:21Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > It reminds me of opposition to same-sex marriage. Oh, I can’t think of a reason to be agin it, but I’m agin it! Slippery slope! Slippery slope! If people are allowed to use avatars, it’ll open the doors to signature images, inline images, and blinking text! Everybody will be posting Goatse images! Dopers will be writing messages in German about eating at Applebee’s and Olive Garden, and how Jesus Christ became their personal lord and savior! It’ll lead to the breakdown of Doper society! Slippery slope! ARRRRRRGH! ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045/60 "2010-10-05T17:54:42Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Slippery slope! Slippery slope! If people are allowed to use avatars, it’ll open the doors to signature images, inline images, and blinking text! Everybody will be posting Goatse images! Dopers will be writing messages in German about eating at Applebee’s and Olive Garden, and how Jesus Christ became their personal lord and savior! It’ll lead to the breakdown of Doper society! Slippery slope! ARRRRRRGH! No! _ **NO!!!** _ We must nip this terror in the bud! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-bother-you-if-avatars-were-allowed-but-off-by-default/556045.md?page=4)