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Avatars Part Deux


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View Poll Results: Should AppleNova enable Avatars?
Yes, allow users to upload their own avatars. 31 36.05%
Yes, but only let users pick from a "set" of avatars we design. 3 3.49%
Yes, but treat it like the "Custom Title" thread; evaluate on a case by case basis. 5 5.81%
No, disallow avatars entirely. 29 33.72%
Don't care. 0 0%
Don't care as long as I can turn them off. 16 18.60%
Yes, but only let images be in greyscale. 2 2.33%
Voters: 86. You may not vote on this poll

Avatars Part Deux
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LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-07-01, 18:15

With ThinkSecret's previous board losing its formal relationship with ThinkSecret, Bones, their forum admin, has expressed to me concern with the lack of a very specific feature at AppleNova: Avatars. His assertiveness has motivated us to start a thread with a poll to re-examine the idea and concept of avatars.

As many of you know, this community's history with avatars is so filled with myth and legend that it's hard not to smirk when the topic is broached again. I know the ThinkSecret forum members that are coming here are unaware of this history, but I do encourage them to use our search engine to find older threads about this topic.

This thread is not a guarantee that we will implement avatars. It is not a guarantee that we won't. Some suggestions have been pointed my way that sound good so far. What will happen is we'll run some tests on the private non-production server, and if things are looking good there, we may run a public test here to see how the idea takes.

The options, as you can reference in the poll, are as follows.
  • Avatars restricted to a certain size only. We would do our best to keep any blinking or like hot pink avatars off the boards, but it would pretty much be users responsible for uploading something appropriate.
  • Allow users to pick an avatar from a set of specially designed images created by someone here. This would allow the avatars to visually integrate much smoother with our board, however, since more than one person will have the same avatar you lose some individuality.
  • Allow avatars, but evaluate on a case by case basis just like the custom title thread in this forum.
  • No Avatars! Self-explanatory.

If people have other options, please post them here. This thread exists to serve as a discussion of this topic, since Bones et al have made it well known that it is important to them. Discuss.

It is with great regret that we say our farewells to Jack, who passed away on May 28th, 2005. Jack, you will be missed by all

Superior thinking has always overwhelmed superior force. - Marine Corps Officers

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." - General Eisenhower
 
SKMDC
superkaratemonkeydeathcar
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2004-07-01, 18:22

can we have a britney spears forum too?
look at me! look at me! look at me!
 
shylock
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-07-01, 18:29

LoCash,

Thanks for entertaining the possibility.

A question if you don't mind...if 150 people each vote for one of the first three options (the pro-avatar options) and 200 people vote for the fourth option (no avatars) will this forum be getting avatars or not?

Obviously, using my example numbers above, that would mean 450 people want avatars (albiet with differing caveats) while only 200 don't.

Just want to get a clarification so I know whether to celebrate or not when the voting is over. Thanks.

shylock
 
Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-07-01, 18:34

You forgot another one:

"Don't care, as long as I can turn the bloody things off on my end."

I don't care if other people have avatars or not... I just don't like looking at them. Give us the option to disable them in user prefs, and they can be however the avatar lovin' assembly decides they should be.
 
Bones3D
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nerv, Tokyo 3, Japan
 
2004-07-01, 18:36

LoCash, thank you for starting this thread. I hope this will give our users a chance to speak for themselves on the issue.
 
autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-07-01, 18:39

How do we even know these people from psforums won't just register and vote while they are excited about all the changes, then never come here in the months ahead but leaving AN with avatars few people want?
 
LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-07-01, 18:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by shylock
LoCash,

Thanks for entertaining the possibility.

A question if you don't mind...if 150 people each vote for one of the first three options (the pro-avatar options) and 200 people vote for the fourth option (no avatars) will this forum be getting avatars or not?

Obviously, using my example numbers above, that would mean 450 people want avatars (albiet with differing caveats) while only 200 don't.

Just want to get a clarification so I know whether to celebrate or not when the voting is over. Thanks.

shylock
The polls we tend to start about these things usually are more to gauge feedback about it all. We'd like to see if there is a sizable amount of the membership that is interested in avatars in any way, shape, or form. So if 150 people liked avatars in some way, but 200 didn't... well, that's going to encourage us to examine potential implementations of avatars, and we'll do that on our test server and probably invite some people to help with that.

Once we have a system we'd like to propose, we would most likely have another poll letting people weigh in on our proposal as it were, and that vote would be a bit more meaningful than this one on an implementation level. Basically, it's going to take an overwhelming majority to keep us from examining an avatar option, and if/when we do decide to evaluate one, we'll definitely work with people like Bones and company to make sure our proposal would work for you guys.

It is with great regret that we say our farewells to Jack, who passed away on May 28th, 2005. Jack, you will be missed by all

Superior thinking has always overwhelmed superior force. - Marine Corps Officers

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." - General Eisenhower
 
LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-07-01, 18:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by autodata
How do we even know these people from psforums won't just register and vote while they are excited about all the changes, then never come here in the months ahead but leaving AN with avatars few people want?
It's not like we can't turn off the avatar option in the future
 
tallslacker
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Oregon
 
2004-07-01, 18:55

LoCash,
Thanks for at least making a poll. I first saw the no avatar thing and was a bit shocked and somewhat turned off on how many were so dead against it but I do admit I do not know the history of this board. I have only been on Bones board for over a year.

I can definitely see why some people don't want avatars. I know a few people from our board (the flashing avatar that will induce a seizure) have avatars that are somewhat of eye soars but I think to a degree it ... it sets them apart from everyone. That is Noodle. You know him and that's his avatar. I think an avatar just accentuates someone's personality.

I personally have used a certain avatar and actually have gotten flack for changing it because that was me and I think it's just a form of self expression.

I personally am the kind of person where... if no avatars is the rule then that's that. No point in whining or carrying on. I do think if there was an option to where a user could turn it avatars on then that would be satisfying a lot of people and also the people who don't want avatars. They would never have to mess with that option and won't have to have their eyes become traumatized from some people's wild avatars.

Anyway that's just my two cents.
If it came down... no avatars and that's just the way it is. I won't lose sleep over it. :smokey:
 
MACSRULETHEWORLD
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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2004-07-01, 18:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by autodata
How do we even know these people from psforums won't just register and vote while they are excited about all the changes, then never come here in the months ahead but leaving AN with avatars few people want?
people at TS are getting uneasy, they are looking for a place where everybody can migrate too, and keep the community feeling. this is the only real option right now (sorry WBG4 ) so, trust me, if TS closes, these people arent going anywhere
 
HOM
The Elder™
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Rostra
 
2004-07-01, 19:04

Um, I was thinking something like this:



I mentioned this in the other thread. Just something I threw together in PhotoShop in a few minutes.

CARTHAGO DELENDA EST

¡Viva La Revolucion!
 
Bones3D
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nerv, Tokyo 3, Japan
 
2004-07-01, 19:09

LoCash, one of the users over in the general suggestions thread tossed out the idea of having greyscale avatars. Could something like that work so long as they weren't animated?

8==8 Bones 8==8
 
propellerhead
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2004-07-01, 19:27

Make them only available to those people who have 1000+ posts.

Have them disabled in the UserCP by default.

Greyscale = more creativity = good. There's only so much you can do with grey.
 
propellerhead
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2004-07-01, 19:28

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kickaha
You forgot another one:

"Don't care, as long as I can turn the bloody things off on my end."

I don't care if other people have avatars or not... I just don't like looking at them. Give us the option to disable them in user prefs, and they can be however the avatar lovin' assembly decides they should be.
You can do that in vB3. I have avatars and sigs disabled when I post on the Macrumors boards.

So in all honesty, those users who don't want to see the avatars won't have to, and those who do want to see them can.
 
psgamer0921
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2004-07-01, 20:04

I say that there be a small size limit, and whoever doesn't like them "interfering" with the theme can turn them off if they please
 
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2004-07-01, 20:22

Quote:
Originally Posted by HOM
Um, I was thinking something like this:

Maybe I need to rethink this whole greyscale thing, lest we all have big fucking tombstones underneath our names.
 
HOM
The Elder™
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Rostra
 
2004-07-01, 20:26

Don't hate me because I'm the walking dead.

:smokey:
 
autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-07-01, 22:39

If avatars are allowed, I would turn them off. However, then you have one chunk of the board with one experience and one with a totally different one. Some of these kids already said they will be scanning for avatars, meaning you will have a clique-like community.

Two totally different interfaces seems so unapple-like, as does the idea of gaudy avatars. The nice thing about the AN interface is that it is reminiscent of the pro apps, essentially including many of what makes them such a joy to work in.
 
PowerBook
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2004-07-01, 23:57

Avatars ... are just a way to express your individuality. It's what you visually represent yourself on the internet ...

If you don't have a face to communicate to, then we all might as well be blind ... I'm not sure if I would appreciate being in a world like that. I would much prefer communicating to someone that I can atleast identify a picture to since it can give me a better idea of who they are - aside from the words they write.

What's the point of having a face if you don't like communicating to one?
 
oldmacfan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Mile 1
 
2004-07-01, 23:59

I must say, that I do not care about avatars, if people want them and the default for them is not to show them, then I don't care if they have them. The site will not chage for me. But it must be toggled to a default of off for all current members and all new members.

Now, I have a question, where would people upload them too exactly?

On another non-Apple board, I use an avatar that I have to host. All I do is list the URL in the designated personal preferrence box. There is also a size limitation 65 x 65 pixels.

Mile 1
 
InactionMan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-07-02, 00:36

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldmacfan
I must say, that I do not care about avatars, if people want them and the default for them is not to show them, then I don't care if they have them. The site will not chage for me. But it must be toggled to a default of off for all current members and all new members.

Now, I have a question, where would people upload them too exactly?

On another non-Apple board, I use an avatar that I have to host. All I do is list the URL in the designated personal preferrence box. There is also a size limitation 65 x 65 pixels.
I imagine they'd be hosted much as the member profile pics are. I think avatars are fine. I more offended by long sigs with oodles of links and shit. I already have my username is avataresque form and wouldn't mind using it.

(Holy shit we got a lot of traffic since TS started linking us. Hooray)
 
LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-07-02, 00:40

Since this keeps getting casually mentioned... images in signatures will NOT be happening. We can't control the sizes of those through vBulletin, and I'm not going to go around asking people to ditch large images from their sig. I really do put the foot down on that

It is with great regret that we say our farewells to Jack, who passed away on May 28th, 2005. Jack, you will be missed by all

Superior thinking has always overwhelmed superior force. - Marine Corps Officers

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." - General Eisenhower
 
NosferaDrew
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2004-07-02, 00:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by PowerBook
Avatars ... are just a way to express your individuality. It's what you visually represent yourself on the internet ...

If you don't have a face to communicate to, then we all might as well be blind ... I'm not sure if I would appreciate being in a world like that. I would much prefer communicating to someone that I can atleast identify a picture to since it can give me a better idea of who they are - aside from the words they write.

What's the point of having a face if you don't like communicating to one?
The point of forums are to communicate, to exchange ideas, thoughts and opinions. To educate others, to be enlightened by your peers. And, of course, all those fun flame fests!

I don't need representative pictures of the people I communicate with.
I LOVE how clean, simple and uncluttered these forums are.

Avatars are totally unnecessary!
 
silas_pc
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-07-02, 01:31

I think that avatars are a way of expressing yourself, and having people recognize you visually, as opposed to textually. All in all: A GOOD THING!!!
 
Wrao
Yarp
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
 
2004-07-02, 02:00

I think Avatars are doable, but there should be some moderate restrictions against having distracting obnoxious avatars.

If Some members were upto it, maybe we could create like 50* or so different avatars, all nice and subtle and aesthetically with the site.

I don't really know Jack's hosting situation, but having avatars might greatly increase the bandwidth usage


maybe fewer to start with, but adding more as we can
 
Windswept
On Pacific time
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Moderator's Pub
 
2004-07-02, 04:03

Quote:
Originally Posted by PowerBook
Avatars ... are just a way to express your individuality. It's what you visually represent yourself on the internet ...

If you don't have a face to communicate to, then we all might as well be blind ... I'm not sure if I would appreciate being in a world like that. I would much prefer communicating to someone that I can atleast identify a picture to since it can give me a better idea of who they are - aside from the words they write.

What's the point of having a face if you don't like communicating to one?
I went to AI.com from a board that had avatars. I was used to them and liked them. But now I'm used to *not* having them, and, frankly, don't want them back.

After you are here for a while, you'll be amazed at the clear picture you get in your mind of the people with whom you discuss. Plus, you *can* put an avatar or actual picture of yourself on your profile page, and see those of other people on their profile pages.

Last edited by Windswept : 2004-07-02 at 12:53.
 
PowerBook
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2004-07-02, 07:54

Quote:
Originally Posted by NosferaDrew
The point of forums are to communicate, to exchange ideas, thoughts and opinions. To educate others, to be enlightened by your peers. And, of course, all those fun flame fests!

I don't need representative pictures of the people I communicate with.
I LOVE how clean, simple and uncluttered these forums are.

Avatars are totally unnecessary!
Well yeah, the point of forums is to communicate ... etc, etc ... but if you can't be an individual, then there's no point to living at all. I thought the point of verbally talking was to communicate as well ... but no one's asking you to tear off your face because it's too much to look at when someone is speaking to you ...

 
NosferaDrew
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2004-07-02, 08:36

Of course you can be an individual - via your thoughts, ideas, insights, opinions etc. In other words, you individualize yourself by what you post here.

I don't want to see some silly avatar that'll probably change every week blinking at me. I know people here and at other forums by their names and the tone of their posts.

If avatars are allowed here, there really, really must be a way to turn them off if you don't want to see them.
Again, avatars are totally unnecessary in a forum envoirnment where communication through words is the entire purpose of being here.
 
autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-07-02, 08:45

Quote:
Originally Posted by PowerBook
Well yeah, the point of forums is to communicate ... etc, etc ... but if you can't be an individual, then there's no point to living at all.
Avatars are really the antithesis of individuality, just like every other awful recycled and/or off-the-shelf fashion teenagers impose on other people when trying to get attention.
Quote:
I thought the point of verbally talking was to communicate as well ... but no one's asking you to tear off your face because it's too much to look at when someone is speaking to you ...
That's what the real world is for.

Do you read books, articles, listserv posts, emails or even man pages wishing for a little animated matrix ad or robot graphic next to every paragraph?
 
alcimedes
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2004-07-02, 08:59

Quote:
but no one's asking you to tear off your face because it's too much to look at when someone is speaking to you
if you're face was a flashing neon robot, i just might.
 
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