More on Signature Animations

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:52 pm

For discussion:

Are the number and size of signature pictures and animations getting a little out of hand? Apparantly (but I've only heard this second-hand) some people are finding that (a) it is slowing down the loading of the pages for those without broadband internet, and (b) making posts less and less readable.

I don't want to come down to harsh on this one, because I do know you guys and gals are having fun making animations - but perhaps people can use smaller animations (both screen size and file size), or fewer animations? Or we could create a "show of your animations" thread for people to showcase their latest creations and disallow animations and large pictures in signatures?

Whaddyallthink?

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:30 pm

Forgot to add: it was also suggested that rather than signature animations we could enable "avatars" (little images under your username) on this board. I still have to check what is possible in that direction, but more food for thought.

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:41 pm

Personally for me Patrick, I love the sigs. They add colour and fun to the forum. They also say a lot about people's personality which I think is a good thing. We have had so many laughs on here lately - a lot of that has to do with funny pictures/sigs posted. It brings out the fun in people in my opinion.

I do have Broadband (not the fastest available - I think we have 256 3 x faster than normal dial-up?) and never have any trouble loading, etc. I have no idea what it is like for non Broadband people - perhaps they could add thier view too then we would know how bad it is for them. Also, anyone in the technical know-how could perhaps throw some light on how the animations effect the downloading of the forum.

I like the sound of the Avatars - I have seen them on other forums and they look quite cool. Would we be be able to change them like we can our sigs?

Thanks - and sorry for showing my bottom - as I told you - Stinky made me do it

the cat · Post by **the cat** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:21 pm

Lillian thanks: I totally agree. It is fun.

popo · Post by **popo** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:47 pm

I think avatars is a great idea, in fact I've asked about them before. One reason is that everyone gets the same space to place one, so they will all be the same size and none will be too big. Another reason is that, as far as I'm aware, the pictures for these avatars can be on your hard drive the same way just uploading a jpg is. So those who don't have access to a website can have one and it will do away with bandwidth theft.

I wouldn't like to see the sigs done away with altogether, it does brighten the forum up and I have only just learned to make them.

I have had experience of loading the pages on dial up before I got broadband a few months ago, and pictures in every post, whether as sigs or just as uploaded jpgs, slows things down considerably. Sometimes so much that I got fed up waiting and logged off.

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:57 pm

Aw do we really have to get rid of the sigs?

popo · Post by **popo** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:04 pm

I just had a look at the size of the avatars on the AC3D forum, I'm a member, and they are no more than 120x120 pixels and 80kbs. That's just a bit bigger than my sig. My avatar there is a gif I have on my hard drive.

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:24 pm

I would hate for us to have to get rid of our sigs

I have enjoyed making mine and it does amount to ones personality- A suggestion maybe............
I use pix host to upload my images, some of them I can not upload because they are too big (pix host only allows 64,000 or smaller)-
So my suggestion would be to determine a size and not allow anything bigger than that!.....................
On the other hand, I do like the idea of being able to upload from my hard drive, then I wouldn't have to pay any more to upload to a website

mette · Post by **mette** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:29 pm

I have mixed emotions about the animated/big picture sigs. I think that individually they're cute, funny and shows the personality of the poster, but when there's a lot of them, I find it too overwhelming and it makes it harder for me to read the posts. I also think that it is a serious problem if the forum gets too slow.

popo wrote: I have had experience of loading the pages on dial up before I got broadband a few months ago, and pictures in every post, whether as sigs or just as uploaded jpgs, slows things down considerably. Sometimes so much that I got fed up waiting and logged off.

I think it would be a shame if we loose users because of the forum speed.

I think the avatars are a great idea (ideally combined with an option for each user to display them or not). Images should only be allowed as attachments, with the exception of a "Show off your animations" area.

This would make it possible for users with slow internet connections to avoid the pictures, while those who wants still will be able to admire them.

That's my opinion anyway

Mette

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:59 pm

Hi all,
I have to agree with popo about the avatars:

popo wrote:I think avatars is a great idea, in fact I've asked about them before. One reason is that everyone gets the same space to place one, so they will all be the same size and none will be too big. Another reason is that, as far as I'm aware, the pictures for these avatars can be on your hard drive the same way just uploading a jpg is. So those who don't have access to a website can have one and it will do away with bandwidth theft.

Sometimes I skim though the posts so fast that some of the animations don't have time to animate or don't show up at all.
And I too recall how long a page would take to open before I got my highspeed connection. Ugh!

So my preferences would be:
1. Switching to avatars.
2. If Patrick cannot do the avatar thing, then limit the animations to one small signiture .gif or .jpg

jg

laura n. · Post by **laura n.** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:09 pm

Ok, I've mentioned before that I'm "technology challenged", so I don't know what a avatar is

. Heck, I didn't know what animated signatures where before I became a member here. See what great things you all have taught me.

I am aware of how painfully slow dial-up is, although I've been on broadband for years. I'm certain some of the members don't have broadband or DSL available to them

if you drive 10 miles east of my house neither is available.

(they even pipe in sunlight

)

I think the animated signatures add fun to the forum, & I really like the ones members have made for me, but I'm also for a forum that's "user friendly" to ALL members. If changes need to be made to accomodate all members, then I'm willing.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:36 pm

My opinion, I am on dialup and if the animation of the sigs are big it takes forever for me to read the forum.

So I think we all should stick with the small sigs. But whatever the majority and Patrick decides I am with the group.

kaz67 · Post by **kaz67** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:34 am

I think small sigs are a good idea - they are fun, but on balance, if we have to relinquish them to allow members on dial-up to join in I'm sure I'd enjoy the forum just as much.

Kazza

Liz Mayhew · Post by **Liz Mayhew** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:09 pm

I enjoy the colourful sigs, but I don't think it's fair on people who don't have broadband.

Other animations are used less frequently, but with a signature it's used every time you post. So I'm relinquishing mine, and going for a small sig.

***Lizzie***

ohbehave · Post by **ohbehave** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:57 pm

okkkkkkkkk.....why is it that everytime we try to do something fun in here, someone has to complain...i have never had a problem loading anything on my computer... since i am one of the offenders making sigs for people PATRICK, im sure you might be addressing this issue to me and shorty....we have spent an enormus amount of time making the sigs for people...we all get a lot of enjoyment out of them, and yes it is an extension of all of our personalitys...i have only seen a couple of big sigs, and they were not made by me...

i think we should be allowed to keep up with the sigs, as long as they arent to awfully big.. thats my two cents worth...

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 1:06 pm

I totally agree ohbehave- which is what I was saying in my first post-

limit them to a certain size

I don't have a problem loading pages cause I do have dsl but I have had dial up before, and I know dial up is slow- So as one who has posted big sigs before (remember my frog) I will now keep them small, but I do like the sigs and I also enjoy making them!

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:39 pm

Ohbehave - I'm not talking about anyone in particular, nor am I suggesting we should ban sigs altogether. I'm simply raising this issue for discussion and opinions.

One thing to realize with sigs, is that there are two factors involved - screen size and file size. The screen size thing is obvious: too large a sig - esp. vertically - takes up a lot of screen space and leaves less and less of actual posts to read, and so people would need to scroll a heck of a lot to get through one thread. File size is what impacts download speeds for people on broadband. Adding up the sizes of the sigs on this thread alone comes to over 200kb (to see a sig's size, right click on the image and select "properties"). That's not a huge thing, but I can understand the frustration of having to wait 10-20 sec for each thread to load (esp. if the various sites that these sigs are on are slow to respond - as they need to be accessed each time to display a sig).

(this post is just for information - I still haven't had time to think much about this issue, so continue as you were

)

popo · Post by **popo** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:49 pm

ohbehave wrote:okkkkkkkkk.....why is it that everytime we try to do something fun in here, someone has to complain...i have never had a problem loading anything on my computer... since i am one of the offenders making sigs for people PATRICK, im sure you might be addressing this issue to me and shorty....we have spent an enormus amount of time making the sigs for people...we all get a lot of enjoyment out of them, and yes it is an extension of all of our personalitys...i have only seen a couple of big sigs, and they were not made by me...

i think we should be allowed to keep up with the sigs, as long as they arent to awfully big.. thats my two cents worth...

Pam, why do you have to take everything personally? This isn't about you or your sigs in particular, but about them in general. I don't think anyone has been complaining about what you've been doing, your sigs are really good, but just because you haven't had a problem loading anything doesn't mean that some people won't have trouble. Anyway, if avatars are allowed, people will still want your work. They will just need to fit the boundaries size wise. My sig, although it is small, is quite large in kbs, and it's the kbs that slow things down. It's not just sigs that slow things down anyway, it other pictures that have been posted, especially ones that haven't been resized to fit the page. That pets thread where you all posted pics of your cherished ones was impossible for me to read when I was on dial up, and that was well before sigs started.

EDIT.
Oops. Posting at the same time as Patrick.

laura n. · Post by **laura n.** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:53 pm

Midnight Synergy wrote:(to see a sig's size, right click on the image and select "properties").

Ohh, Patrick, thanks for explaining things so simply for us "non-techies"

ann3120 · Post by **ann3120** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:15 pm

I have always preferred the smaller sigs, but it has been fun looking through the various websites, and seeing all the amazingly brilliant creativity that abounds in computer-land. They are nice to look at, but I do think the forum should be user friendly for everyone, and if it takes smaller sigs, that's OK.

Heck, I didn't know what animated signatures where before I became a member here. See what great things you all have taught me

I'm with Laura, I didn't know any of this, and I still don't really understand what an avatar is. I guess it's a matter of "keep watching this space" and we'll all learn something new. That in itself is such a wonderful part of Wonderland. I'm just thrilled to be here, and quite willing to abide by any rules that continue to make life perfect.

I do like all the pretty stuff, so let's try to keep it - just on a smaller size. Is it possible somehow, for the bigger sigs to be resized, the same way that you do to a picture ? I don't know anything about how all this is done, but it would be a shame to lose all the hard work that has gone into making them.

Patrick - can we do some sort of a vote to see if pretty wins out over speed of access to the forum, and then the decision can be made?
But first, for all us techno-challenged people, could we have an explanation and example of some avatars.

popo · Post by **popo** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:42 pm

For those who don't know what avatars are, here's an example of mine on another forum.

The first pic is what it looks like in the posts, and the second one is the control panel in your profile where you select the pic and the origin of the pic. You can change it at any time, or choose not to have one at all. Once there it appears in all your posts like your sig does. It can be a still image or an animation as long as it fits the criteria.

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:46 pm

So it's kinda like our sigs only smaller?- If you can upload from your machine, can you still make them?

popo · Post by **popo** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:50 pm

If you can save it on your machine, you can use it as an avatar. Or you can carry on linking to a website as is done now.

I do need to add here, that this other site doesn't allow uploads of other sorts of pics like our forum does. There is no option in the post a reply box to browse for files. I don't know if this is relevant, or just because it is a different sort of forum.

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:53 pm

I am just a semi-techie, but look here:
jg
They can be the same as many animated sigs, only they would all be uniform in size. They can be changed as often as you like. They can be a .gif (animation) or a .jpg (photo, picture, clipart)

ann3120 · Post by **ann3120** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:00 pm

janetgalle wrote:They can be a .gif (animation) or a .jpg (photo, picture, clipart)

Does that mean you can use color - as in purple ? ? ? ? ? ?

(I wish we could have colored/purple smileys as well).

soluvable · Post by **soluvable** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:46 pm

Hey everyone,

I only read a few of the post on this topic. It's hard to sit and read everything all in one morning.

In the Mommies, forum that I am a memeber of we have avator options in there and I find them just as fun as the sigs. You can put what ever you want in there. Right now I am using the sig that Shorty made for me on here.

Everyone keeps asking me where I got it by the way.

I think the Avator idea is a good one. This way it will help shorten the posts and you can still be creative and dress up your post to your personalilty.

Kerrie

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:21 pm

Just playing around with what avatars can and can't do.

Restrictions are 80x80 pixels and 6kb in filesize. If someone wants to send me an animation that would fit these sizes I can check if animations work ok (they should).

If we go with the avatar route, I would actually suggest two things:

1) A round of "Create Avatars" - maybe even as a competition? - for everyone to get creative, both using in-game images, homegrown stuff, and other clipart.

2) I would host these in categories on this site - that will speed things up much more since the forum wouldn't have to access different computers to get the various avatars downloaded. Flipside: to keep things manageable, I'd collect submitted/proposed avatars and only upload them periodically (e.g. once a month, or if a large number of new ones are submitted).

Comments?

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:28 pm

Oh, that's weird - I just noticed popo's image which states 120x120 with 80kb. Weird indeed.

EDIT: but I must say, while 6kb sounds little, most sigs right now are in the 5-10 kb range, so going to 80kb would actually make things worse (for download speeds), not better. So maybe 6kb 80x80 is a good idea?

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:33 pm

Nice choice! Loof RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:34 pm

Looks cool Patrick - BRAVO!

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