More on Signature Animations

ann3120 · Post by **ann3120** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:55 am

Golly, thanks Patrick - and I thought it was going to be some complicated
technical computer term

See, I knew that you are nice and that I like you ! ! ! ! !

Now I've got to see if my little lady will fit your dimensions

or if she needs to go on a diet

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:02 am

She'll fit. Here's what you do: go to your Profile, at the bottom is the avatar control. Select Browse (to upload from your machine) and select the image file of your little lady, then press "Submit". Presto, that should be all.

Again, to anyone else - check the image size by right clicking on it and selecting properties. You'll see the filesize (in bytes) as well as the width and height (in pixels).

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:08 am

More definitions of Avatar than you can shake a stick at:

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&lr=&o ... ine:Avatar

The things you learn in Wonderland. I even learnt the difference between kb and kB - thanks Bear - now I just have to remember to use the correct one.

Oh, and of course the same rules for avatara apply as for other images. Nothing to saucy

, nothing rude or offensive, nothing political.

Duiveltje · Post by **Duiveltje** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:10 am

I have tried it. After posting this I can see of it will work.

Duiveltje · Post by **Duiveltje** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:12 am

Yes it Works

Btw Shorty made mine. Isn't it beautiful. (kisses Kim for that)

popo · Post by **popo** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:06 am

Shorty wrote:Popo,

Thank you for commenting on what I had said.... I am very glad to know that you don't dislike us but it does come off as if you dont sometimes....I did see you signed my g'book and I posted a thank you to everyone on it, thank you very much for the kind words

That's because I come from Yorkshire lass, we don't mince words round these parts and aren't reet good at flattery.

I like the song on your site btw, much better than the Spice Girls.

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 11:40 am

Ok Patrick, this sucks- I have only one sig out of all mine that's less than 120 x 120- I do have some however that are less than 50k, so how can I resize my sig and make the diminsions smaller?

popo · Post by **popo** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:37 pm

It might just be me, but I'm finding the animated pics in the side column more distracting than when they are in the sigs. I think it's because it is right at the side of where I'm reading. The still ones don't have the same effect.

Plus, like you say Lisa, name sigs sometimes take up more than 120 pixels in width depending on the length of your name.

I was all for the avatars but now I'm not so sure.

btw, how do pictures get added to the gallery, can we do it ourselves or do you have to do it Patrick. I see my spider is in there.

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:13 pm

still pic/practice
jg

mette · Post by **mette** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:35 pm

I still like the avatars

I find the animations and pictures a lot less disturbing (in fact not at all) when they're out on the left as avatars. And I can still enjoy them when I want to

Lisa - I don't know about the animations but the .jpg's can be rezised in for instance Microsoft Photo Editor (part of the Office Pack). Just click image and resize, remember to save and you're done

Mette

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:35 pm

popo wrote:I was all for the avatars but now I'm not so sure.

I think I'm starting to agree with you- I can't find anything that is under the 120 x 120

popo · Post by **popo** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:56 pm

janetgalle wrote:still pic/practice
jg

Ooh, nice pic jg. Not sure whether it would be a 'still' or 'suspended animation'.

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 2:08 pm

OH GOD I'M EXCITED

I figured out how to resize my sig- If you need help send it to me and I'll resize for you

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:45 pm

popo wrote: btw, how do pictures get added to the gallery, can we do it ourselves or do you have to do it Patrick. I see my spider is in there.

I added that. I believe (might be wrong, have been before) that only I can add to the Gallery. Again, if we go this route, the Gallery might be a good spot for a community competition to create some "official" avatar images.

dylan1298 · Post by **dylan1298** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:56 pm

Patrick, there are so many pages to read to see who likes the avatars and who does't-
Maybe you should start a poll?

the cat · Post by **the cat** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:22 pm

Do we still need the poll? Looks like most have pick up the avatars.

twohappylane · Post by **twohappylane** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:56 pm

I have another ignoramus question: with avatars, will it still take awhile for the pages to load for those with dialup?

I may have to go with Sue as well as Susan to fit!!! But I am called both so that is no problem.
____________________________________________________________
Susan/Sue
*********************************************************
(Avatar - Painting by Penny Parker)

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:09 pm

dylan: I want to wait a little longer - it's only been a few days since the issue's been raised. The avatar function is on for now for you guys to test and see if you like it or not. Sometime next week we'll make a decision.

Susan: it'll improve the speed just a tiny bit (mainly because files will all be on this server, rather than having to be accessed from all over the net). The images will mostly be the same filesize as before, just moved to a different place on-screen. The main issue that would be addressed with this is improved (or not, that's the question) readability of each page. I would still hope people will use avatar images that are on the smaller size (in bytes) to help those on dial-up.

ann3120 · Post by **ann3120** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:18 pm

twohappylane wrote:I have another ignoramus question

Me too, so don't feel bad Susan. This is a learning curve for most of us.

Patrick, if the moving avatars prove to be distracting, is there some way
to stop them moving? That might help some.

Lst_1 · Post by **Lst_1** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:30 pm

I read all the posts,for me it is a good idea,I had dial-up until few months ago ,we changed he dial-up into broadband and I know how it is to wait hours to get the page,so I made myself an avatar,I hope that the dial-up ones can be helped so.

Superterv · Post by **Superterv** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:56 pm

Well I've tried an avatar - hope it works, though the picture seems tiny. Its my boy Alfa - the Superterv. I like the idea of being able to use photos on your computer rather than something off the web - though Kym has said she will make me a siggy with Alfa's picture. So either way I'm happy

TASHA · Post by **TASHA** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:08 pm

Just checking.

Tasha

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:56 pm

Like mine?

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:19 pm

popo wrote: Ooh, nice pic jg. Not sure whether it would be a 'still' or 'suspended animation'.

Suspended animation sounds right!
But...that is what I ususally see on my monitor when I try to play most levels, so I thought I would share my experience. Ha!
jg

Shorty · Post by **Shorty** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:55 pm

I have one more thing to say about this "issue" and then I'm done with it all!!!!

To me the avatars are very distracting, signatures are not and Patrick I will be very upset if you do not go with the majority on this one as the majority votes are for the animated signatures IF YOU HADNT NOTICED.... Also I'd like to apologize to everyone as this will be ONE OF MY LAST POSTS in this forum IF anything else changes...

So the call is yours of course Patrick but if this board is supposed to be user friendly but you're going to make us get rid of the animated sigs that's not user friendly as if PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE ANIMATIONS THEY CAN JUST DISABLE THEM!!! AND FYI I WAS JUST ON A DIAL UP COMPUTER THE OTHER DAY AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LOADING TIME ON THE FORUM WITH THE ANIMATIONS/SIGS....

I'M OUT!!!!

kaz67 · Post by **kaz67** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:01 pm

Midnight Synergy wrote: I'm not banning anything.

Midnight Synergy wrote: nothing's being taken away

Midnight Synergy wrote: in the end I will not enable BOTH avatar and signatures, it'll be either one or the other.

Patrick - are you a politician ?

I've just read back through this thread and found the uniformity far less appealing than the way in which sigs broke up the page. It was like reading a newpaper and created the illusion there was that much to read I couldn't be bothered. I can also foresee the potential to ignore the distracting shapes and colours down the left hand column instead of admiring the individuality within the body of the posts.

Today I am mostly favouring the sigs I think

Thanks for listening, I shall clamber back up on to my fence now .. ta

Kazza

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:24 pm

Patrick - are you a politician ?

Definitely not, just covering my back. I'm saying that in the end it would be silly if we had BOTH avatar and signature images.

Shorty: I have no idea why you are suddenly so angry. Again, personally, I don't CARE if the community decides to go with one or the other. The whole point of this thread is to have a discussion for you guys to decide which you prefer. If the majority prefers the sigs (and it does look like that so far), then sigs it is. But I still want to give the issue time enough for everyone to think about and play with the avatar images, so that they can make an informed (i.e. after having tried both) decision as to which they prefer.

the cat · Post by **the cat** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:29 pm

Poor Patrick: Trying to make a bunch of Women Happy.

My Heart goes out to you.

Sigs or avatars I love them both.

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:31 pm

Pat:
I don't find the avatars distracting at all.
I come to these pages to read the posts, not to look at (and try to read around) extra animations.
One signiture animation is fine. It is at the bottom of the post and does not interfere with reading someones comments.
I prefer the avatars. (Same as a sig, just in a different place.

)
jg

The reorganization of the forum was great, streamlined everything and made things neater. Enabling avatars or limiting animations to just one per post (as in a signiture) would complete the process of cleaning up the forum.

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:31 pm

I too find it quite distracting to have the avatars on the left. They are sort of "in your face"

Also, they must use up just as much download time as sigs do - so the objective of this whole new idea isn't really working anyway.

I know that Shorty and Pam have worked REALLY hard on these sigs. When they first started doing it - everybody were so thrilled and happy to have personalised sigs - it was like getting a birthday pressie! They even spent money buying new software, etc to make us forumites happy (their choice I know - but you can imagine how they feel now

). I also know how hard it is for them to make all the sigs smaller so that they will fit into the allocated avatar size. Once they start re-sizeing existing sigs, they all go "pear-shaped" and get distorted, so it involves a LOT of extra unneccessary work for them.

My vote goes with:

* Keep our siggies where they were before
* Try and keep them as small as possible
* Try and not use too many extra animations within the post

As only one person on dial-up came forward and actually posted on this thread (and they didn't seem to have a problem with it

), perhaps they should switch off the animation option as Ramonda pointed out.