Avatars

Davita

RIP
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Aug 7, 2016
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3,057
I've often wondered about the function of displaying an avatar on social media forums.
Early on in my introduction to forums I naively displayed a portrait picture of my wife and self as, to me, it meant that when members of that forum read my blurbs at least they had some idea of the person writing. I was quickly disavowed of this action quoting security as a problem.
Therefore, I'd like to open the debate on why anyone posts an avatar and what does it mean. I don't mean in the Hindu art form but in the relationship with an internet forum.
What function does anyone see an avatar provides?
 
I find it helps me to see where I have posted in threads, & where others have posted.
For example I might be scrolling down through 50 posts to find something specific that was written a few days back- the pic helps it stand out.
Initially when I first joined it was just something to put up there for a bit of fun.
That said if the avatars went away, I would cope without bitching :)
 
I never really thought of Avatars serving a purpose. I just thought of them as fun. The one Avatar I thought was humorous was jstar's Mr. 10,000. I remember dafluff had a monkey firing a machine gun and I thought that was kind of scary but the ping pong playing cat is much friendlier. Unless the cat eventually loses his, or her, mind from the repetition and goes the way of the monkey. I hope not.
 
I never really thought of Avatars serving a purpose. I just thought of them as fun. The one Avatar I thought was humorous was jstar's Mr. 10,000. I remember dafluff had a monkey firing a machine gun and I thought that was kind of scary but the ping pong playing cat is much friendlier. Unless the cat eventually loses his, or her, mind from the repetition and goes the way of the monkey. I hope not.

I agree...
The mobile avatar can be distracting, particularly if the post is of a serious or emotional nature. The movement causes my to eyes to wander to see if the avatar will change direction, drop the ball or do something different instead of its repetitive movements....thus I sometimes lose track of the poster's content.

But the common avatar for those too lazy, or unwilling to participate, are left with this shadowy question mark here, and a faceless pic elsewhere, which imo, is the worst of all avatars, as they're dull and boring.

I've searched for something to reflect myself but failed to find any avatar of a Haggis or (plurally) Haggii, running one way around a mountain top.
If anyone finds one I'd appreciate its URL...and I dont mean anything to do with Haggii's naughty-bits!
 
I agree, the default avatars are extremely dull.

It would be great if everyone would pick one.

I wonder if we should seek some kind of option to automatically generate random abstract avatars for those who haven't set any:

Screenshot_20171003-065859.png
 
Maybe something apropos the member's title. i.e. it would be easy to find something suitable for a Cager but a 'Well Known Member' could be more difficult to define....or, as another thread on this subject mentioned, maybe not...... but would it be acceptable?...:becky:
 
For me an avatar makes it easier to attribute posts to a poster, instead of reading the username. Also it gives character.

@El_Goretto i like the idea of random avatars!
 
I agree with BA - they make it easier to identify who posts are from, or to find my own post if I'm scanning through a thread.

They are also a bit of harmless fun. Why use avatars? Well - why put on earrings, or get a tattoo, or wear a favorite t-shirt, or get your hair cut a particular way? It's just a pleasant little way to express yourself.
 
Speaking of which, I just took this opportunity to go back to my goofy cat avatar. It's fun to switch it around sometimes, but basically, I think the deranged expression on that cat's face is about right for me.
 
I was going to agree with random avatars then decided to find something more appropriate than a random choice. I hope you like my choice but will confess...I've changed...I'm older now!

edit: Just noticed...when I just input my new avatar I see on the 'What's New' page a thumbnail is shown on all the threads I've posted and doesn't on those I haven't. I think that's a very useful tool and don't think anyone mentioned that before.
 
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I was going to agree with random avatars then decided to find something more appropriate than a random choice. I hope you like my choice but will confess...I've changed...I'm older now!

My wife and I think your Avatar is hilarious. I posted mine, it was from a movie I recently watched again. It is one of my favourites. I didn't think many people would pick up on what it is.
 
Why does Davita's avatar look like a guy after peering into a BBQ doused with too much lighter fluid while lighting it up? It's a mystery.
 
Davita started off as a young idealist man into the RAF, but ended up like this after 22 years
 
Davita started off as a young idealist man into the RAF, but ended up like this after 22 years

I think you may be right Anglian...it must have been all that bromide they put in our tea to stop us from getting horny. Any idea where, and to whom, I should lodge a complaint?....:mmph:
 
I think you may be right Anglian...it must have been all that bromide they put in our tea to stop us from getting horny. Any idea where, and to whom, I should lodge a complaint?....:mmph:[/QUOTE



I wish I knew, lots of ex boys and apprentices would like to know, I was warned but at 15 I thought I knew it all
 
I don't know if the bromide story was an urban myth or true but I do know....it didn't work!
We also had upside down UV lights in our barracks so it was never dark. It was supposed to kill bacteria so we wouldn't get colds...not sure that experiment worked either but I still cannot sleep in the dark. I'm too worried someone looking like my avatar might want to kiss me goodnight....:kiss:
 
I think you are right about the bromide, our flight NCO would always want a nice mug of tea first thing in the morning, specially made, it was the duty of the boy NCO to collect it from the cookhouse, when it was my turn I would drink his tea and give him a mug full of the shite we were given, he used to get very upset with me, saying I was trying to poison him
 

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