Forum Signature Graphics

feldon34 · 04-10-2003, 04:12 PM

Our current Signature policy (at the bottom of each message you post) has been:

You may place links (within reason) to your website or business in your signature but may not use graphics to link to a for-profit website. Forum moderators will determine what is excessive and contact you privately about the matter. Although we do not have an outright ban on graphics in your signature (an attachment at the end of each of your posts to the forum), we do not allow banners with pictures of your car, pets, etc. Acceptable signature graphics include your name or website name.

What do you think?
Now that more people are adding graphic Signatures, I am already receiving requests from people to turn them off!

If we continue to allow graphic signatures, here are 2 examples of image sizes we could restrict:

EXAMPLE A (300 x 50)
<img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleA.jpg">

EXAMPLE B (160 x 50)
<img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleB.jpg">

In all cases, we would continue to keep text set to 2-3 lines of regular size text or 5 lines of small text.<hr>

<hr>Examples of how a page with a lot of Signatures looks:

I think this example is probably too much:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showt...threadid=50848

I cleaned it up some by anchoring the signature graphics to the lower left corner here:
https://www.feldoncentral.com/forump...res_bottom.jpg<hr>

<hr>Here is how bad it could get if we just let people do whatever they want (notice that they use their Signatures in lieu of Avatars):
http://www.jedi-outcast.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9228<hr>

Ralph · 04-10-2003, 05:07 PM

Like to see another option..
Don't like them, but at least limit them to.....

cjmaddy · 04-10-2003, 05:07 PM

May I repeat my post from the referenced thread ............

Well I didn't realize it would all lead to this! - It all started by chance! - But I do think they can look good.
It does need some form of control though, as you say, to keep the board from getting too graphics-heavy.
There has been the occasional oversized, less than tasteful image in some sigs, and perhaps drfish's idea would be the solution. At the end of the day Morgan, it's your site, so I think you should tell us what we can and can't do! ....
I suggest, limiting the image height to 60, and the number of images to 2, and perhaps keeping most of the text to size 1.
I am also very conscious of not overdoing any animation, - I slowed that down on mine in the hope it would not irritate!

If a happy medium can be arrived at, it would allow us to express our design skills a little, - and learn some HTML !!!

I would be quite happy to return to text only, - if that is the outcome!

I have voted ....... "I like the idea, but they should be kept small and anchored in one corner."

FishyBusiness · 04-10-2003, 05:21 PM

I, personally, don't like graphics in the signature. Once Morgan and I got to talking in the chatroom and looking at examples on other sites, I realized why I didn't like them. I didn't like all of the spacing. I had to hunt for the actual post. I told Morgan this and he drew up the anchoring idea. I must say, it's a nice compromise.

When I voted, I stuck with my original idea. IT's just that when EVERYONE does it, it becomes too much. I am sure that the anchoring idea will win though and that would be a nice alternative.

patscarr · 04-10-2003, 11:48 PM

I've got broadband, so that's not a problem, but Morgan's example of what could happen without restrictions, is scary. I say, keep 'em small, anchored, and not too flashy or distracting.

Tiny Turtle · 04-11-2003, 12:23 AM

Would I be allowed to animate my signature?

Example B would make for a nice aquarium, eh?

/Tiny Eelpout

Panthera · 04-11-2003, 12:45 AM

Wellllllllllllllll.... now that there's a problem with signatures.. looks like I might be heading for another headache in changing mine, not to mention that dreadful html shtuff. <sigh> Well.. I personally don't see a problem with sigs... but I also have broadband... so anyway. I'm curious.. alll those people who don't like them.. why? Whats the problem with them??

/Panthera äcklad

feldon34 · 04-11-2003, 01:40 AM

I don't think it's so much download time as as being a distraction.

Avatars are in their own box on the left.

But signatures are mixed in with the messages and it is not obvious where the message ends and the signature begins.

I've attached another idea (realizing this is a losing battle

):

<img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleC.jpg">

Wizwad · 04-11-2003, 03:14 AM

That last one looks great! Small, anchored, (informative!

), and under a clear line.

I had the same problem as FishyBusiness with the example page in scanning down and not knowing where message ended and sig began. And the size of some of them! Uch!!

This is a nice solution!

Tiny, can we see a mockup of your idea?

drfish · 04-11-2003, 05:24 AM

I like example B if anything... I'd really prefer nothing but a short blerb of text and maybe a small bit of ascii art... I'd be interested to see Tiny work up something too... You really shouldn't have said anything, man...

Tiny Turtle · 04-11-2003, 06:26 AM

Perhaps tonight (and by that I mean *night*) or otherwise past the deadline here at work (i.e. Monday)

Tiny Flattery

cjmaddy · 04-11-2003, 02:20 PM

Whatever is decided, I do think reducing the size of the font for the sig text (to size=1) looks much better!
It helps stop the sig competing with the post content, and also looks much neater.
I have noticed that others have recently adopted this trend, and in each case it does look better.

I don't see the small images that Panthera and I have used as causing download time problems. I use a 56k modem, and my only downloading problem is with unnecessarily large pictures, in the body of the post, that have not been cropped or compressed correctly!
As Morgan says, it's about being a distraction. I personally find some avatar animation distracting, - I think it is a question of frequency, - the slower it is , the less distracting. If the general consensus is that graphic signatures are distracting, then I think they should go. I would not like to see EXAMPLE A or B adopted, - even if they are very well done, repetition and their size, would make them tiresome.
If you do allow graphic signatures, then I think they should be limited to about 60x60, and no more than 2 in number.

I do honestly apologise to everyone for starting all this, - it all happened purely by chance, after I reverted back to using a photo for my avatar, but didn't want to lose the 'HeadBang' gif, - and then a joke remark by Tiny about my involvement with CalcNormals! ...... I also am responsible for Panthera's ...... Sorry to everyone!

Panthera · 04-11-2003, 02:43 PM

Tis alright Cliff.. don't be so hard on yourself

/Panthera idag jätteglad, besynnerlig anledning

FishyBusiness · 04-11-2003, 03:07 PM

cjmaddy,

I don't think that you are the cause of this. This was inevitable. Sooner or later people were going to start making gfx-sigs. I have been posting in forums for awhile now and I have seen my fair share of atrocities. When I saw Panthra making hers, I thought, "Great. Not another forum of banner ads with misc. text between them." Of course, our fearless leader wouldn't let it get that bad. At this point I was thinking of the rebellion he would face once he starts limiting/getting rid of gfx-sigs.

We should let the voting take sometime. I would like to see quite a few people vote before a decision is made. Either way, having it small and anchored like Morgan's examples would be a good medien. Just remember, this forum is a democracy that can be vetoed.

feldon34 · 04-11-2003, 03:14 PM

This forum is a democracy?

Seriously, I am glad this is being hashed out now instead of after the Goldfish Aquarium, FlagPride, etc. have each brought their own fans to this forum and more people have added their own signature graphics.

Again, with vB3, we will be able to have a Photo and an Avatar and visitors to the forum can choose which one they want to see by default, and they can click on one to see the other (I believe it brings up Profile).

I think the graphic signatures have been partly because people would like to have both a personalized graphic as well as their photo.

Panthera · 04-11-2003, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by FishyBusiness

When I saw Panthra making hers, I thought, "Great. Not another forum of banner ads with misc. text between them."

As I recall.. mine wasn't one that had the problem.. or was it? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

/Panthera fortfarande hat fisk

Tiny Turtle · 04-11-2003, 03:45 PM

nCliff,
Please don't feel bad – There are some excessive sigs on this board – and yours isn't one of them. Anyone having a problem with that one (or the one of a certain linguistically un-challenged Californian) would already have popped a blood vessel over some of the atrocities that has appeared from time to time.

Frank,
I like your summary and agree that we should wait with the conclusions on the poll for a while. Hopefully people will not just vote, but also comment on the situation.

/TT

(Y'mean hatar fortfarande fisk?)

FishyBusiness · 04-11-2003, 05:49 PM

Panthera,

It was a personal thought. I did not imply that there was something wrong with your signature or that there is a problem with it. It was just a PERSONAL OPINION.

Tiny, Thanks. I do hope people post too and just not vote. I AM a big fan of avatars. Even the highly animated ones. I just don't like gfx-sigs.

Jav400 · 04-11-2003, 06:39 PM

I must admit that I am in the group with Fishy on this one. I like the avatars for showing expression if you wish, but flashing and/or large graphics and so on in the sigs is annoying to me. I hate to have to "hunt" inbetween loud distractions to find the posts.

Ralph · 04-11-2003, 08:43 PM

Originally posted by Panthera
so anyway. I'm curious.. alll those people who don't like them.. why? Whats the problem with them??

I find them a distraction. Just like the avatars, cute the first or second time but then the movement distracts from the task at hand. There are obviously some talented members in this group. But, people being what they are it soon becomes a contest, each trying to out flash the last guy.
Just my 2 cents, because you asked.

Ralph

View Poll Results: What do you think of graphic signatures?
<img src="images/smilies/thumb.gif" align="middle"> I think it adds personality! No Limits!	2	5.41%
<img src="images/smilies/thumb.gif" align="middle"> I like the idea, but they should be kept small and anchored in one corner.	5	13.51%
<img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"><img src="images/smilies/erm.gif" align="middle"><img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"> They're ok, limited to EXAMPLE A or Cliff's/Panthera's examples	8	21.62%
<img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"><img src="images/smilies/erm.gif" align="middle"><img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"> They're ok, limited to EXAMPLE B.	6	16.22%
<img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"><img src="images/smilies/mad.gif" align="middle"><img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"> Hate em! How do I turn off Signature graphics?	15	40.54%
<img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"><img src="images/smilies/frown.gif" align="middle"><img src="images/space.gif" width=4 height=1 align="middle"> I'm on dial-up. How do I turn off Signature graphics?	1	2.70%
Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll

04-10-2003, 04:12 PM	#1
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Forum Signature Graphics Our current Signature policy (at the bottom of each message you post) has been: You may place links (within reason) to your website or business in your signature but may not use graphics to link to a for-profit website. Forum moderators will determine what is excessive and contact you privately about the matter. Although we do not have an outright ban on graphics in your signature (an attachment at the end of each of your posts to the forum), we do not allow banners with pictures of your car, pets, etc. Acceptable signature graphics include your name or website name. What do you think? Now that more people are adding graphic Signatures, I am already receiving requests from people to turn them off! If we continue to allow graphic signatures, here are 2 examples of image sizes we could restrict: EXAMPLE A (300 x 50) <img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleA.jpg"> EXAMPLE B (160 x 50) <img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleB.jpg"> *In all cases, we would continue to keep text set to 2-3 lines of regular size text or 5 lines of small text.<hr> <hr>Examples of how a page with a lot of Signatures looks: I think this example is probably too much: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showt...threadid=50848 I cleaned it up some by anchoring the signature graphics to the lower left corner here: https://www.feldoncentral.com/forump...res_bottom.jpg<hr> <hr>Here is how bad it could get if we just let people do whatever they want (notice that they use their Signatures in lieu of Avatars): http://www.jedi-outcast.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9228<hr> "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 04-10-2003 at 04:42 PM.*

04-10-2003, 05:07 PM	#2
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,438	Like to see another option.. Don't like them, but at least limit them to..... Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.

04-10-2003, 05:21 PM	#4
FishyBusiness Registered Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,206	I, personally, don't like graphics in the signature. Once Morgan and I got to talking in the chatroom and looking at examples on other sites, I realized why I didn't like them. I didn't like all of the spacing. I had to hunt for the actual post. I told Morgan this and he drew up the anchoring idea. I must say, it's a nice compromise. When I voted, I stuck with my original idea. IT's just that when EVERYONE does it, it becomes too much. I am sure that the anchoring idea will win though and that would be a nice alternative. Frank

04-10-2003, 11:48 PM	#5
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	I've got broadband, so that's not a problem, but Morgan's example of what could happen without restrictions, is scary. I say, keep 'em small, anchored, and not too flashy or distracting. Patrick

04-10-2003, 05:07 PM	#3
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	May I repeat my post from the referenced thread ............ Well I didn't realize it would all lead to this! - It all started by chance! - But I do think they can look good. It does need some form of control though, as you say, to keep the board from getting too graphics-heavy. There has been the occasional oversized, less than tasteful image in some sigs, and perhaps drfish's idea would be the solution. At the end of the day Morgan, it's your site, so I think you should tell us what we can and can't do! .... I suggest, limiting the image height to 60, and the number of images to 2, and perhaps keeping most of the text to size 1. I am also very conscious of not overdoing any animation, - I slowed that down on mine in the hope it would not irritate! If a happy medium can be arrived at, it would allow us to express our design skills a little, - and learn some HTML !!! I would be quite happy to return to text only, - if that is the outcome! I have voted ....... "I like the idea, but they should be kept small and anchored in one corner."

04-11-2003, 12:23 AM	#6
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Would I be allowed to animate my signature? Example B would make for a nice aquarium, eh? /Tiny Eelpout Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

04-11-2003, 01:40 AM	#8
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	I don't think it's so much download time as as being a distraction. Avatars are in their own box on the left. But signatures are mixed in with the messages and it is not obvious where the message ends and the signature begins. I've attached another idea (realizing this is a losing battle ): <img src="/forumpics/SignatureExampleC.jpg"> "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-11-2003, 03:14 AM	#9
Wizwad Only me... Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 2,584	That last one looks great! Small, anchored, (informative!), and under a clear line. I had the same problem as FishyBusiness with the example page in scanning down and not knowing where message ended and sig began. And the size of some of them! Uch!! This is a nice solution! Tiny, can we see a mockup of your idea? Mark ----------- Intel i7 12700K \| Aorus Z690 Pro \| Corsair DDR5 5600 32GB \| Asus Dual RTX3060ti 6GB v2 Mini OC \| Corsair RM850 Gold PSU \| 1TB NVMe M.2 WD Black SN850 \| 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD \| Corsair Airflow 5000D Case \| HP 32QHD 4K Monitor \| Windows 11 x64 Professional

04-11-2003, 05:24 AM	#10
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,353	I like example B if anything... I'd really prefer nothing but a short blerb of text and maybe a small bit of ascii art... I'd be interested to see Tiny work up something too... You really shouldn't have said anything, man... I don't watch commercials.

04-11-2003, 06:26 AM	#11
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Perhaps tonight (and by that I mean night) or otherwise past the deadline here at work (i.e. Monday) Tiny Flattery Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

04-11-2003, 02:20 PM	#12
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Whatever is decided, I do think reducing the size of the font for the sig text (to size=1) looks much better! It helps stop the sig competing with the post content, and also looks much neater. I have noticed that others have recently adopted this trend, and in each case it does look better. I don't see the small images that Panthera and I have used as causing download time problems. I use a 56k modem, and my only downloading problem is with unnecessarily large pictures, in the body of the post, that have not been cropped or compressed correctly! As Morgan says, it's about being a distraction. I personally find some avatar animation distracting, - I think it is a question of frequency, - the slower it is , the less distracting. If the general consensus is that graphic signatures are distracting, then I think they should go. I would not like to see EXAMPLE A or B adopted, - even if they are very well done, repetition and their size, would make them tiresome. If you do allow graphic signatures, then I think they should be limited to about 60x60, and no more than 2 in number. I do honestly apologise to everyone for starting all this, - it all happened purely by chance, after I reverted back to using a photo for my avatar, but didn't want to lose the 'HeadBang' gif, - and then a joke remark by Tiny about my involvement with CalcNormals! ...... I also am responsible for Panthera's ...... Sorry to everyone!

04-11-2003, 03:07 PM	#14
FishyBusiness Registered Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,206	cjmaddy, I don't think that you are the cause of this. This was inevitable. Sooner or later people were going to start making gfx-sigs. I have been posting in forums for awhile now and I have seen my fair share of atrocities. When I saw Panthra making hers, I thought, "Great. Not another forum of banner ads with misc. text between them." Of course, our fearless leader wouldn't let it get that bad. At this point I was thinking of the rebellion he would face once he starts limiting/getting rid of gfx-sigs. We should let the voting take sometime. I would like to see quite a few people vote before a decision is made. Either way, having it small and anchored like Morgan's examples would be a good medien. Just remember, this forum is a democracy that can be vetoed. Frank

04-11-2003, 03:14 PM	#15
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	This forum is a democracy? Seriously, I am glad this is being hashed out now instead of after the Goldfish Aquarium, FlagPride, etc. have each brought their own fans to this forum and more people have added their own signature graphics. Again, with vB3, we will be able to have a Photo and an Avatar and visitors to the forum can choose which one they want to see by default, and they can click on one to see the other (I believe it brings up Profile). I think the graphic signatures have been partly because people would like to have both a personalized graphic as well as their photo. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-11-2003, 03:45 PM	#17
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	nCliff, Please don't feel bad – There are some excessive sigs on this board – and yours isn't one of them. Anyone having a problem with that one (or the one of a certain linguistically un-challenged Californian) would already have popped a blood vessel over some of the atrocities that has appeared from time to time. Frank, I like your summary and agree that we should wait with the conclusions on the poll for a while. Hopefully people will not just vote, but also comment on the situation. /TT (Y'mean hatar fortfarande fisk?) Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

04-11-2003, 05:49 PM	#18
FishyBusiness Registered Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,206	Panthera, It was a personal thought. I did not imply that there was something wrong with your signature or that there is a problem with it. It was just a PERSONAL OPINION. Tiny, Thanks. I do hope people post too and just not vote. I AM a big fan of avatars. Even the highly animated ones. I just don't like gfx-sigs. Frank Last edited by FishyBusiness; 04-11-2003 at 09:44 PM.

04-11-2003, 06:39 PM	#19
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	I must admit that I am in the group with Fishy on this one. I like the avatars for showing expression if you wish, but flashing and/or large graphics and so on in the sigs is annoying to me. I hate to have to "hunt" inbetween loud distractions to find the posts. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

04-11-2003, 08:43 PM	#20
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,438	Originally posted by Panthera so anyway. I'm curious.. alll those people who don't like them.. why? Whats the problem with them?? I find them a distraction. Just like the avatars, cute the first or second time but then the movement distracts from the task at hand. There are obviously some talented members in this group. But, people being what they are it soon becomes a contest, each trying to out flash the last guy. Just my 2 cents, because you asked. Ralph