Forum Participation Avatar Pictures

I second the request. I think it's a great idea.

Even the request is confusing.

Why would you want someone else's picture showing up on a post?

What if the person whose picture showed up disagreed with what the poster wrote.

Why are so many people hung up on avatars?  Some people use then, some people don't.  this is a model RR forum, not an avatar forum.

I guess I think the original poster's avatar should remain.  If they don't have a picture of themselves for the avatar, I would really like the forum to show their screen name instead of the generic avatar.  I use the All Topics and the recent posts side bar, and it would be nice to know who did the original post before opening it.

I had an avatar. I deleted it. Why on earth would I want some random person's face showing up on my posts? Makes no sense. No one should be given "priority" to post regardless of whether they have a picture or not. 

 

I d@mn well know I don't want someone else's picture on my posts! I have to agree with the mention of people being hung up on avatars. No big deal. I don't care nor do I really look at them. 

I think what PineCreek probably meant was for the "members on line now" area, not actual posts.  (When he says "that screen", I think he means members on line area)

 

If I had to guess, my money is that this is one of those things the software can't do (presumably Rich may chime in at some point to confirm/deny). 

 

As wonderful as computers are, every piece of software cannot do everything anybody ever thought it would be "neat" to do.  There are underlying methods that don't necessarily allow everything that "seems" simple.

 

-Dave

Dave45681

 

I'm not a rocket scientist here , but I interrupt it the same way you do.

 

"members on line now"

 

Oh well, ya can tell it's summer.

 

Larry

Not sure on the whole avatar thing, and what glitches keep messing them up. I see avatars come and go all the time on this forum, with large numbers of the generic "Tin-Tin" profile, including my own.

Every avatar pic I have tried to attach only lasts a couple of days at most, then returns to generic. I have shrunk stuff to 100 x 100 pixels, used random photos, personal and non-personal photos, but nothing sticks. I'm using Google Chrome btw.

Here is my solution, Anyone on line that has a photo is displayed first then those who without have their avatar be replace with the first letter of your forum name.

I would like to way in on this as a retired federal employee and one of the 24 million who have had their ID stolen.  even through OPM (the feds) have said they have no info that was stolen was used I an living proof that my social security number was used to open 4 different lines of credit using me name.  if I post my picture and these crooks figure it out where will I stand?

 

will you who want to see my picture help me get my ID back????

 

I prefer to rename faceless!!

 

and I hope this thread get DELETED!!!

 

I read it too quickly too.

Makes a tiny little bit more sense that way.

But I just plain disagree because that equals avatars over content.

Its about the trains first. The social aspect is a side bonus.

 

Maybe member A ends up posting three times the photo content of member B who has an avatar photo?

Bump member A to  the bottom?? 

 

In the "who's online" portion. Each persons preferred way of sorting differs, and so I understand why you might want to sort them visually by group that way.

 I don't remember if they are listed by alphabetical order, or log in time now ???, but I know I hope for alphabetical listings when I search a group of written items.   

 

 If the avatars were allowed to be owned originals of engines or cars etc, I'd say sure "I don't care".

(I want a trade off! )

Maybe I'm shy.

Maybe I'm famous

Maybe I'm ugly

Maybe I can take a selfie because I have elephantitis in my thumb, and it covers the lens.

Photophobia?

Maybe I just don't own a camera because I'd rather buy trains with my little bits of excess cash.(me, two days ago)

 

When I joined, I luckily had a few cameras abandoned at holidays because people got new ones, or I wouldn't have had one to be bothered with for photos at all.

 

Two days ago I just spent the first money on a camera since the Cannon AL-1 was released in 82.

 Only a "Craigslist Special" this time. The only reason was I bought it was to share some things with folks here.

I don't take photos for keepsakes. Never did except vacation scenery with the AL-1.

  I'm happy to share many things here, but my mug shown by "demand" wont be one of them .

 

  I wouldn't join any forum with required avatars, and public name disclosure. Even in a closed, member only type forum.

 

Sorry, I think its a real bad idea. But maybe I am missing something .

 Its social strengths would need to seriously outweigh the risk to even consider it.

Can you at least expand more on how it somehow is a "feature" worth that risk?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unless you are using photos of a human being (or you are a forum sponsor), anything that is of an inanimate object will be deleted by the mods if it is noticed.

 

The criteria for acceptable photos is "recognizable photo" of you.  How that can be accurately evaluated by the mods has always puzzled me, as all they really can tell is if it's a photo of a human. There is at least one member of this site with a photo that looks like it was taken in the 50's on a black and white camera.  While it certainly may be a photo of him, I'll hazard a guess that he might not quite look like that any more!   Ditto for some of the pics of young kids who don't write like young kids.

 

Interesting line of thought, but the avatars are just a random subset of anyone logged in.  It's not likely flexible enough to put something different for those without avatars.

 

I once created an avatar with my screen name on it, but that's not acceptable to the mods either, so I'll continue to be the little grey guy who looks like all the other little grey guys.

 

-Dave

Sorry.  I misinterpreted when you suggested random and personal/non-personal photos.

 

-Dave

Gentlemen,

    I think some of you missed the point, unlike Barry my descriptive wording only goes so far.   I do not care if you have an Avatar picture or not, however when a member does have one, I do believe OGR (Rich) should show it in the section he has made up for OGR members when they are on line, instead of a generic black avatar from one of the other members.

Believe me when I tell you I am very aware of required personal security.  

PCRR/Dave  

Dave,

 

I also misunderstood your original post.  My apologies.  While I never look at that page, I see what you are talking about.

 

I still would like to see, wherever it shows up, the member's forum name if they don't have a photo avatar.

Ron

 

if you move the cursor over the avatar it shows the screen name

Dave,

No problem here. I understand your subject matter and agree with same.

Truthfully, I don't think that's a particularly good idea.  You're changing the thread starter's identity, probably not a good idea.  Truthfully, I've never understood why so many are reluctant to have an avatar picture.  Can someone explain how this is a huge security risk?  I've never gotten it, and I'm pretty aware of computer security and identity theft issues.

 

PP,

   Thanks much buddy, this was just a technical suggestion for Rich to eliminate the black generic avatar's on that forum page.   I did not think it would draw so much attention.

 

Guns,

   In most civilian cases it is not all that big of security risk, however for someone in local or federal Law Enforcement or the military having their real picture up there can actually put their entire family in danger, lots of this stuff can now be traced back to specific locations by hackers, especially super hackers employed by foreign countries or organized crime, in those foreign countries.  Just this past year one of the virus spreaders in Japan played games with a sight set up by the Russian Mafia banking people, the Jap currupted their sight.

The Russian super hackers employed by the RM, back traced the Virus initiation location because of a picture he had on line, and his entire family was killed.  

Although I have no pity for these Virus Spreaders on the world wide web, taking out this guys family was a wake up call for Crypto Security on the Net.

Further this would have nothing to due with changing the thread starters identity, only the picture in that particular section showing who is on line at the present time would be effected.

PCRR/Dave

I don't even pay attention to who is online. I came to read the threads. It's not like the forum has a live messenger so we can just send a message and chat. That's what Facebook is for lol

IMO, forum members who think enough of this forum to contribute to it by posting should not be subjected to discrimination because they don't use a likeness of themselves for their avatar.

AS to your suggestion PCRR/Dave, I'd instead suggest that for the location you're referring to that both avatars and photos not be used but rather the posters forum/screenname instead. The reasons I suggest this is that when viewing this forum on small screen devices, some posters photos are difficult to recognize plus how recent are some folks avatars anyway? I've met more than a few forum members who no longer resemble the photo they use. They've either removed or added facial hair, gained or lost weight, etc. or are simply considerably older than when the avatar photo they're using was taken.

BTWFWIW, on Facebook unlike this forum, one does not need to use their likeness as their avatar but can instead use clipart.  

I'm not suggesting that anyone be discriminated against because they don't choose to post an avatar.

 

I also wouldn't use Facebook as a model for anything.

Yeah Dave, it took me a couple of re-reads of your original post to figure out what you were after, but I got it. I seriously doubt Rich has an option to do that.

 

Personally, I'm on the forum all the time. I keep a window open on at least one computer and never sign out. Because of the way I view the forum, I rarely see the who's online list, but when I do, I'm not on it.

 

Dang, now you made me look. Nope, I'm not there, but you are.

What it comes down to is that I don't care about Avatars one way or the other. It is a non issue.

My reply was meant to be somewhat generalized.

I think it would be somewhat confusing to replace generic icons with other members.

If I post some BS and your picture is next to it, not only might you not be pleased, but someone is going to miss who posted it and think you are responsible.

 

 

Maybe a photo of John Allen, Bubbles, or Sheldon would be better.

 Face recognition programs are able to use images. By its self not a big deal really I guess. Unless it is one more piece of the ID puzzle thieves may or may not be compiling.

 I save non electronic contact for sharing personal info most often.

 

 I also took a closer look at the widget in the members section of "the blue bar above", and I cant figure out how it chooses photo positions it dose??? Not alpha, log in time, community rank, or age. Maybe it's the persons last post time?

 

 

imo a hacker could make a drivers license using your picture.

 

very easy to do.

quote:

Truthfully, I've never understood why so many are reluctant to have an avatar picture.

 

I donno.
Why are some people so fixated on having people's pictures?

What good is a drivers license with a picture that doesn't look like you? And since most of us are north of 40 it wouldn't do any under age folks much good either.

 

Jerry

Are we fixated on it?  I just expressed a thought about why folks were reluctant to have one, I don't think I'm fixated on it.  

 

One reason I like them is I recognize people when I'm at gatherings like York, kinda' makes it nice when you see someone you've corresponded with for years here.

 

Hey guys/gals. I think Dave is relating to the section that reads: "GUESTS AND MEMBERS ONLINE NOW!"

I think it would be much better to list who(Forum ID) instead of a funky avatar.

Good idea, the forum ID is available for all members.   FWIW, other forums do exactly that.

 

I've always wondered, since I never log out, do I appear to be here all the time?  I just close the browser when I'm done, and when I come back, I never have to log back in.

 

John, I do the same as you ie never log off. If I'm gone for a period of time then get back on, my avatar is not there until after I've interacted with the forum and apparently it recognizes I've returned.

I'll have to take note, I've never actually thought about it, I normally click on the link in the subscribed message email and go directly to the thread, I rarely start at the home page of the forum.

 

I had to go looking for the "who's on-line now", I actually almost never go to that page, no wonder I didn't realize how it behaves.

 

Gentlemen,

   Pre War Pappy is absolutely correct in what I was trying to relate.

Pappy there is a brand new PreWarLionel forum WWW.PrewarLionel.com, you might want to check it out, and become a Charter Member.

Tom from up in Maine just created it, I just joined it this week myself.

PCRR/Dave

You and a few other folks completely misread the OP on this.  He's talking about populating the "who's online" page with real faces instead of the faceless avatars.  It would be insane and irresponsible to post random picture-avatars on posts they didn't create just to avoid faceless avatars.  Wow... Absolutely ludicrous!    That would turn me off more than the way this forum is moderated!    And we all know what I think of the latter!!!  

 

David

Rocky,

   I do believe some of this was my fault, they way I worded thing.

Hopefully everyone understands now.

PCRR/Dave

Dave, yes... the English language can be tricky at times!  

 

David