Originally Posted by Jeff T:
IMHO the worst part of the new forum. I'd rather see your name than all these mugs.
I agree.
John
So, you wont to know why some people don't put up an Avatar. Well look, look how brutal a 100 X 100 can be.
Wow!! It worked. Have a great day!!
Sorry, no avatar. Probably because I don't look anything like him:
Rusty
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If I were Rich, after a reasonable warning period, I'd suspend posting privileges for those who just can't seem to figure out their cat, or dog, or monster truck, is not their avatar. I'd much rather look at the ghosts than any of the other nonsense.
Originally Posted by Mark V. Spadaro:
If I were Rich, after a reasonable warning period, I'd suspend posting privileges for those who just can't seem to figure out their cat, or dog, or monster truck, is not their avatar. I'd much rather look at the ghosts than any of the other nonsense.
The "confusion" over the avatar rule is something I just don't get but what really puzzles me is why some people would flaunt the rules in such a way as to deliberately provoke Rich on this. I certainly have had my differences with him but to needlessly provoke him like this is really rude and I don't see how it can end well. This really isn't a hard rule to follow.
The old rule was pretty simple... an avatar had to be a picture of you. What Rich said in the big "avatar" thread made it a bit more complicated when he amended the rule to be that the picture "had to be a recognizable picture of you". Who is to say where the line is drawn on what is "recognizable"?
If it were me, I'd accompany any deletion (whether an avatar or a post) with an e-mailed form letter as to why it was done. I'd include a warning about how it violated the TOS and a reminder about needing to follow the rules or be suspended or banned. Then I'd follow through. I think there would be a lot less trouble that way.
Regards,
Eric S.
Saline, MI
Is there a "rule" that says you have to post an avatar/picture of yourself on the forum?
Last time I checked it hadn't froze over yet.
Originally Posted by Kerrigan:
Is there a "rule" that says you have to post an avatar/picture of yourself on the forum?
No.
Originally Posted by Kerrigan:
Is there a "rule" that says you have to post an avatar/picture of yourself on the forum?
No, you do not have to post one at all but there is a rule if you do choose to post an avatar it must be a recognizable one of you. You can choose not to post one at all.
The whole point of requiring an address at registration and using an Avatar of your real self is to cut back on the Internet Warrior syndrome that happens with anonymity. People behave differently when they have to sign their name to it.
Post your photo or leave it blank - pretty simple
Don:
You are 100% correct. I will get a photo done ASAP.
WELL I DON'T CARE IF YOU SEE ME IT IS 7 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T LOOK ANY BETTER NOW THIS IS US NOW
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Okay, as long as it's not a "rule" .... 
I've broken enough cameras and quite a few folks on this forum already know what I look like and it's not likely to get better any time soon. So, this will have to do. Besides, I don't want to scare any little children who might be looking in.
Most of the pictures in my computer were taken by me. Therefore not to many of me or with me in it. Found just one taken at a train meet.
Many of us do not photo well but it does not matter. The purpose of the Avatar is to make us known to each other. Not a picture of a dog or a photo of ones self where you appear as a pin head on the screen with a lot of background.
i did, but not my best side
I still don't own a digital camera or a cell phone. I'm waiting 'til they're perfected.
Wasn
After I discovered how easy it was to post photos, I figured posting a new avatar couldn't be that difficult either. And it wasn't.
I'm pretty sure some friends and family have used my photos in the past to keep crows out of the corn field and scare squirrels out of attics, so I can't imagine why other folks wouldn't roll the dice and post a photo of themselves.
Curt
Here is mine.
Here is mine. BF
Alright already! This thread pushed me into posting an avatar for the first time in 10 years. Good thread! 
Actually, Rich and Allan may someday amend the rule, and encourage us to have our picture taken that shows our special interest in the background...such as sitting in a cockpit of a small plane if we are a pilot, swinging a golf club if an avid golfer, or sitting in the cab of 765 if we are an engineer...just a thought!!! By the way, that is Yosemite in my background!!!
Or standing in front of a vast open mountain range...
Originally Posted by Ron Blume:
Actually, Rich and Allan may someday amend the rule, and encourage us to have our picture taken that shows our special interest in the background...such as sitting in a cockpit of a small plane if we are a pilot, swinging a golf club if an avid golfer, or sitting in the cab of 765 if we are an engineer...just a thought!!!
Ron
Lighten up Francis. I was encouraging your idea as most have already have done this.
Originally Posted by Ron Blume:
Problem???
This is my third attempt, avatar police killed the other two. I still see alot of pinhead tiny photos that I could NEVER recognize anyone in a crowd. Wasn't that the purpose?
Still silly IMHO...
Be careful of what you wish for.
Originally Posted by audi:
Be careful of what you wish for.
No pic, no problem for me! Anonymity is no issue here!
I like the chalk drawing, they just take up too much space!
My wife says she recognizes me here . . . but the chalk drawing looks better.
Originally Posted by Jeff T:
The over the shoulder shot was removed by someone other than me...
Gotcha. It isn't obvious to me why that shot would go.
Originally Posted by TMack:
The whole point of requiring an address at registration and using an Avatar of your real self is to cut back on the Internet Warrior syndrome that happens with anonymity. People behave differently when they have to sign their name to it.
TMack, that is the best explanation of why we ask for address information and insist on the Avatar rule that I have ever read. Thank you.
The supposed anonymity of the internet can make people say things on-line that they would NEVER say to someone in person. Putting a face with the name personalizes the on-line experience, encourages the "OGR Family" concept that we enjoy and cuts down on the "Internet Warrior" activity here. It must be working because we've got the best group of O Gauge aficionados on the internet right here.
Thank you very much, folks!
Well if all of you insist...
can you guess which one I am?
Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:
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Originally Posted by TMack:
The whole point of requiring an address at registration and using an Avatar of your real self is to cut back on the Internet Warrior syndrome that happens with anonymity. People behave differently when they have to sign their name to it.
TMack, that is the best explanation of why we ask for address information and insist on the Avatar rule that I have ever read. Thank you.
The supposed anonymity of the internet can make people say things on-line that they would NEVER say to someone in person. Putting a face with the name personalizes the on-line experience, encourages the "OGR Family" concept that we enjoy and cuts down on the "Internet Warrior" activity here. It must be working because we've got the best group of O Gauge aficionados on the internet right here.
Thank you very much, folks!
Rich,
But given that context, the mug shot only solves one half of the overall problem. It only stands to reason that forum members also be required to use their actual first and last name, and not initials, aliases or handles, don't you think?
Originally Posted by John Korling:
Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:
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Originally Posted by TMack:
The whole point of requiring an address at registration and using an Avatar of your real self is to cut back on the Internet Warrior syndrome that happens with anonymity. People behave differently when they have to sign their name to it.
TMack, that is the best explanation of why we ask for address information and insist on the Avatar rule that I have ever read. Thank you.
The supposed anonymity of the internet can make people say things on-line that they would NEVER say to someone in person. Putting a face with the name personalizes the on-line experience, encourages the "OGR Family" concept that we enjoy and cuts down on the "Internet Warrior" activity here. It must be working because we've got the best group of O Gauge aficionados on the internet right here.
Thank you very much, folks!
Rich,
But given that context, the mug shot only solves one half of the overall problem. It only stands to reason that forum members also be required to use their actual first and last name, and not initials, aliases or handles, don't you think?
The S Scale Yahoo board has everyone sign posts with their real name and Yahoo doesn't have avatars.
My responses there are the same in tone and structure as I would have given if I used my alias.
Rusty
Originally Posted by John Korling:
Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:
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Originally Posted by TMack:
The whole point of requiring an address at registration and using an Avatar of your real self is to cut back on the Internet Warrior syndrome that happens with anonymity. People behave differently when they have to sign their name to it.
TMack, that is the best explanation of why we ask for address information and insist on the Avatar rule that I have ever read. Thank you.
The supposed anonymity of the internet can make people say things on-line that they would NEVER say to someone in person. Putting a face with the name personalizes the on-line experience, encourages the "OGR Family" concept that we enjoy and cuts down on the "Internet Warrior" activity here. It must be working because we've got the best group of O Gauge aficionados on the internet right here.
Thank you very much, folks!
Rich,
But given that context, the mug shot only solves one half of the overall problem. It only stands to reason that forum members also be required to use their actual first and last name, and not initials, aliases or handles, don't you think?
I would like to see all members at least post and use their first name. It makes replies, suggestions, etc. a little more personal, like to a friend.
TEX
Steve
Folks, it must be me but I do not get the half an ID idea.
Show me a full true name and I will show you a full true face.
How efficient is a photo ID without a full true name?
Plus many of the photos hardly show a discernible image.
Originally Posted by John Korling:
Rich,
But given that context, the mug shot only solves one half of the overall problem. It only stands to reason that forum members also be required to use their actual first and last name, and not initials, aliases or handles, don't you think?
A completely reasonable point. If it had been required, I would have used my name instead of a handle. However, like the avatars it does require common sense on all sides. A good number of people can't stand their given first names and are better known by their middle names. My brother-in-law goes by John. If that is what he goes by, the only place that needs the actual name would be for legal papers. Why force him to use it in a place like this? Or there was another friend of mine whose name was "Hulbert". He couldn't stand it and went by "Herb". If the rule here were to use "Real Names" would he still be able to be called "Herb"? Would we have to start calling our Webmaster "Richard"???
I guess my main point is that while I think I understand where you are coming from, I think that making something like that a "rule" would open up a huge can of worms here where the drawbacks would outweigh the benefits. Maybe if common sense were a little more common it would be a different story but with all the confusion and "nose tweaking" that has happened over something as simple as the avatars I don't see it as being positive.
Regards,
Eric S.
Saline, MI
My face kept breaking camera lenses. They finally had to use the heavy-duty model used in filming cattle stampede footage.
