Why have image based signatures?

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:24

What's the deal with picture signatures? I've never understood the point of them... they clutter up the interface and break up the flow of text conversations...

I've just never understood why people want to have avatars AND signatures, especially when they are so often the same pic... anyone care to enlighten me? 8O
I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm genuinely curious

Admins - is there any way that you could enable an option for users to switch off signatures when they are viewing threads? Or is that option not available in this forum software?

Nerevar · Post by **Nerevar** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:25

I like the sigs......

garp · Post by **garp** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:29

I agree Leigh. They can be a pain on 56K (

Rayne · Post by **Rayne** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:35

Personally I think all the new guys like myself join, make a few posts, see other's sig's, envies other's sig's & eventually end up making their own sig's.

I don't see the problem with it. My sig's compressed from 86k to 10k & loads instantly on my 56k dial-up. So does most.

To each his own I reckon. Live & let live.

I don't think sig's can be disabled on this forum either. Saw someone else requesting same a while ago.

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:37

Well for me it's certainly not any speed problems (I'm on ADSL), it's purely an asthetic thing. It just looks strange to me. Actually, to be brutally honest I think that sigs are awful. But that's purely my opinion and I certainly don't expect anyone here to share it.

And it just seems so bizarre to me that people like having avatars AND signatures... especially when they're usually just random pics of anime characters or whatever, and not big political statements or anything bold like that

I could understand big MEAT IS MURDER or whatever in a sig if someone was really desperate to make a big statement all over the forum.

To each his own indeed

I think it's cool that forums allow people to express themselves visually so much, but I do wish that the forum had an option for those of us who don't want to see the signature pics.

Rayne · Post by **Rayne** » 10 Nov 2004, 21:42

I hear ya.

Narkath · Post by **Narkath** » 10 Nov 2004, 23:18

It's about presence, identity, respect and plain old graphical funness. It's also about pushing yourself to the limit; you are given so little space to do so much. I have seen 60x60 avvies that make me want to hide my stuff in shame. People start pulling out silk screen type fonts to save space and they use it in so many ways...
It has also improved my visual taste in positioning of text/images and in color. Most importantly, it keeps my photoshop skills fresh.

Oh and I am on 56k and I have no complaint. Initial load takes a while, but once it's cached, it's no problem. There is still a limit as to file size on this forum. Some of the forums I have seen, people are using animated avvies that are 50k or higher.

SybAGreY · Post by **SybAGreY** » 11 Nov 2004, 07:17

Leigh wrote:...... but I do wish that the forum had an option for those of us who don't want to see the signature pics.

I know a few ppl on NAG always browse the forums with images turned off. (On the browser). Unfortunately, that means that you don't see the avatars either.

I don't know. I never was one for sigs myself. One just kinda grew on me.
Then I turned it upside down, now I'm too lazy to change it.

Now, my forum experience is pretty much taken up by Av and Sig development, so I really don't have a problem with it.
It's almost competitive, in a way. Everyone wants to have the best one.....