[Request] Referendum On Avatars/Ranks

Post by **Kajun** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

I wish to propose a referendum on the issue of avatars.

Explanation: Avatars are the images which appear beneath your name when you post. Currently they are 'rank' based, meaning you receive a different avatar when you achieve a certain number of posts. The post counts have recently been removed from display on the forums, but are still accumulating as normal and so ranks still currently apply. The removal of the post counts gives a different 'feel' to the forums and so it has been questioned whether the ranks should be removed as well.

Proposed question: Which of the following would you prefer?
Option #1: Keep avatars and ranks as they are and reintroduce post counts
Option #2: Keep avatars and ranks as they are with no visible post counts
Option #3: As Option 2 with extra ranks for individual members such as Master of Barkeeping
Option #4: Keep avatars but remove ranks and post counts, allowing users to choose their avatar from the Soviet selection
Option #5: As Option 4 with extra ranks for individual members such as Master of Barkeeping
Option #6: Custom avatars - users could use an image of their choice, within limits
Option #7: As Option 6 with extra ranks for individual members such as Master of Barkeeping
Option #8: Turn off avatars/ranks completely

In depth:

Option 1 means a return to things as they were before last week.

Option 2 is the current state of play, treating Bat and Tron's ranks as an anomaly.

Option 3 is the current state of play, accepting Bat and Tron's ranks and adding further ones for members of value.

Option 4 would mean the same style of avatars, but users could choose whichever one they preferred best, with no special avatars.

Option 5 would mean the same style of avatars, but users could choose whichever one they preferred best, with special avatars for members of value.

Option 6 would mean users could choose any image of their choice as an avatar, within predefined limits of size and content, with no special avatars.

Option 7 would mean users could choose any image of their choice as an avatar, within predefined limits of size and content, with special avatars for members of value.

Option 8 would mean having no avatars, ranks, or post counts and users would be recognisable only by their name.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of options here, possibly too many, and a second round of voting may be needed if a draw occurs. Having made this request, 4 (four) members of the forum must now post in this thread to say they support this request - or if they do not, to post any changes that should take effect before they would be prepared to support the request. Once we have four offers of support, the vote will take place according to the rules of Rules of Referenda.

This request is now offered for consideration. Please post offers of support, requests for amendment, questions and suggestions below.

jonesc2ii · Post by **jonesc2ii** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

Would ixyl run faster if avatars were not involved?

Charmaka · Post by **Charmaka** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

/support.referendum:where.personalpref=4

I'm still trying to work out why I like the avatars tied to post count, but I think it's the best way to go...

edit: re Jones, I wouldn't have thought so, at least once they're cached properly...

Post by **Kajun** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

From a database serving point of view, the difference would be less than negligible. From a web browsing point of view, there will be a difference, certainly. A thread with no avatars will display quicker than one with rank avatars, and a thread with rank avatars may display quicker than one with custom avatars (since with ranks you have duplication of images over several postees in a thread).

The option of turning of viewing avatars is and always will be present, however, and I have also done my best to ensure that the rank avatars are as small and as compressed as they possibly can be without compromising image quality. I could not do the same thing for custom avatars; the only offering I could make on this front would be to restrict the filesize and width/height dimensions of images used.

Post by **Kajun** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

Charmaka: personal pref=4 wouldn't correlate to what you're saying in your post! And support for the request must be independent of your intention to vote - it is simply an approval that you wish to take this matter to the voting booth.

(caching does work, true. Also, avatars are generally small in filesize (take a look at the existing one) and so only really affect 56k/ISDN users in terms of speed)

Charmaka · Post by **Charmaka** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

Oh, damn. Make that three. Whoops

So do we have discussion in a seperate thread or what? I thought we were going to duke it out in here, sorry

Post by **Kajun** » Wed May 01, 2002 7:56 am

Discussion takes place in this thread, sure. But I wasn't sure whether you were offering one of the four supporting statements that would turn the request into a referendum. If you are, please make it a little clearer, i.e. "I support this request"

jonesc2ii · Post by **jonesc2ii** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 1:26 pm

I support this request

Hanohtep · Post by **Hanohtep** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 1:31 pm

I support this request.

MoneyPenny · Post by **MoneyPenny** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 1:53 pm

I support this request

Charmaka · Post by **Charmaka** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 3:40 pm

I support this request, and furthermore having read this I'll go and say it properly in the other thread too

Post by **Kajun** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 6:38 pm

Poll opened here

I already have one issue to discuss - if we were to disable ranks, what would our names be? With special ranks, it'd say "Kajun / Generalissimo" or whatever, but all the other users would have a generic title. Should this then be linked to a rank, but with a chosen/custom avatar? Or should it remain generic?

Charmaka · Post by **Charmaka** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 7:02 pm

If it's going to be generic, it's gotta be "Comrade", right?

Nat · Post by **Nat** » Wed Sep 04, 2002 10:21 pm

If image siggies were replaced by custom avatars then it would probably decrease load times and save on vertical scrolling considerably, without having to turn sigs off in yr profile. my 2p

Ice · Post by **Ice** » Thu Sep 05, 2002 1:13 am

I wondered about another option exactly the same as Option 3, but where post counts are viewable to the owner of said post count alone. Would that be possible?

Post by **Kajun** » Thu Sep 05, 2002 6:46 am

Charmaka: Yes.

Nat: I agree. But it ain't my decision now

IceBus: I would think so. Will look into it.

Nat · Post by **Nat** » Thu Sep 05, 2002 3:08 pm

Kajun wrote:Nat: I agree. But it ain't my decision now

OK. Seen as though you didn't include an option for custom avatars and no image sigs, would anybody support a referendum on image sigs, if the custom avatars option(s) happen to win at the polls?

This is just a bit of fishing - no point in requesting a referendum until the avatars poll is concluded.

Post by **Kajun** » Thu Sep 05, 2002 3:18 pm

Yes. I agree it's dependent on the result of the referendum, but formulate a request and I'd support it.

I would remind people that sigs can be disabled as well as avatars - go into your profile and change the options.