Define Cynical Fan Forums

I've decided to add more limits to the forum, just so things load quicker, etc. <br><br>I can't limit the number of lines or the size of pictures in sigs, but I can limit the number of characters allowed in a sig. I'm thinking of limiting that to 500-750. I could disallow images but I don't really think it's needed, not yet anyway. So please keep your sig images small - at most 100 pixels high. Do you guys think this is reasonable?<br><br>Also, avatars. Do you think the current avatar sizes are too big? Please post any comments or suggestions. If needed I'll create some forum guidelines. <br><br>Thanks.

I've always thought 100 * 100 was a reasonable maximum size.

I think a better measure is to limit total signature real estate -- not just images, but your whole sig.<br><br>Just draw a little box, and say "if your sig takes more space than this box, it's too big"...

Avatars aren't bad, but huge sigs are.

I agree, the avatars are fine. I'm on a 56k and those dont bug me at all. The sigs... well, those can get long load times siometimes. Thats the only compaint i have about it. Personally, i think that since it looks like the section where the avatar is displayed is a certain size, more of that space would be empty if avatars were made smaller.

I concur with what Burning Sheep Productions has said.<br>Now there's a sentence i didn't ever expect to say.

My own desire for smaller sigs has nothing to do with load time... it's all screen real estate. Sigs that are 20-30 lines long just make it hard to read the thread.

I agree with Foxchild, they can slow down the loading times where avatars are already cached.

smaller sigs huh, well I'll just be resizing mine then... or maybe I'll make a new old... whatever, just pretend my old sig is there for now.

I don't have images for my sig because I don't see a lot of point. That, and I've never run across an image that I loved so much that I just <i>had</i> to use it. I might, though. But insince these signatures are becomeing a problem, I don't think I'll look.

Actually, if its length your worried about, pics are not the only concern. If its dl time, then you don't need to read this, but if its the length, if i may use hdufo as an example...<br><!--QuoteBegin--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> <br>--------------------<br><img src='http://goliath.frostburg.edu/dbrailsfor ... lstiny.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br>My Ozy and Millie title is:<br>Chief Transverse Pyjama Crypto-Platypus Cetacean Whatchamacallit hdofu (the Eleventh) !<br><br>My Ozy and Millie code is:<br>O&M JJ1 Ozy++^"tiMil++!^"tiAve---/+Tim+++!"t^Fel---/++Loc+++Lyn+++Sor++^tSte++^Jermy---Jermey's_dad-Wan+P++DhDo\\$Oy82GMCoMD<br><br>My Furry Code is:<br>FCAfp3ad A C- D H+ M# P+ R-- T++ W- Z# Sm- RLA/MC/AT a cw+ d--- e f+++ h# iwf+++ j++ !p sm#<br><br>An official guardian of The Fox's Den<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br>while just one or two of these things would reduce its size greatly. <br><br>oh, and i only used hdufo as an example, because he had the largest sig on this page. I really don't know what would be considered a 'long' sig. and just so its noted, i love that pic of tails in his sig, so i don't want to see that go.

My own thought is this:<br><br>You have an avatar. That provides space for one picture -- and on this board it's quite generous (125x125). If you really, really, really want a second picture, you can squeeze in a little one (possibly wide, but please, not tall) in your signature.<br><br>I consider a "decent sized" signature anywhere between 1 and 5 lines of text, or a small image (say, 80-100 pixels tall total.) If it's bigger than that it usually means you're trying to fit your whole profile into it... I mean... a geek code, a couple funny quotes, and a link only take 4-5 lines, and if you have more than that, start up a thread for it <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... s/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo--><br><br>Remember your signature gets posted *every* time you say anything, and furthermore, it's interspersed between the actual parts of the conversation (unlike your avatar and title.) In my not-so-humble opinion, there's no reason to have more than just a couple lines in your signature. If you have more than that, you're trying to do too much with it.

If your sig is bigger than the average post then that's when you need to resize it.

I happen to like seeing the types of things I include in my sig (similar to my email signatures), mostly because I don't read profiles unless I have a burning desire to contact someone, or if I'm bored out of my mind and I've run out of websites to go to. However, since I'm apparently in a minority position on this one, I'll shorten mine if I get the urge to post more.

i think the fact that the sigs are in a different color then the posts helps to skip them, but i do also think that sigs over ~5 lines are excessive. ofcourse, numbers-of-lines is somewhat determied by screen resolution, size of window etc, so its kinda varying.<br><br><!--QuoteBegin-FelixLockhart+Nov 28 2003, 02:03 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (FelixLockhart @ Nov 28 2003, 02:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> However, since I'm apparently in a minority position on this one, I'll shorten mine if I get the urge to post more.<br><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br><br>felix- you can shorten the ammount of space your sig takes up by your sig by simply rearanging what you have there. then you still can show all the same stuff, but keep it's vertical hieght short that ppl just reading the content find it less of a bother to skim, see:<br>--------------------<br>(stick in the banner here) <a href='http://fusiontechva.net/FJL/' target='_blank'>http://fusiontechva.net/FJL/</a> felix-j@fusiontechva.net<br><br>O&M Code: O&M JJ1 Ozy++i^ Mil+++i!^ Fel-- Mom+"t Dad+it P+ Do \\$+ Oy85 GM CoVA<br>Furcode: FCWf3a A-- C- D H++ M- P++++ R-- T++ W Z Sm+ RLCT a- cdnw++ d? e f- h* i+++ j+ p- sm