No large gif signatures.

[Nuto vixen]

I know some of them look cool (when they finally load), but some of these things make it virtually impossible to read the forums.

I have a large bandwidth due to my ADSL, but sometimes when I am trying to read through the forums, it lags so badly that I just cant scroll down, or up without waiting a couple of minutes. On 2 occasions I had to shut down the window completely because it was "not responding".


I suggest a limit of 300k per sig pic, and remove the option of uploading gifs.

-Nuto vixen

[Sleipnir]

A size limit sounds reasonable. I'm happy to have good bandwidth, but I can see how others would have more trouble. Even I have some lag at certain times. I think those complete movieclips can sometimes be a little too much. But I see no reason to completely ban gifs, as long as the size is checked.

[micko]

hmmm, i agree, people like me on dial up have the most troubles, definately not a ban but a size limit would be good

[Lord Kaiti]

this issue was largly debated a long time ago in the general discussion forum.

the problem is, there is no way to enforce a size limit or upload size for images in a signature short of mods and admins manually going into the members profile page via the admin panel and changing their attributes.

Admin cant however install a mod that will restrict the height and width of an image allowed in signatures, but thats time consuming I think and he has better things to do then to install them.

(I could easily mod the needed files and email them you and have you upload them if you want to save time and trouble...)

and the reason for incedibly large movie avatars (I'm a hipocrit here, look at my avatar) is because forum has offsite avatar linking checked in the admin panel config.

-enabling gallery allows users to browse and select a pre-uploaded image.
- enabling uploading allows users to upload an avatar thats restricted to a certain size and weight (kb).
-enabling offsite linking to avatars allows users to break any rule about size limits.

theoreticaly, a user could link to an image 1024x768 and use it as their avatar because offsite linking is enabled, it does not know if the image violates the rules or not and thereofre displays it no matter what.

so if you want to get rid of large animated avatars, you have to ask Forum admin to remove the offist avatar linking feature and only allow uploaded and gallery avatars (unless a hack is installed that checks for size and restricts, again, more work)

so in short, unless forum outright bans large images in sigs and enforces it with on sight bannings, they can't be removed.

[Piranha]

this is a seriously good idea. im on dialup and it takes almost 2 minutes for some of those 'video' sigs to load.

[Nuto vixen]

this issue was largly debated a long time ago in the general discussion forum.

the problem is, there is no way to enforce a size limit or upload size for images in a signature short of mods and admins manually going into the members profile page via the admin panel and changing their attributes.

Admin cant however install a mod that will restrict the height and width of an image allowed in signatures, but thats time consuming I think and he has better things to do then to install them.

(I could easily mod the needed files and email them you and have you upload them if you want to save time and trouble...)

and the reason for incedibly large movie avatars (I'm a hipocrit here, look at my avatar) is because forum has offsite avatar linking checked in the admin panel config.

-enabling gallery allows users to browse and select a pre-uploaded image.
- enabling uploading allows users to upload an avatar thats restricted to a certain size and weight (kb).
-enabling offsite linking to avatars allows users to break any rule about size limits.

theoreticaly, a user could link to an image 1024x768 and use it as their avatar because offsite linking is enabled, it does not know if the image violates the rules or not and thereofre displays it no matter what.

so if you want to get rid of large animated avatars, you have to ask Forum admin to remove the offist avatar linking feature and only allow uploaded and gallery avatars (unless a hack is installed that checks for size and restricts, again, more work)

so in short, unless forum outright bans large images in sigs and enforces it with on sight bannings, they can't be removed.

If it cant be done without a large amount of work from Forum, why don't we just make rules as to how big the file is allowed to be.

If you sig pic or avatar violates the file size limit, you get a PM warning you to change it or you'll be suspended, or if possible, have it removed for you.

How about that idea?

[Lord Kaiti]

this issue was largly debated a long time ago in the general discussion forum.

the problem is, there is no way to enforce a size limit or upload size for images in a signature short of mods and admins manually going into the members profile page via the admin panel and changing their attributes.

Admin cant however install a mod that will restrict the height and width of an image allowed in signatures, but thats time consuming I think and he has better things to do then to install them.

(I could easily mod the needed files and email them you and have you upload them if you want to save time and trouble...)

and the reason for incedibly large movie avatars (I'm a hipocrit here, look at my avatar) is because forum has offsite avatar linking checked in the admin panel config.

-enabling gallery allows users to browse and select a pre-uploaded image.
- enabling uploading allows users to upload an avatar thats restricted to a certain size and weight (kb).
-enabling offsite linking to avatars allows users to break any rule about size limits.

theoreticaly, a user could link to an image 1024x768 and use it as their avatar because offsite linking is enabled, it does not know if the image violates the rules or not and thereofre displays it no matter what.

so if you want to get rid of large animated avatars, you have to ask Forum admin to remove the offist avatar linking feature and only allow uploaded and gallery avatars (unless a hack is installed that checks for size and restricts, again, more work)

so in short, unless forum outright bans large images in sigs and enforces it with on sight bannings, they can't be removed.

If it cant be done without a large amount of work from Forum, why don't we just make rules as to how big the file is allowed to be.

If you sig pic or avatar violates the file size limit, you get a PM warning you to change it or you'll be suspended, or if possible, have it removed for you.

How about that idea?

thats again a hard thing to enforce, alot of users have it set to something HUGE, so PMing them about it might do something, but in the end, having to go into the admin panel and search their name, edit their profile and all that is so much work for something so small.

Easiest thing in my opinion would be to simply take down the offenders name, email it to admin and ask him to ban them, or something, because there is otherwise to many users and not enought time.

[Wolf359]

I think banning is a tad harsh - since no rules are being violated.

Perhaps requesting that the user does something about it would be more appropriate? Hmmm?

[Cmdrproger-Reborn]

I agree, something must be done. I've gotten so sick of the lag, that I practically abandon the forums altogeather.

[Myseri]

I think banning is a tad harsh - since no rules are being violated.

Perhaps requesting that the user does something about it would be more appropriate? Hmmm?

or how bout forum just delete the sig?

[Wolf359]

Is it only dial-up people who are having the problems? I've never noticed it.

[Lord Kaiti]

do you guys know the effort needed to maintain a forum this big?

to warn each user is simple enough, but ALOT of users do it, and there is no real rul in place right now banning large images that can take minutes to load for dialup and some slower broadband on a bad day.

a simple temp ban for a user could easily get the message across, otherwise you need to manauly go into their profile and edit the signature, which takes alot of time.

the easiet way to counter this would be to install a hack that regulates the the size of images in signatures.

[Setesh]

...when i stayed at my aunts house after the hurricane, she has 56k, and i had NO problem whatsoever loading the forums, or scrolling....so i really don't know what you're on about

[Nuto vixen]

...when i stayed at my aunts house after the hurricane, she has 56k, and i had NO problem whatsoever loading the forums, or scrolling....so i really don't know what you're on about

Then I guess you don't read them much at all...

[Psi Kiya Trist]

a simple temp ban for a user could easily get the message across, otherwise you need to manauly go into their profile and edit the signature, which takes alot of time.

es the same amount of time. cause you still have to go to the admin panel, and if you ban them, you have to give a reason for it, most likely via Email.

truth is, if we made this rule, one person would be enforcing it. cause one person has the time and ability to police the forums.

the easiet way to counter this would be to install a hack that regulates the the size of images in signatures.

that would be nice... i've asked Forum on at least one occasion to get a mod that would allow for easier control over avatars, and i looked into "Official" mods allowing for such a thing...

~_+Psi Kiya Trist+_~
-i'd like to be able to...-