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Default avatars [message #483578] Tue, 23 November 2010 03:50 Go to next message
Littlefoot
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I checked messages posted by recently registered members; it appears that all of them have a dummy keyhole /forum/fa/917/0/ avatar:

/forum/fa/8470/0/

Did they really choose it to be displayed, or did Forum engine do that? If the latter, perhaps it would be better not to display it at all?
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Re: Avatar [message #483579 is a reply to message #483578] Tue, 23 November 2010 03:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ramoradba
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Quote:
Did they really choose it to be displayed, or did Forum engine do that?


Its the default Image for new (registered) members.

sriram

[Updated on: Tue, 23 November 2010 03:56]

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Re: Avatar [message #483581 is a reply to message #483579] Tue, 23 November 2010 04:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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What I said (meant to say?) was that there's no use in displaying such a "dummy" image.
Re: Avatar [message #483605 is a reply to message #483581] Tue, 23 November 2010 07:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ramoradba
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I got it ..What I meant is its a default image for new registrants as you asked "Did they really choose it to be displayed, or did Forum engine do that?"

sriram

[Updated on: Tue, 23 November 2010 07:41]

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Re: Avatar [message #483747 is a reply to message #483605] Wed, 24 November 2010 06:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank Naude
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Registered: April 1998
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The funny avatar images are gravatars (globally recognized avatars).
If the user doesn't have a gravatar, he/she will get a "mystery-man" icon.
Users can define/change their gravatars @ http://gravatar.com/
Re: Avatar [message #483748 is a reply to message #483747] Wed, 24 November 2010 06:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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OK, but - I don't have a (gr)avatar and nothing appears in front of my name. So, this is a feature that has something to do with newly created members.

It is OK if someone created his/her gravatar and used it here. It is OK if someone uploaded his/her own avatar which is used here.

But it is useless displaying a "mystery-man" icon (or whatever name that icon has) because, in my opinion, avatar should help the rest of the community distinguishing people. When I see Mahesh Rajendran's avatar, I don't have to read who said it - I recognize his messages. The same goes for djmartin's avatar. Or Barbara Boehmer's one.

When hundreds of people have the same image displayed by their name, what good does that do? Nothing at all!

That's why I think that something like this should be done here:
IF member's avatar image <> mystery-man icon THEN
   display avatar
ELSE
   do NOT display mystery-man icon
END IF

I hope you got the idea.
Re: Avatar [message #483749 is a reply to message #483748] Wed, 24 November 2010 06:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank Naude
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The mystery-men icons look kinda cool, don't you think? Smile

Anyway, the idea is that if the user ever creates a gravatar, it will display across the Internet on blogs and forums where he/she posted.
Re: Avatar [message #483753 is a reply to message #483749] Wed, 24 November 2010 07:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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There's nothing wrong with gravatar idea, really. I just think that "mystery-man" avatar shouldn't be displayed, that's all.

Kind of an artistic mystery-snowman:

/forum/fa/8475/0/

[Updated on: Wed, 24 November 2010 07:20]

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Re: Avatar [message #483854 is a reply to message #483753] Thu, 25 November 2010 01:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank
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hehe, I think that you just made yourself a gravatar (or did you not create it yourself?)
Re: Avatar [message #483861 is a reply to message #483854] Thu, 25 November 2010 01:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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No, that's a Paintvatar Smile

P.S. I mean, I created it in Paint - took a screenshot of "mystery-man" icon and, well, made it prettier a little bit.

[Updated on: Thu, 25 November 2010 01:59]

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Re: Avatar [message #483885 is a reply to message #483861] Thu, 25 November 2010 04:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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Registered: November 2002
Location: California, USA
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I like your paintvatar for winter, but what would you use for summer, a scarecrow?

Re: Avatar [message #484022 is a reply to message #483885] Fri, 26 November 2010 06:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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A scarecrowatar:

/forum/fa/8485/0/

Re: Avatar [message #484028 is a reply to message #484022] Fri, 26 November 2010 07:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ramoradba
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Thats Funny Laughing
Re: Avatar [message #484045 is a reply to message #484022] Fri, 26 November 2010 11:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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I like your artwork and sense of humor. Have you considered creating cartoons as a side job?
Re: Avatar [message #484057 is a reply to message #484045] Fri, 26 November 2010 14:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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Thank you, but - no. That would be useless as I don't have sense for that kind of a job. One should be full of ideas. I'm empty, but you, guys & gals, occasionally remind me of something. Some day I might create a Barbatar Smile
Re: Avatar [message #484061 is a reply to message #484057] Fri, 26 November 2010 16:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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Littlefoot wrote on Fri, 26 November 2010 12:16

Some day I might create a Barbatar :)


My avatar is pretty close. I usually wear shorts and a sleeveless top in warm weather and jeans and a long-sleeved top in cold weather. I have some pink tops and blue pants. I also wear my hair in a pony tail a lot. My original hair color was dark brown, but it has a lot of gray in it now. I generally sit with my legs together in front of me, not out to the sides like the avatar. My chair swivels and has wheels and a back that is just high enough that I can lean my head back when I get tired. My computer is a laptop and my desk is a tiny roll-top desk, just big enough for the laptop, a small plate of food, and a bottle of water.



Re: Avatar [message #484097 is a reply to message #484061] Sat, 27 November 2010 03:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Littlefoot
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Keywords: clothes, chair, lean back, food, water.

That means that you should just attach shower to a chair and you'd have an "apartment" in a square meter Smile
Re: Avatar [message #484197 is a reply to message #484097] Mon, 29 November 2010 00:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank
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Registered: March 2000
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Littlefoot wrote on Sat, 27 November 2010 10:50
Keywords: clothes, chair, lean back, food, water.

That means that you should just attach shower to a chair and you'd have an "apartment" in a square meter Smile

Sounds like you have all the ingredients for your Barbatar
Re: Avatar [message #484252 is a reply to message #484197] Mon, 29 November 2010 03:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
John Watson
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Registered: January 2010
Location: Global Village
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Quote:
My computer is a laptop and my desk is a tiny roll-top desk, just big enough for the laptop, a small plate of food, and a bottle of water.

You should not be working like this! Please tell me that you have a proper mouse and keyboard. Using the laptop without these will destroy your wrists/arms/fingers,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetitive_strain_injury
You will need a very different avatar then.

A separate screen is wonderful too, I always work with one at home: I extend the desktop (I'm using Vista) across the laptop screen and the external screen, once you get familiar with this you feel crippled when you have only the one (even without RSI).

No problem with the food-and-water.



Re: Avatar [message #484324 is a reply to message #484252] Mon, 29 November 2010 12:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barbara Boehmer
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Location: California, USA
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Quote:

You should not be working like this!


I am not working. I am retired. The desk is in my living room. I tend to alternate between doing things that require moving around and doing things that I can do sitting. If I move around for too long I get tired. If I sit for too long I get sleepy. So, alternating gets the most done the most comfortably. There is also a television to the right of the desk. So, I tend to multi-task, snacking, watching television, browsing forums, and doing other things that I can do at my desk.

Quote:

Please tell me that you have a proper mouse and keyboard.


No, just the laptop with touch pad and left and right buttons. According to the diagram in the link that you provided my laptop keyboard is slightly higher than it should be and the laptop screen is slightly lower than it should be, as it sits on the desktop. I do have a very comfortable chair, similar to the one in the diagram, with rollers, adjustable height, flexible back, but a little higher back. I also have a footrest. So, I do sit in the proper position. I think the chair and sitting position are ergonomically optimal, just not the keyboard and screen position.

Quote:

A separate screen is wonderful too,


I don't have one of those either.

I have been getting along like this for several years, so I have no plans to change things. I tend to prefer small, lightweight, portable, easy to move, easy to replace things over multiple big heavy bulky items. Such things are usually less expensive as well. The rolltop desk was on sale for $200 years ago, came in a box, and I assembled it myself. I wanted a rolltop because I have cats. With the rolltop, if I am interrupted, I just roll the top down to keep the cats out of my food, off of my keyboard, and so forth.

A few days ago, I thought I was going to have to replace my television. It was turning itself on and off endlessly. I researched on the internet and found people with a similar problem found that there was some internal controller that needed to be replaced or fixed. It sounded like you had to be an electrician to fix it yourself and it would cost more than what I paid for the television new years ago to fix it. However, I decided to explore all of the other possibilities first. Since I tried everything at once, I don't know which thing it was, but the end result was that it works now. I figured there could just be a physically stuck button on either the television or remote or something internally that needed to be reset or it could be reacting to overheating or there could be some external interference. So, I left it unplugged overnight so it could cool and everything would reset and maybe any stuck button would spring back into place. The next morning, I took the batteries out of the remote control, in case the remote on/off button was stuck. It was also a different time of day, so if there was external inteference from something at a neighbor's house, it was less likely to still be occurring. I have had problems before with neighbor's electronic controls activating things at my place. The end result was that the television stays on like it should be, without turning itself off and on. I hope it lasts. I kind of suspect the remote and have not put the batteries back in. The only thing I was using the remote for was on/off and sleep timer, because I use the remote for the dvr for everything else. The television is analog, but the dvr is digital, so I use the dvr tuner and the television just displays what comes from the dvr. I don't have cable or satellite, just what I get for free on the airways. I record stuff, then watch it in bits and pieces at my leisure.







Re: Avatar [message #484336 is a reply to message #484324] Mon, 29 November 2010 13:08 Go to previous message
Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077
Registered: November 2002
Location: California, USA
Senior Member
It didn't last long. The television is back to turning itself on and off. The batteries are out of the remote, so that eliminates that possibility. The problem first occurred in the evening and it is morning now, so I doubt it is interference from neighboring electronics. If it were overheating, I think it would tend to turn off and stay off, not turn off and on endlessly. However, turning it off for some time did seem to help previously. So, it is unplugged and resting again. Perhaps there is something inside that does not function properly when it is hot. Perhaps the fan is not functioning and that is why it gets hot. Or, perhaps, as others have found, it is some internal controller, and will just get worse with time. I will try unplugging it when it is not in use, to see if that extends its life, but I think I should start watching the ads for televisions. I will need to find something that is compatible with my dvr connections. I don't even know what they are called (RGA?) There is one round thing with a skinny wire in the middle, then there plugs, one red, one white, and one yellow. I am a programmer, not a hardware person or an electrician, so this probably sounds really dumb to some of you. I need something that isn't too heavy for me to carry and place on top of the bookcase next to the rolltop desk. I think the old one is a 14-inch screen or something like that. I have tried various brands of televisions and dvr's and such over the years. The Philips dvr that I currently have is the best that I have had, so I am inclined to look for a Philips television and figure they are more likely to be compatible. I see that "Best Buy" has some refurbished Philips televisions. Any opinions or advice?
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