Racy Avatars - your input needed

[Dean Youngblood]

I really could care less but there should be some limits. IE. There are a few avatars lately that have topless women (love them in real life) simply covering their nipples. If Dobber wants an element of professionalism to the site then these types should not be permitted. However, if he wants it to remain an open forum with an opportunity to express oneself openly then I guess Dobber chooses to have everyone censor their own avatars by disabling them (if offended).

I am okay with either but as a teacher who can access this site at work, I cannot post during school hours or I would be FIRED!

Don't you guys want some of your more active posters to have the ability to post whenever they are able to? I like the avatars simply to identify the members on board. Sometimes, I don't even look at the posters' name but just the avatar and that's my association with the value of the post.

With these racy avatars then it makes it hard with some jobs and a lot of work to sign in and turn of avatars each time you visit the site (an inconvenience I would rather not have to go through).

Your call Dobber - I am sure the majority of members won't hold it against you.

[lanky522]

....or the ones who have this site banned at work can now FINALLY get to visit my site...

you're like a drug dealer... you know that right...

hahaha

such an enabler... you know we have addictions here don't you???

[dyzfunctioned]

An eighth of a second can keep a visitor coming back or lose him forever. Trust me, an extra eighth of a second to read the user name instead of looking at an avatar means EVERYTHING in the Internet world. Google spent millions of dollars to shave an eighth of a second off the time it takes for a person to look at an ad. Studies involving measuring where the subject's eyes were going to, what caught their eye and how quickly they looked. The results of the study changed the color of their "search" button, moved the position of an ad to the left about a quarter of an inch, and a dozen other very very minor and subtle changes to get that eighth of a second.

When it comes to the Internet, speed is serious business. So yes, looking at the name vs. looking at the avatar and saving a second makes a big difference. It's almost intangible, but the overall experience is downgraded by missing out on some of the key avatars. And most of all - it's important to me. I don't want users disabling avatars (don't make me bring up my ski mask example again! lol)

Anyway, I'm rambling again, but just wanted to share one of the nuances of Internet business.

Not denying that that fraction of a section can make a difference, but the guy's argument was that avatar = quality post. No offense, but if you want to guarantee you'll only read quality posts, you're going to spend more than a fraction of a second determining that.

It's your site, your livelihood Dobber. It's really up to you, and you've clearly already got a lot of varying responses. If you consider my avatar racy, consider it gone.

[LeTrefle]

Avatar pics should represent us.
My Irish chick reprensents me way more than a Carey Price pic...
I'm not a chick, but I'm Irish.
I'm not Carey Price at all!
I will change my avatar with no problem if asked to.
Welcome back Miss Green!!!

[lanky522]

i kind of wonder what the results would look like if the poll included an option for "reducing the size of the avatars back to what it was"

[A Watch]

so what's with your boat avatar?

Besides that, you go ask your boss to see if you can sneak on some fantasy hockey forums during work hours and see what he says... Don't give me that nonsense.

No boss wants his employees to do other things than work. If yours does, its the exception, not the rule

I like boats and very few people are offended by them,

As for work, we have breaks and downtime. We can surf the net at those times Most my field of work is like that. That's why we have internet use policys and many workplaces do.

This site will be banned once my current employer gets wind of it though and the only reason will be the avatars.

I don't care if you want to show some girl as your avatar. I just don't want to be unable to read the ramblings on my coffee break every morning.

Selfish but there it is.

[dyzfunctioned]

Avatar pics should represent us.
My Irish chick reprensents me way more than a Carey Price pic...
I'm not a chick, but I'm Irish.
I'm not Carey Price at all!
I will change my avatar with no problem if asked to.
Welcome back Miss Green!!!

Welcome back! Honestly, I don't know how many people could have a problem with your avatar. Do work sites really block images of girls in shorts?

[lanky522]

I like boats and very few people are offended by them,

As for work, we have breaks and downtime. We can surf the net at those times Most my field of work is like that. That's why we have internet use policys and many workplaces do.

This site will be banned once my current employer gets wind of it though and the only reason will be the avatars.

I don't care if you want to show some girl as your avatar. I just don't want to be unable to read the ramblings on my coffee break every morning.

Selfish but there it is.

um... avatars don't show up in the ramblings...



EDIT: Oh ok... i gotcha... if the site gets blocked because of the forums, you can't read the ramblings. sorry... took me a moment to connect the dots...

... i still say that if you're worried about it getting blocked, or getting in trouble... don't view the forums at work. At some point people need to hold themselves somewhat accountable.

[Dutch]

I like boats and very few people are offended by them,

As for work, we have breaks and downtime. We can surf the net at those times Most my field of work is like that. That's why we have internet use policys and many workplaces do.

This site will be banned once my current employer gets wind of it though and the only reason will be the avatars.

I don't care if you want to show some girl as your avatar. I just don't want to be unable to read the ramblings on my coffee break every morning.

Selfish but there it is.

The point is, you want hockey related avatars, and a a boat is not hockey related.

And, too bad for you that you can't do dobberhockey during work. I can't do it either, as I work outside. Sucks, but too bad, none of us work 24 hours a day, so I am sure you can figure out 10 minutes in your day to read the ramblings (or do you need 15 minutes)

Selfish, but there it is for you as well.


And Dobber, your argument of an eight of a second holds little value as well, because before people even get to the "racy" avatars, they gotta go through "home" "hockey forums" and whichever post they wish to read. That takes longer than an eight of a second.... So the avatar argument for business purposes, I just can't take you serious on that. For a professional manner I can see your argument. But that's, again, just my own humble opinion

[Millhouse]

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem looking at racy avatars like the next guy. But I come here for hockey. It is what started me coming here first off. If people want to see racy pics, there are a billion other places to look on the internet. True hockey fans will change the pic to continue to come to this site. I say get rid of them.

[dyzfunctioned]

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem looking at racy avatars like the next guy. But I come here for hockey. It is what started me coming here first off. If people want to see racy pics, there are a billion other places to look on the internet. True hockey fans will change the pic to continue to come to this site. I say get rid of them.

Virtually everyone has stated that they would change their avatar if deemed necessary. It's the idea of whether it's necessary or not that the discussion is based around.

[Dutch]

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem looking at racy avatars like the next guy. But I come here for hockey. It is what started me coming here first off. If people want to see racy pics, there are a billion other places to look on the internet. True hockey fans will change the pic to continue to come to this site. I say get rid of them.

So cause I got a hot chick and sexy car makes me not a true hockey fan?

Maybe I think hockey avatars are more boring than beautiful women....

I know one thing, NONE of us come for the avatars specifically... So
to say that there are other places to get your "fix" is a little far fetched

[Shao]

I really could care less but there should be some limits. IE. There are a few avatars lately that have topless women (love them in real life) simply covering their nipples. If Dobber wants an element of professionalism to the site then these types should not be permitted. However, if he wants it to remain an open forum with an opportunity to express oneself openly then I guess Dobber chooses to have everyone censor their own avatars by disabling them (if offended).

I am okay with either but as a teacher who can access this site at work, I cannot post during school hours or I would be FIRED!

A fellow teacher? Shenanigans! "I really COULDN'T care less...."

Also, I access at work. Can't fire me!!

Dyz, love your avatar.


For me, I chose mine because:

a) funny
b) unique (makes me stand out)
c) boobs
d) boobs

rinse. repeat.

[4horsemen]

So long as we all agree that everyone has a right to watch a grown man getting crushed in the gym I'm cool........

[Sleemans]

I really could care less but there should be some limits. IE. There are a few avatars lately that have topless women (love them in real life) simply covering their nipples. If Dobber wants an element of professionalism to the site then these types should not be permitted.

I don't mean to offend you DY, but what exactly is "professional" about your Sid/Pierre avatar?

Just asking ...