Why is so much space given to avatars and signatures and other profile details?

[yllica]

I jump from forum to forum and Stirpes gives much more space to these elements than the other sites I visit.

It's purely aesthetic I guess, but my tastes generally are pretty normal.

Can't these parts of posts be minimised? The text and info posted might even look secondary to the poster's other ideas, attachments, and history. This has for me a psychological effect of withdrawing attention from the post.

I can't be alone.

[Siegmund]

Originally Posted by yllica

I jump from forum to forum and Stirpes gives much more space to these elements than the other sites I visit.

It's purely aesthetic I guess, but my tastes generally are pretty normal.

Can't these parts of posts be minimised? The text and info posted might even look secondary to the poster's other ideas, attachments, and history. This has for me a psychological effect of withdrawing attention from the post.

I can't be alone.

I don't know that I've heard this criticism before. Would you say that my avatar or signature banner is overly large? If not, can you point me to a few examples of what you have in mind?

Thanks in advance.

[Milesian]

In the event that you find avatars and sigs distracting, this problem can be resolved by going to your Usercp -> Edit Options , and from ther making sure the options for showing images are de-selected.
That way, you won't have to see them while browsing threads

[Agrippa]

I'd say that this things are not that unimportant in the first place and not exaggerated on this board in the second. If you compare this board with various others, really huge and space eating avatars-signatures being rather the exception. I only agree with you if its about huge ones - especially if bad placed too so that even more space is being used with empty one in between.

But again, This forum is quite effective if its about such details me things, so I personally dont really see a (general) problem.

[yllica]

Siegmund, I'm amazed. I'm a member at several VBulletin forums and they all seem to give comparably minimal space to profile info, avatars and signatures. I can't be the only one to notice this. On Stirpes I often find when scrolling down my whole screen is taken up with a signature message, or the member details take up my whole screen while his post is a one liner.

Milesian, I've followed your advice to definite aesthetic advantage. But I miss out on whatever message avatars and signatures are intended to convey. A balance is possible. Maybe if I don't always sign in I'll become accustomed to the big avatars and sigs.

Agrippa, they are important. That's why I raise the issue. I want to see them and I want to read them. No doubt I could become used to their massive space compared to other forums I look into regularly. But I would rather this forum didn't set itself unnecessary obstacles to reader acceptance.

I've compared Stirpes with other forums. You guys have that lengthy ethnic/racial profile taking up around a fifth of the lateral screen space at left (even more if a huge avatar photograph is included - sometimes more than a quarter of my screen), and a far greater proportion of posters who think their signature needs to be an extended philosophical argument, and widely spaced, in incredibly large font, plus including a picture.

It just looks odd to me when you jump from other forums with limits on these displays.

A balance is possible.

[Siegmund]

Originally Posted by yllica

Siegmund, I'm amazed. I'm a member at several VBulletin forums and they all seem to give comparably minimal space to profile info, avatars and signatures. I can't be the only one to notice this. On Stirpes I often find when scrolling down my whole screen is taken up with a signature message, or the member details take up my whole screen while his post is a one liner.

I'm a member of several other VBulletin forums as well, and have never noticed any difference between the size of the graphics here and elsewhere. So I suspect there may be some sort of problem with your settings.

Since this issue arises for you only on Stirpes, my hunch is that the forum skin you're using might be malfunctioning. Perhaps try experimenting with different skins and see if that clears things up.

[Faísca]

Yllica, just a question, what's your screen resolution? 640x480? 800x600?

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by yllica

I jump from forum to forum and Stirpes gives much more space to these elements than the other sites I visit.

It's purely aesthetic I guess, but my tastes generally are pretty normal.

Can't these parts of posts be minimised?

Now that you mention it, I would like to have another field with an entry for 1 to 3 additional flags. I would like to have the four bars of Catalonia and the cross of Occitania besides the cross of the Spains.

I like flags and colours that look good on me.

I can't be alone.

Yes, you are.

[Siegmund]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Now that you mention it, I would like to have another field with an entry for 1 to 3 additional flags. I would like to have the four bars of Catalonia and the cross of Occitania besides the cross of the Spains.

Now that you mention it, I had been hoping for a Bavarian flag too.

[Savage]

And I am still waiting to see a pure Norwegian flag available, instead of that impure Hong Kong surrogate...

Until then, I use the Germanic flag, that is not possible to distinct between those with the bare eye....(I say no more on that, but keeps back a silent clucking... )

[yllica]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Yes, you are.

It appears so.

JdeL, I'm 800x600.

I'll play around Siegmund.

No big deal anyway.

[Ferran]

Originally Posted by Thore Hund

Until then, I use the Germanic flag, that is not possible to distinct between those with the bare eye....(I say no more on that, but keeps back a silent clucking... )

Norway!

Y0u 4ll sh0uld kn0w th3 pow3r 0f Th3 P4int.

[Faísca]

Originally Posted by yllica

JdeL, I'm 800x600.

Well, that explains it. Those resolutions are almost obsolete, most new graphic cards don't even allow the resolution to be set below 1024x768. That's why it takes you so much space. Try using some higher resolution if you can.

[Siegmund]

Originally Posted by Johannes de León

Well, that explains it. Those resolutions are almost obsolete, most new graphic cards don't even allow the resolution to be set below 1024x768. That's why it takes you so much space. Try using some higher resolution if you can.

I thought of that, but how would you explain the fact that he doesn't have this problem on other sites?

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by yllica

I jump from forum to forum and Stirpes gives much more space to these elements than the other sites I visit.

It's purely aesthetic I guess, but my tastes generally are pretty normal.

Can't these parts of posts be minimised? The text and info posted might even look secondary to the poster's other ideas, attachments, and history. This has for me a psychological effect of withdrawing attention from the post.

I can't be alone.

I didn't remember that there is a way to minimize this.

Go to: UserCP -> Edit Options -> Thread Display Options -> ...
Uncheck: Show Signatures / Show Avatars / Show Images (includes both hot linked and attached images).

Also, read this thread for further general forum minimisation.

[Milesian]

Very good. I believe I gave the same advice almost 5 months ago, however