Sig Size.. once again

[geek]

With all the revamping, i'm re-suggesting the idea that signatures should be limited. I'm honestly sick and tired of scrolling through threads where peoples signatures takes up 3/4 of the page. It's frustrating for reading purposes, and for people on dialup.

I suggest that we limit:

- The number of images to 1 (one), with a height limit of 100 pixels and max width of 600, with 1 line of text above or below it, or

- The number of lines of text to 3 (three), if the user decides not to use an image.

In my opinion, anything more than this is just absurd, takes too much room, takes too long to load, and is entirely unnecessary. Of the 6 forums I partake in regulary, this is the only one that allows so many images of such large sizes in peoples signatures.

Possible punishments for signature term violations could go like this:
1. PM from the Sig Police, warning of future punishments if it isn't changed
2. Removal of Sig priviledges for 1 week
3. Removal of Sig priviledges for 1 month
...and so on, to the point where the user just doesn't get the priviledge of using a signature.


PS - if you guys decide to limit sigs, i'm volunteering to be the signature police. I know some of you will mention that nobody wants to spend time PM'ing members that there signature is too large, but I certainly would.

[mck9235]

I like your ideas, they just seem a little to strict.
Suggestion:
Images: 2 max, 1 can only be max: 350 X 150 px. The second must be considerably smaller, a small button.
Text: 5 lines, regular size.
Colors: Up to 4 diffrent ones.

[geek]

150 height for a signature is incredibly unnecessary, though, mck. look at your sig. you could easily push the two white bars close together (vertically) put the vSig 1.0 by Tim somewhere else, and make it 100px without resizing any of the text. It's just killing space.

[DOTL]

Well for another opinion.


I kinda like seeing them myself...Some change them often with something they have made and Im graphic challenged:D and enjoy them most of the time. Most of the time I dont notice the size, Im on Dialup and havent really noticed a big slow down, the text loads before the Sig so If im done before its loaded oh well off to the next post.

Whatever the Admin decide its ok with me :cool:


Blessings, David

[mck9235]

Also if someone is so against signatures you can always disabling viewing them. This can be done through: User CP > Edit Options There you can also disable avatars. :)

[Blur]

I don't really see a big deal. I like having the freedom, which is different than most forums. I agree, there should be a limit, but like mck said...it shouldn'nt be that harsh. I've only seen one or two so far that I really thought were a little too big or cluttered. I think mck's sig would be about the limit in my opinion, it looks nice and clean and doesn't bother me, but anything beyond that would probably be too much.

[Sage Tech]

My personal opinion is the same as Geek, as you can tell my sig is as simple as they come. This may be one for a poll, but do remember like mck said you can turn them off. I must admit the ideal solution for me would be to have the option of seeing sigs without the graphics.

I'd like to hear other opinions on this, there will be no rule changes without a consenus, but it would be good to hear from a wide range of members.

[geek]

i like seeing sigs, and im not against them, don't misunderstand me, i just think there should be a limit. IE, UCB's Homer sig is 300px high.. that's absurd. I don't want to turn them off, completely, because i use the links in some peoples sigs (yeah, im lazy, shush :p ) and i think people should be able to have them - but i dont see how having it any larger than 100px high is necessary. If you can provide me with a reason that having an image of 100px is necessary - i'll shut up. :P

visual aids:
with sigs (i can read all one post. sometimes two)
http://www.extracedesigns.com/Cory/sigs1.jpg
This is where it was when i scrolled down - i didn't set this up at all.

Now, without sigs (i know you wont be able to see all 3 if there are 100px sigs, but you get the point)
http://www.extracedesigns.com/Cory/sigs2.jpg


See how much space could be saved? It's clear that the sigs take up well over half of the screen.

Browser used: Maxthon (http://www.maxthon.com/)

[Tim]

It really depends on your personal preference. I made my signature image 550*150, so that it just meets the requirements of a forum I go to a lot. I modeled Mck's after mine. Could it get any smaller? Of course it can, I could take away all of the red space and make it all text. I made it a larger size so that things kept spaced out, and it could have a background, somewhat. I always liked the rules shown here (http://forums.gamemaker.nl/index.php?showtopic=40814). But again, it's your personal preference.

I won't cut down my sig just yet, but if it really irks you, just drop me a pm, and with enough, I'll have to go to just text, won't I?

[Ipsquiggle]

I definatley agree that most of the sigs on here are too large... And it's not so much the size, it's the invasiveness. The purpose of a signature is to be a visual way of identifying a poster with their post. The fact that this (and most new) forums allow both avatars and signatures seems rather redundant to me, but that's besides the point. A signature is not your own personal little art gallery. Get a gallery on Photobucket and place a link in your sig. Voila! Your own personal little art gallery. :)

They just get in the way. They really do.

[Gwendylyn Post]

I'n for limiting them. At one forum I'm at, your posts should take up more space than your signature. I hate going onto a thread that has one liners and then a massive image. Sometimes I would see one sig that takes up virtually half of my screen. So seeing one post before I have to scroll down is just ridiculous. But I like sigs, and I like graphic art and seeing the links people give.

150 height is the maximum I would survive. 100 height just looks better and is more pleasing to the eye - and better if one is trying to advertise something like your own site I have ethernet, so I don't have to worry about slow loading, but I am sure there are those who do.

Of course if no rules are changed, I will just click the option to not see them.

[rtow]

I agree with the general consensus here. I,too, subscribe to the idea that sigs should be limited in size. I think geek suggested a good set of maximum sig parameters. I like sigs, they break up the monotony of text block and show the graphic ability and creativity of our fellow member, but having a sig over 200 pixels in height seems a little over the top. I hate having to waste precious bandwidth.

[KyanVrezpor]

If people really want to show of their l33t gfx skillz, then they should link to an image gallery in their signature. I think that the absolute maximum should be 700 * 200, any bigger and it gets ridiculous. I can tolerate 200 height, but no more, and forums should not be about the quality of sigs rather than the content of posts.