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Use of pictures in forum threads...


dteec

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I would like to get an idea of everyone's opinion on using pictures/graphics within forum discussions.

 

IMO, pictures/graphics, especially large ones, should only be used to help get the users point across or to help explain an idea. However, when a user pastes an image to the bottom of every reply they post, it gets really cumbersome and creates a lot of scrolling. To me, it's the classic "if it can be done, do it" routine. What do you think??

 

Remember, this is my OPINION and I would like to hear yours. Thanks.

 

dteec

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Yes Dteec, yes. If you would have approached me like a gentleman and explained that people with slower connections are experiencing slower load times because of the photo on my signature line, I would have been appreciative and eliminated it right away. The next poster pointed this fact out to me (sorry, I run a cable and I'm not the most experienced surfer out there) so I immediately removed it. Does this put your question to rest?

I wasn't intentionally slowing down other peoples surf time "because I could". That's not my style. I was ignorant. (more my style, I'm sure you'll agree)

 

It's a game folks..........

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quote:
Originally posted by Irvingdog:

Yes Dteec, yes. If you would have approached me like a gentleman and explained that people with slower connections are experiencing slower load times because of the photo on my signature line, I would have been appreciative and eliminated it right away.


 

I didn't realize that I was being seen as rude. The slower connection issue was never an issue with me. I just didn't like having to keep scrolling past that silly photo of yours.

 

quote:
Does this put your question to rest?

 

Not really, this wasn't directed at you specifically. I was just curious as to how others feel about the issue.

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I wish there were a way to put your sig text to the side of the sig picture. That way you wouldn't have to have both of them take up space. Next to each other would be more compact. EDIT: as I look at my post, it seem to be right next to my picture, but only the first line. For those of you familiar with HTML, this would need the equivalent of the IMG ALIGN=LEFT parameter.

 

stealyourcache.jpg "Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out." -Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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quote:
Originally posted by dteec:

I didn't realize that I was being seen as rude. The slower connection issue was never an issue with me. I just didn't like having to keep scrolling past that silly photo of yours.

 

quote:
Does this put your question to rest?

 

Not really, this wasn't directed at you specifically. I was just curious as to how others feel about the issue.


 

Things are kind of slow today in Bountiful Utah, huh, buddy? And yes, I think I would consider it rude when you whine about a photo many found humorous. I don't really care for the greatful dead, but I'll spare Dru the annoyance of complaining. and yes, your complaint was directed at me, seeing as the last post you made prior to this thread was WHINING ABOUT THAT PHOTO. How do you speak out of both sides of your mouth without it sounding all garbled?

 

It's a game folks..........

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quote:
Remember, this is my OPINION and I would like to hear yours. Thanks.


 

Sorry, Irvingdog & Dru.. most honorable friends, I agee with dteec (DEET enthusiast?)...The pictures are a bit disruptive, especially on a hot topic!... But...Know what? It's just his OPINION, so if you like your pics on your sig line....So Be It!

 

I truly LOVE the avatars on the left though, they are/can be windows into the lives of our fellow geocachers!

 

Cache On, Baby!

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I personally don't mind it. I think it adds a nice element to some boards that are designed such to handle them effectively or efficiently. Especially when they deal with a topic where photos can be very relevant to a hobby like this. Pictures while geocaching, wild animals, landscapes, scenic photos, benchmarks... would be good.

 

I would suggest though that people limit the size of their attached or embedded photos to about or as close to 320 pixels in dimension or less if possible. That would be 320 x 240 or 240 x 320, 320 x 320... I also use .jpg, 72 dpi and use medium amount of compression (#5 in photoshop when you save). I have seen some posts on boards that are so large that they take forever to load and when they are loaded they add a lot to the size of a tread. Also, they can use up bandwidth and server space if uploaded to a community type site. Therefore I, out of consideration for webmasters and webhosts, post the photos on my own FTP site and link to them or use those url addresses. Also keep in mind that when someone prints out a post the photo should be able to fit on the page and should not burden the reader by using up paper or ink. Remember a printed page is about 750 pixels wide. I don't know the length. 320x240 from my expierience amounts to less than 1/4 of a page. 1/6th or 1/8th, maybe(?). 320 photos should be adequate.

 

There is a board that I read frequently where people post a lot of photos. The images are usually related to the topic of the board and sometimes even intended to actually illustrate the post. Either way, they are relevent to the subject matter. A thread that coincidentally deals with Geocaching is as follows.

 

The Chipboard.com

 

In that thread I was discussing some potential casino related caches with a few other participants.

 

My image that I posted on my posts is actually 350 x 263. It is an off size but was reletively close to the above mentioned guidline. Like I said, whenever possible, I try to keep in this neighborhood.

 

desktop2.jpg

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Living in an area where high speed internet access is not available, and the ancient phone system prevents me from getting anything better than a 26400 connection, I don't like them.

 

Once a page has more than 20 or so entries, it takes forever to load.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

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Since I live out in the boondox, I'm one of those less fortunate ones who have sub-standard dial up. I never get more than 28.8; Cable and DSL are not due here for another 5-10 years, and 2 way satellite is too expensive for my budget. But that's my own doing, I chose to live here, none of you pushed me.

 

Anyway, the pics that occur continuously are saved in my cache so really it does not have a profound effect on speed.

 

However, I personally do not care to see any pictures in the text area that do not pertain to the thread. Irvingdog's pic was getting a little annoying to me, images like that are so much better used as avatars. I don't care for sig pictures there either.

 

But there's nothing in the rules that say it can't be done, and it's all a matter of what a person likes. There's a lot of text in theese threads at times that can be just as annoying as the pics, mine included probably. icon_wink.gif

 

I have gone to look for myself. If I should return before I come back, tell me to wait here until I return.

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Since I live out in the boondox, I'm one of those less fortunate ones who have sub-standard dial up. I never get more than 28.8; Cable and DSL are not due here for another 5-10 years, and 2 way satellite is too expensive for my budget. But that's my own doing, I chose to live here, none of you pushed me.

 

Anyway, the pics that occur continuously are saved in my cache so really it does not have a profound effect on speed.

 

However, I personally do not care to see any pictures in the text area that do not pertain to the thread. Irvingdog's pic was getting a little annoying to me, images like that are so much better used as avatars. I don't care for sig pictures there either.

 

But there's nothing in the rules that say it can't be done, and it's all a matter of what a person likes. There's a lot of text in theese threads at times that can be just as annoying as the pics, mine included probably. icon_wink.gif

 

I have gone to look for myself. If I should return before I come back, tell me to wait here until I return.

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quote:
Originally posted by Irvingdog:

Yes Dteec, yes. If you would have approached me like a gentleman and explained that people with slower connections are experiencing slower load times because of the photo on my signature line, I would have been appreciative and eliminated it right away. The next poster pointed this fact out to me (sorry, I run a cable and I'm not the most experienced surfer out there) so I immediately removed it. Does this put your question to rest?

I wasn't intentionally slowing down other peoples surf time "because I could". That's not my style. I was ignorant. (more my style, I'm sure you'll agree)

 

It's a game folks..........


 

I am not familiar with the photo that you had on your post and how it might have impacted load time. However, if kept within reason I don't see that it has to be a problem. I use dial up, for now, Usually only about 22bps with my bad phone lines right now. I am looking into broadband cable modem access. In fact a tech is coming tomorrow to look into our cable and see if it is adequate. We have Digital Cable and are having some problems that may be low signal strength. Anyways, hopefully will have it soon.

 

In my situation with the 22bps dialup connections most pictures in the specs that I posted before, load fairly quick. My computer, also, is about 2 years old and isn't as lightening fast as many out there. 320 pixels dimensions 72 dpi, .jpg and medium compression is perfectly adequate for computers and net viewing. There is no need for much bigger or higher resolution or quality. Keeping your images to within certain limits can add that impact and cheracter to your posts and still be efficiently viewed by most viewers.

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quote:
Things are kind of slow today in Bountiful Utah, huh, buddy? And yes, I think I would consider it rude when you whine about a photo many found humorous. I don't really care for the greatful dead, but I'll spare Dru the annoyance of complaining. and yes, your complaint was directed at me, seeing as the last post you made prior to this thread was WHINING ABOUT THAT PHOTO. How do you speak out of both sides of your mouth without it sounding all garbled?

It's a game folks..........


 

Wow, you're taking all of this personally I see. Too bad, I was hoping for a civil exchange of ideas and opinions.

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quote:
Originally posted by dteec:

Wow, you're taking all of this personally I see. Too bad, I was hoping for a civil exchange of ideas and opinions.


 

By singling and calling me out publicly, in a forum that had nothing to do with this topic, using quotes like this?????

 

"By the way, IrvingDog, could you get rid of the inline dog picture. Gets old after a while..."

 

I took it personally when you named me.

You've opened up and replied to this topic several times now. Connection getting better?

 

It's a game folks..........

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Usually i dont mind seeing pictures posted and i find many to be interesting and/or entertaining,, Mitsuko's being one example! icon_wink.gif There have been those BIG ones that are too wide to fit on the page and they cause you to have to scroll sideways to read the text. I find myself not being too interested in reading much of the thread in those few cases!

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Usually i dont mind seeing pictures posted and i find many to be interesting and/or entertaining,, Mitsuko's being one example! icon_wink.gif There have been those BIG ones that are too wide to fit on the page and they cause you to have to scroll sideways to read the text. I find myself not being too interested in reading much of the thread in those few cases!

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quote:
Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy:

My signature picture is 2,689 bytes. If that takes too long to download, you need a new modem.


 

That's about as large of a picture that I would care to see. Sometimes it helps in finding a post from a particular user on a page by the signature picture, but I guess a unique avatar would accomplish the same thing.

 

By the way, is that sunglasses or a bra under the face picture? I assume it's sunglasses but it's hard to tell.

 

I've seen some pictures that obviously the poster thinks is really cool, while the rest of the viewers think is an eyesore. I think that the viewers are just being polite by not saying anything when they really should. Like telling someone about their body odor or bad breath, or that their fly is open.

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