Signature sizes and smooth sailing

Onkel Neal · 08-22-12, 09:41 AM

So, we are coming back to a certain rule here that some people just cannot seem to abide

Signatures:

Quote:

A friendly reminder, please keep your signature images to a reasonable size, no larger than 220 high, 640 wide. Max file size is 200KB. Sigs that are political or religous in nature may only be displayed in General Topics. Only naval-oriented sigs are allowed in the naval and game forums.

The reason for this rule: To keep the forum smooth, without right/left scrolling bars, and massive download transfer for images and animated gifs that can run up to a MB or more.

Over the years, we have increased the size limits, they are more than triple what they used to be. It won't be long before some people are inserting their Facebook pages here as a sig.

The question I put to you: does size matter? Do you care if someone has a sig 600 high and 1200 wide, or a gif that loads 1 MB+ each time you open a thread? Does it impact your forum viewing? Or do you not even notice it or care? Should we have a limit and what should it be? And how do we handle those who are practicing Lebensraum with our monitors?

Thanks for your time.
Neal
SUBSIM

nikimcbee · 08-22-12, 09:50 AM

Too big or under the limit?
@ Neal I got the postal-mailz from you.

Thanks.

VONHARRIS · 08-22-12, 09:52 AM

I am only posting and viewing threads in the SH3 forums.
I have never came across of such big signatures.

HunterICX · 08-22-12, 09:54 AM

Yes, size does matter.

while some might go perhaps 20% over the allowed limits I'm fine with that but let's not have it going out of hand so that the forum lay out starts to get screwed or when I have to abuse my mouse scroll just to get to the next member's post.

I think the current dimensions are perfect.

as for filesize leave it 200 - 300kb top.
1 Mb Gif files are uncalled for at while they won't bother me at home on my own PC but at work on a not so state of the art pc it does bother me as big animated gif files just lag the browser and makes it a pain to navigate a thread.

HunterICX

Sailor Steve · 08-22-12, 09:55 AM

I find it annoying when a sig is larger than the pictures people post in the threads. That's way too big. Yes, size does matter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Too big or under the limit?

Technically speaking it's more than five times the 200 MB file size limit. My personal problem is that my old computer hates all gifs. Other than the lag every time I read one of your posts it's kind of cute.

Herr-Berbunch · 08-22-12, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Technically speaking it's more than five times the 200 KB file size limit.

Fixed

It doesn't affect me when I'm on a PC, but if I use my phone (often) it can be a bit annoying. I think the current rules are fine, with some slight moderator leeway - particularly if it's a subsim* related pic, less so if it is political or a. n. other.

*and obviously flight sim

Edit - the only gif I don't find annoying when it's repeated on a page is Steve's cat one.

Takeda Shingen · 08-22-12, 10:28 AM

I don't think that any of us want to go around with calipers, so to speak. Unless a signature is high or wide enough to make reading problematic, I don't really care too much. File size is a different matter, however. Too many large files used as signatures do make an impact on the loading of the threads. A 1 MB signature is obnoxiously large in that aspect. Imagine if everyone had one.

mookiemookie · 08-22-12, 10:28 AM

Sig file size never bothered me much, but I guess that's because everyone around here kept them smallish. Big huge images that take up 60% of the screen are annoying though.

I'm more concerned with the part that says

"Sigs that are political or religous in nature may only be displayed in General Topics. Only naval-oriented sigs are allowed in the naval and game forums."

So if you were to take a strict interpretation of that rule, my sig would be out of bounds for posting in General Games discussion? There's no real way to enforce this. You can't have two sigs at once, and your old posts update with your new signature when you change it. So I can't have a SH3 signature, post something in the SH3 forum, then jump back over to GT, change my sig and post there. All my posts will reflect my current sig.

I understand the spirit of the rule, but there's some practical problems with its execution.

Jimbuna · 08-22-12, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

I don't think that any of us want to go around with calipers, so to speak. Unless a signature is high or wide enough to make reading problematic, I don't really care too much. File size is a different matter, however. Too many large files used as signatures do make an impact on the loading of the threads. A 1 MB signature is obnoxiously large in that aspect. Imagine if everyone had one.

Aye that...in fact the current allowance is quite generous IMO...the other two forums I frequent have bigger restrictions.

Jimbuna · 08-22-12, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

@ Neal I got the postal-mailz from you.

Thanks.

Same message from me as well Neal...I left a thanks in the moderator section yesterday but not sure if you saw it.

Takeda Shingen · 08-22-12, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

"Sigs that are political or religous in nature may only be displayed in General Topics. Only naval-oriented sigs are allowed in the naval and game forums."

My interpretation has been that a general statement is permissible while a specific statement is not. By that I mean the following.

Permissible:

Government is best which governs least - Henry David Thoreau

Not permissible:

Never vote Libertarian. They are destroying America.

In that aspect, your signature is fine. There are some, however, that need to reevaluate their sigs in that regard.

TheDarkWraith · 08-22-12, 10:57 AM

do you not have the option to disable signatures? For some reason I think you can turn them off in your settings

Brandmon · 08-22-12, 11:15 AM

Regarding size, I think it affects to those who have weaker computers and smaller resolutions which, while a minority these days, need to be considered. Rule of thumb in my opinion is that if a sig is longer than an averagely small post, it is too long. And if the sig is wider than the resolution of smaller monitors (yes, some still use 800x600 resolutions), then it is too wide. So I think the 220x640 limit for sigs is very reasonable and should be kept that way. Same for the size, especially regarding .gifs, since 10 of them at the same page could easily grind weaker PCs to a halt.

Sailor Steve · 08-22-12, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Fixed

Thanks, I didn't even notice I'd done that.

Oberon · 08-22-12, 11:30 AM

There have been a couple, but at the moment most seem to be within good limits...although to be fair, I have a 1920 x1080 screen resolution so it would have to be a VERY big picture to be a problem for me.
I couldn't honestly say what size my sig is, but in comparison with others I think it's about right.

View Poll Results: Do signature sizes affect you?
Not at all	62	43.06%
Once in a while a sig is so big it's a problem	57	39.58%
Frequently a sig is so big it's a problem	3	2.08%
Constantly: big sigs have to go. Stay within the limits.	22	15.28%
Voters: 144. You may not vote on this poll

08-22-12, 09:50 AM	#2
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Too big or under the limit? @ Neal I got the postal-mailz from you. Thanks. __________________

08-22-12, 09:54 AM	#4
HunterICX Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2006 Location: Malaga, España Posts: 10,750 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Yes, size does matter. while some might go perhaps 20% over the allowed limits I'm fine with that but let's not have it going out of hand so that the forum lay out starts to get screwed or when I have to abuse my mouse scroll just to get to the next member's post. I think the current dimensions are perfect. as for filesize leave it 200 - 300kb top. 1 Mb Gif files are uncalled for at while they won't bother me at home on my own PC but at work on a not so state of the art pc it does bother me as big animated gif files just lag the browser and makes it a pain to navigate a thread. HunterICX __________________

08-22-12, 10:28 AM	#8
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	Sig file size never bothered me much, but I guess that's because everyone around here kept them smallish. Big huge images that take up 60% of the screen are annoying though. I'm more concerned with the part that says "Sigs that are political or religous in nature may only be displayed in General Topics. Only naval-oriented sigs are allowed in the naval and game forums." So if you were to take a strict interpretation of that rule, my sig would be out of bounds for posting in General Games discussion? There's no real way to enforce this. You can't have two sigs at once, and your old posts update with your new signature when you change it. So I can't have a SH3 signature, post something in the SH3 forum, then jump back over to GT, change my sig and post there. All my posts will reflect my current sig. I understand the spirit of the rule, but there's some practical problems with its execution. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

08-22-12, 09:52 AM	#3
VONHARRIS Konteradmiral Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Greece Posts: 1,992 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 0	I am only posting and viewing threads in the SH3 forums. I have never came across of such big signatures.

08-22-12, 10:28 AM	#7
Takeda Shingen Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 8,643 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	I don't think that any of us want to go around with calipers, so to speak. Unless a signature is high or wide enough to make reading problematic, I don't really care too much. File size is a different matter, however. Too many large files used as signatures do make an impact on the loading of the threads. A 1 MB signature is obnoxiously large in that aspect. Imagine if everyone had one.

08-22-12, 10:57 AM	#12
TheDarkWraith Black Magic Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 11,962 Downloads: 147 Uploads: 5	do you not have the option to disable signatures? For some reason I think you can turn them off in your settings

08-22-12, 11:15 AM	#13
Brandmon Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 9 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Regarding size, I think it affects to those who have weaker computers and smaller resolutions which, while a minority these days, need to be considered. Rule of thumb in my opinion is that if a sig is longer than an averagely small post, it is too long. And if the sig is wider than the resolution of smaller monitors (yes, some still use 800x600 resolutions), then it is too wide. So I think the 220x640 limit for sigs is very reasonable and should be kept that way. Same for the size, especially regarding .gifs, since 10 of them at the same page could easily grind weaker PCs to a halt.

08-22-12, 11:30 AM	#15
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	There have been a couple, but at the moment most seem to be within good limits...although to be fair, I have a 1920 x1080 screen resolution so it would have to be a VERY big picture to be a problem for me. I couldn't honestly say what size my sig is, but in comparison with others I think it's about right.