Forum Moderators and Rules/Guidelines

[Astronomical girl]

sounds like a good idea but we can do that in PMs

[Astro Forever]

It always depends on how many people you want to "chat" with. If it's just one, PM is appropriate, but as soon as there is one more, it isn't very convenient.

I don't have any suggestion. I would say, just create the thread and have fun! I did it on another forum, I even called the thread The "off topic" topic or something like that and instead of starting a new topic of every little thing I can think of, I use that topic. You are free to give it the name you want, of course.

[Dr. Jerk]

It is possible to send PMs to multiple users at once, but I do imagine it would get hectic after awhile.

[Astronomical girl]

except only five people at a time and you have empty your PM box after fifty messages,where as a thread you can go back just by clinking the page number at bottom corner

[Astro Forever]

It is possible to send PMs to multiple users at once, but I do imagine it would get hectic after awhile.

It is. I do that on another forum because I share a project with other people; either I forget myself to add all the usernames (because they don't all get copied when one replies, only the sender becomes the recipient... at least on the other forum, which is on vBulletin too, it is like that). Sometimes it is the person who replies who doesn't do it, and you get two replies from two members... it doesn't take long to become really confusing. Not to mention that if there are mostly short messages quickly sent back and forth, the mailboxes get filled really fast.

As long as all the chat stays in one topic, then it shouldn't bother anyone. It would be just one topic to ignore for those who aren't interested.

[jeffbert]

:d evil: I have just imposed a 3 day ban on Androids because after being admonished in October for having an avatar too much like AprilSeven's & though he changed to a series of different images, he has resumed using the lookalike.

Let me be clear, I thought it no offense the 1st time, & made only a request that he change it. Yet, I went to sufficient detail to be sure that my objection to 1 member selecting an avatar that was VERY similar to another member's was understood. However, having dealt with this matter once already, I was really angry to see that Androids101 had again chosen the very same one I had asked him not to use.

It may have been a few days before I noticed that he had again used a lookalike, but it was all too clear, when I saw this:


Both avatars & signatures are intended to make a unique seal upon one's posts; like cattle brands or the family seals that some cultures including Japan used instead of signing their names. They are like company logos; & companies vigorously defend them.

Some newer members including Androids101 have been changing their avatars frequently. These people simply do not understand why we use them. It is confusing to some of us who actually regard them as members' faces. We cannot see each other, & avatars are our only 'faces' that we can see. Why must some of us constantly change our faces?

If Androids had simply settled on the 1st or even the 2nd avatars he used after the Oct incident, he would not likely have (as I assume) forgotten why he no longer used the one above, & he would not be banned (for 3 days).

I know I have already bored some to sleep, so this is all for now.

[Dr. Jerk]

So will there be a new rule on how frequently someone may change their icons and signatures?

[jeffbert]

I have no plans as such, but it would be nice if people would make up their minds on which image they want before actually using it on the forum.

[The Tawashi Bus Hat]

I understand where you are coming from with this Jeffbert. I've seen some users change their avatars quite frequently, but usually not into something to similar to someone else's.

I'm not entirely sure if a rule towards the frequency that someone may change their avatar is the best direction for this, but maybe lock it to where they can only change it a max of twice a day? (I say twice because what if they mess up once? I've done that before, lol.)

As for signatures, I change what my signature says often. Not the image, necessarily. Maybe filter the amount the image can be changed per week?

Whatever you decide on this is cool by me. I'm just spitting brain vomit.

[Astro Forever]

I don't think changing an avatar even a few times in one day while trying to make up one's mind would be a problem if it's out of the ordinary. I think jeffbert means that perhaps it is not the best idea to change it regularly after just a few days?

I don't think we can control that through the forum settings, neither for the avatar nor for the signature.

I think my Christmas signature is outdated!