Forum policy on signatures

[k1wi]

Last August I was advised of the site rules that state: "If you post multiple times on the same page, in the same thread, only include your signature in the first post."

I am fine with the rule, and chose to disable my signature as I did not want to breach the rules, did not want to manage my signature on a post by post basis (when discussing back and forth between a limited number of users it can become very easy to post multiple times on the same page) and in hindsight, did not think that a signature really added anything.

However, I've noticed that there seems to be an increase in the number of users flouting this rule, inadvertently I presume. Perhaps it is time for another gentle reminder?

[mdk777]

strange rule.
either allow signatures or don't.

However, now that I look there is a check box under options as I write.
So you could leave your signature on as a default and just remember to UN-check on subsequent posts.

[Jesse_V]

Oh wow. I was unaware of that rule. Here is the link to the forum policies: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15

Signatures/Avatars: Please be responsible when using sigs and avatars. Please keep all content clean and polite. Also, use in moderation: Consider the modem user that has to download your gif on every page that has one of your posts. It is not necessary to include your signature in every post made in the same thread, especially if you are using a large image. If you post multiple times on the same page, in the same thread, only include your signature in the first post. Signatures in successive posts may be removed from those posts without warning. Excessively large images or text length in signatures may be removed from your forum profile without warning. The maximum allowable image height is 82px which is enough to fit an EOC/[H] style FAH signature. This restriction is subject to change however, at the discretion of the site administration.

I hereby apologize for unknowingly flouting that rule. I see how it could be a problem. Thanks for the reminder.

[Grandpa_01]

Thanks for reminding me. They need to put that check box on the quick reply also, I do not know why but I use quick reply 90% of the time.

[GreyWhiskers]

Or, as in my case, I use the opposite convention. I have the default UN-checked, then add the check for the few posts i want to have the sig on. If I decide after the fact that I really wanted the sig, the check box is available when you EDIT a post too.

[patonb]

That sounds more for sigs with Images. Which is a good policy.. But for all text like mine, or Grampas, its minor amounts, like 2k of data.

[Jesse_V]

That sounds more for sigs with Images. Which is a good policy.. But for all text like mine, or Grampas, its minor amounts, like 2k of data.

Right. I see your point. But even then it could be abused, but putting one's team numbers and stats all over the place.

[k1wi]

That sounds more for sigs with Images. Which is a good policy.. But for all text like mine, or Grampas, its minor amounts, like 2k of data.

In certain, some unmentionable, sections of these forums, having details of your hardware automatically posted at the end of your post could be seen as pretty helpful.

But the rules are the rules, so one ought to follow them.

[Hisuichan]

Then again, I recognise people's replies on their sigs as well, so I don't know. I'm fine with text sigs as long as they're small and have no giant, attention-calling colourful images.

[Ravage7779]

Thanks for reminding me. They need to put that check box on the quick reply also, I do not know why but I use quick reply 90% of the time.

I'm going to quote grandpa here just because I'm going to use his graphics as an example...

Grandpa's sig includes the pretty standard eoc stat box. It's 2k. Grandpa's avatar is 16k. Both appear on all his posts. The FAH logo at the top of every single page this board presents to you is 13k. Graphics everywhere! Ban avatars, they're huge!

All this stuff gets downloaded once. The image gets cached locally and reused by your browser from that cache if it can possibly help it. The vendor of your browser of choice has made your browser this way to speed up how fast it can render a page. That's why when you hit the back button on your browser, whatever page you are going back to, loads almost instantly. Or if someone has a huge image as a tiled background, you (used to anyways on old browsers and using a modem) be able to watch it paint 10 of them all at the same exact time, chunk by chunk. One download, used multiple times. Any text used in a sig is actually going to consume more bandwidth than a .gif or a .jpg because the browser can't cache it.

So to say you can only post your sig once in a thread due to bandwidth concerns is completely bogus. I think someone has/had their panties in a bunch because they don't/didn't like sigs, and tossed out this rule as a smokescreen because "I don't like them" wasn't going to fly.

Limiting the sig payload size is the proper answer to bandwidth concerns. Posting it only once, size, and dimension, is an aesthetic concern.

That all said, keeping your sig small, both in kilobytes and dimensions, particularly the vertical dimension, is in keeping with good forum etiquette. I can't think of any recent instances of obnoxious sigs.

Most people post their folding rig stats, eoc stats box, stuff like that. It's relevant and unobtrusive. Certain posters are instantly recognizable by their sigs, 7im comes to mind, and to me, that's an alright thing.

Now if someone posts a flashing animated gif as a sig? Get the ban hammer out.

[k1wi]

You do raise good points regarding bandwidth use Ravage. When I was asked to remove my signature it only contained my eoc stat box (as seen below - which is 2kB and as you said, any subsequent instances of it are already cached locally in the browser), and possibly current details on the systems, which came in handy when discussing problems.

[MtM]

Well.. I was going to agree and say the image load isn't reason enough to be so strict... but then I thought of something else

My poor index finger/scroll wheel

Edit: I wasn't that aware of this rule, my signature is one word and I don't think it will ever get removed ( though saying that might be read as a challenge to do so.. maybe I shouldn't have said that ).

[Nathan_P]

I fold for 2 teams and used to have both listed in my sig, however as a nod in the direction of the request i removed the 2nd one. I think they should be allowed to stay especially if the load is so small