Poll: The Escapist's Felings on GIF Avatars

[Robert632]

I think I'm going to use the term "first world prejudice" to describe what you said about Gifs. Rather ugly, if you think about it.

O.T:I think it's rather unfair to disregard a person for there avatar, you could miss many of the wonderful people just because of a silly generalization.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

I use them sometimes; I'm using one now, in fact. Coincidentally, there was a poll a while back that showed a large number of people ignore pony avatar posts. With such a high prevalence of both, it makes me wonder just how much of this site is people overlooking posts because of avatars.

 

[Loop Stricken]

I won't bother reading the comments of someone with a GIF avatar.

Then I won't read the comments of someone with a judgemental and closed mind. Fair's fair.

Actually I lied; whilst I was deleting the rest of your quite I did notice you were talking about Caramel Frappe's avatar. Considering the effort he puts in around here, I think it's safe to say that on at least this occasion, you're in the wrong.

Also if you find a little animated gif that offputting, Gods help us all if you ever think about learning to drive.
[Edit: Had a look at OP's profile in case we were in the same country, and maybe I should be extra wary of walking down any roads with particularly garish signage, and I noticed that they have recently been befriended by one Caramal Frappe. I find this humourous.]

 

[Random Fella]

Gif avatars are the best
They are moving images, what's not to love?
It's more of an opinion on how you like to represent your avatar, but I think they look great
Some people may get annoyed by them, I don't know why, they are tiny and at the side of your screen, I think maybe they just like to complain.
But honestly, including Gif avatars makes the enjoyment of choosing and making a persona avatar for yourself that much better, that is my opinion of course
[small]Also better when they are pony gif[/small]

 

[Instant K4rma]

Expressing my opinion clearly isn't as important to me as making you pay attention to my individuality by distracting you with this loop of a japanese dating sim character cuddling with a cartoon pony. Forget about my comment. Be mesmerized by the visual fan-fiction instead.

- GIF Avatar user

 

[Tiger Sora]

Well I could care less if people have gif avatars. They're small enough that they don't lag me. Many are rather small and subtle, while others certainly stand out. Just ignore them, it's the best thing you can do in your situation.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Expressing my opinion clearly isn't as important to me as making you pay attention to my individuality by distracting you with this loop of a japanese dating sim character cuddling with a cartoon pony. Forget about my comment. Be mesmerized by the visual fan-fiction instead.

- GIF Avatar user

Now I have the sudden urge to get my avatar animated, and replace my initial post with this. But alas, apathy.

 

[Lunar Templar]

o.0 if a short animated picture is distracting to you, then as some one who rides a bicycle as their main mode of transportation,
i ask you,
don't drive

snip

no reason i just like your avi

 

[MammothBlade]

I created this thread and poll because I want to gauge what the escapist's feelings on the GIF avatars (the moving pictures next to people's names) are, since it isn't something every message board or forum has.

Personally, I despise the GIF avatars. I find them very distracting when trying to read someone's comments, and the worst ones hurt my eyes to look at, and sometimes even give me a headache (there was once a poster who had a hypno toad avatar, with a background of rapidly changing colors).

Now, those of you who like the GIF avatars will no doubt tell me that I'm overreacting, and that I should just go out of my way to ensure I don't see the GIFs hurting my eyes by putting my hand over the screen or taping a piece of paper to my computer or some other thing I haven't thought of. Well, actually, I've come up with a better solution:

I won't bother reading the comments of someone with a GIF avatar.

Those with GIF avatars give a clear message to me, and that message is, "Expressing my opinion clearly isn't as important to me as making you pay attention to my individuality by distracting you with this loop of a japanese dating sim character cuddling with a cartoon pony. Forget about my comment. Be mesmerized by the visual fan-fiction instead."

I come to the escapist message boards to read comments. Not to simultaneously read and stare at an epileptic seizure inducing kaleidoscope. I created this thread because I don't think this has ever been discussed before, and I think the value of having the GIF avatars is worth discussing.

It's a shame that you are so shallow to judge someone on the basis of their avatar alone.

However, if it distracts you that much, Profile> Forum & Notification options > Disable Avatars = Yes

You don't have to deal with gif avatars, people don't get judged for something as petty as that. Win-win.

 

[Loop Stricken]

They'tr usually an eyesore and look like complete ass since it's just a fucking huge box. The worst avatar by far on these forums is that douchey one where one stickam beats up another stickman, it's so distracting, I hope he dies in a fire.

Don't hold back now, tell us how you really feel. Keep this thread alive whilst I look for a gif image of my very own.

 

[Nouw]

They don't bother me at all and actually I quite like them. Especially when they give me a laugh.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

I've never found them to be much of a distraction while reading posts. I also find them to be very distinctive which makes it easy to identify specific people. Bonus points if they're funny.

I'm kind of indifferent, but then, I like them as well.

 

[smithy_2045]

I'm more or less neutral to them.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Now I have the sudden urge to get my avatar animated

You know, it wouldn't surprise me if this thread actually encourages more people to use them.

Eh, turns out I really can't be arsed. Didn't help matters any that all my animated gifs are at least 500kb.
Besides, I couldn't get rid of Vinyl Scratch.

 

[Syphous]

I don't pay attention to anyone's avatar, animated or not. I'm too busy reading what they have to say... or skipping directly over them.

 

[Carbonyl]

See, my problem is that not only am I epileptic, but also synesthetic. I have to physically cover the brightly flashing GIFs with my hand to avoid multi-sensory disorientation and the chance of inducing a seizure (small though it may be).

I understand that people want them, and that not all of them are at a speed dangerous for my epilepsy, but it still causes sounds and textures for me and it's incredibly distracting.

I'd settle for a compromise where there is a maximum speed at which the GIFs can cycle, so at least I don't have to worry for my health.

 

[Avatar Roku]

See, my problem is that not only am I epileptic, but also synesthetic. I have to physically cover the brightly flashing GIFs with my hand to avoid multi-sensory disorientation and the chance of inducing a seizure (small though it may be).

I understand that people want them, and that not all of them are at a speed dangerous for my epilepsy, but it still causes sounds and textures for me and it's incredibly distracting.

I'd settle for a compromise where there is a maximum speed at which the GIFs can cycle, so at least I don't have to worry for my health.

I have an animated avatar (which doesn't cycle fast, but still), so I'm sorry if this sets off your epilepsy, but I figured you should know that you can turn off avatars in your user options or, if you're using Firefox, stop all gifs on the page from animating (EDIT: By pressing ESC, can't believe I forgot to say). (both of these solutions were taken from earlier in the thread). Hope that helps.

 

[Luftwaffles]

They don't bother me at all and actually I quite like them. Especially when they give me a laugh.

I loved your old one where the clown pies the german in the face. Always makes me chuckle.