Default avatar for established users

[bibblebub]

Users can display an avatar once they have been here for more than 14 days with a minimum of 10 postings but some choose to not bother. How about having a different default avatar for such users to distinguish them from the newcomers.

That way it would be immediately obvious that those with the jelly-babies avatar are new users, possibly trolls amongst them, and those with the new default avatar have been using the site for properly for at least a fortnight, and are less likely to be trolls.

[dotty.]

I have some Garth ones going spare if the ed feels they would be of use.

[bibblebub]

don't want to scare users away

[ChuckFickens]

Would helping everyone make the assumption that all new users are trolls really help he site? Or would it just help in alienating genuine new users?

[snags]

A similar idea to having new user's names showing in 'green' as previously...

[AB Editor]

Chuck has a point - your reasons for all this are less than friendly!

However, I would be good. We use the term "graduated" in the back end - so maybe a motarboarded jellyman would be apt?

Spare

[bibblebub]

Chuck - I would suggest that it is the opposite, someone with the new avatar is someone who can probably be trusted because they have been using the site correctly for a minumum period. And is it any more alienating that not being able to use one's own avatar for the first 14 days?

snags - the avatars tend to stand out more than the colour of the text

[snags]

''However, I would be good.''

Why was the 'green' for new users dropped then?

[dotty.]

'back end'? ok

anyway ed whilst you are here, are all those daft driving questions for real?

[bibblebub]

how about having a big L (for learner) sign over the jellyman for the first day or 14?

[gingejbee]

Well, I've been here 3 months and am as trustworthy as Anne W's bra.

[bibblebub]

name duly noted for future reference

[Fitzer]

Well I've been here for nigh on eight years and don't have an avatar and don't want one

[bibblebub]

Fitzer - You are currently shown with the default jellymen avatar whether you like it or not, the same avatar that is displayed for people who come on here to cause trouble; my suggestion just means that you would be shown with a slightly different default avatar indicating that you are a trusted member. You wouldn't be forced into choosing one for yourself.

[snags]

Isn't all this kind of irrelevant in that if you cause trouble, you get suspended/banned... regardless of whether you're an old or new AB user...

[bibblebub]

I am not suggesting that all problems will be solved; what's wrong with having something that, at a glance, gives a little bit of additional info about a user's status and is also simple to implement?

[snags]

I'm not sure what 'positive' purpose highlighting new users serves exactly.

Surely the post content and attitude of new ABers (or indeed any ABer) should/will determine whether they are reprimanded, suspended or banned, rather than immediately being labelled as potentially suspicious in some way just because they are new...

[bibblebub]

OK you win, I give up.

[snags]

lol... I'm not trying to win anything...

Incidentally, I'm also pretty sure that some trolls register accounts and do not use them until a later date... which means they would show as an 'old' user once they started posting. So then it would be down to checking other things... such as their post count, which isn't reliable either as many people are infrequent users. Any troll will quickly show their true colours soon enough anyway and hopefully be zapped...

[dotty.]

what happened to the eds plan to merge accounts anyway?

[anneasquith]

bibblebub,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,do you change you avatar on a daily basis. truth is i like your idea, i wouldnt mind having an avatar but "whispering" i dont know how..............nor do i understand what people are talking about when it is explained !!!!!!