At the moment, this board allows so called "third party" avatars - meaning, they are related to a different URL than used by this board. In principal, this can imply cookies from these other URLs, where the actual avatar is hosted. Apart from the fact, allowing this can be avoided by using specific software and/or a firewall, the question is: should this board allow such "third party" avatars. If not, all registered users wanting to use an avatar should pick one as is available from this board software (in your profile). We are looking into a possibility to upload avatars - that way, such an uploaded avatar is no longer a "third party" avatar. As for this moment, there isn't such a possibility available. Please vote as if uploading avatars isn't a possibility. As ever, your input is highly valued. regards. paul
See my remarks in the "cookies" thread, where i noted the same avatar on this board on different places does not always include a tracker, and it happens with the instant messenger icons like ICQ and Yahoo Messenger too, to name some examples and again from the same persons not always on different pages. I do hope my own FW protects me for sending info out, at the moment when testing i see it occasionally appearing on my screen. Maybe we can download/install some better protection or the forum might be able to take some specific measures. In screenshots i did not see them, till now.
Hi Jooske, Rephrased: that's what this poll is all about. Either we allow it - or we don't. Regardless the enigma's . regards. paul
lol i dont know paul perty much put in all the avatars one could ever want to express one self maybe some cool blade 2 avatars be cool or how about avatars frome computer related movies like hackers,sword fis ect ect but for now im perty happy
I voted yes, I like the option to upload ones own Avatar, provided it's tasteful and not to big, and if you have the space Paul.
i voted "no" to allowing 3rd-party avatars linked from other sites, but like the other's just posted, it would be a nice option for registered members to be able to upload their own avatars to use, rather than linking from another site. Paul, if this feature isn't a possibility, maybe a few more different avatars can be added to the present list the board has now to offer? Just a thought. snap
Hi Vamp, Voting yes to the poll means you think the avatar should be coming from a third party site and load from the site as the page is displayed. That means your browser islink to not only this sites server...but all the rest of the servers hold members avatar..I do not mind loading a page from Wilders Server..but all those others? Are you sure you understood this poll or am I missing something in your post?
I voted No only because there was no check block for "Absolutely NO!" Sure, I have stuff to block cookies. But why should I have to do so on this forum, of all places?
I voted no also. I have no problem with this sites avatars or the possibility in the future of being able to upload our own avatars. The problem I have is being linked to third party sites that I may or may not approve of and possibly having to set my machine to block a certain cookie from a third party site, which otherwise I would not have to do. When clicking on a thread on a security site, I should not be exposed to any third parties without being able to make that choice. For example, when I click on a link inside of a thread, I am making the choice to go to that site. However, with third party avatars being embedded in threads, I am not making a choice to visit the site that supplies the avatar. I think the main issue is with privacy and choice, and I should have the choice on a security site, especially one as respected as Wilder's (no offense intended to Wilder's). Regards, Kent
My avatar is on my own website wich doesn't pass any cookies. It doesn't look like it ought to on this board, but it's kind of my trademark, so a possibility to upload avatars would be welcome. Maybe that would entice me to make it look like it 's supposed to. Whatever you decide, this board is to valuable a source of knowledge to discard for such reasons, that's why I voted "I don't care" Regards, Pieter
Hello Paul and Everyone! I voted "no" because there is a possibility of getting bad stuff that way. I prefer my method of uploading a pic from my machine to this board and then using it that way. That way my proggies don't mess with it. It's the safer way to do it and limiting the size of the pic is beneficial to the board. Although I think 100X100 is better than 60X60. I've also noticed when a lot of avatars and signatures have third-party links, it takes the page longer to load. Stuff from this board loads faster! Thanks from Larry!
The way I understand it, a Yes would mean I can use any Avatar I choose. A no would mean I must choose from one that this forum supplies. If my understanding is wrong, then please explain, I would rather of course wish to upload my own Avatar here, rather then link to it, but that is not yet possible.
Some boards will host your avatar for you. Is it possible to do that here? Obviously they would need to be limited in size.
BTW Root, 'Root66' sure looks good, but... Just can't remember what your previous avatar looked like ! Could you put it on again ? Rgds, Crockett
There is a way to have this forum host your avatar but I am not sure the admins approve of it . I will be glad to post how if I get their OK. Regards, Kent
i want the up comeing baby looney tunes as avatars it be cool warner brothers new cartoon comeing out im find baby taz
To be honest does avatar choice really matter? Its a security forum, we all have names to identify us, and I expect those on dial-up could do without it (despite caching) I voted no, but personally I dont really care, I'm on a 1meg modem so nowt slows it down much.
Hi Everyone! I like having an avatar! It personalizes my posts. I dislike some third-party avatars if they take a long time to load. If this happens I delete/stop them in process. But, by and large, most avatars are easily loadable. Limiting their size should help save bandwidth too. Best regards from Larry! P.S. Changed my mind about the size of avatars and forgot I posted here a month ago! I still think uploaded avatars are safer! Thanks.
Well, that's a tough one, because my main choice would be to be able to upload the avatars to the Wilder's server, but you said that we should vote as if that weren't an option. So because of that I chose yes, to at least be able to continue at the current status. Although after going back and reading some other posts, I'm not sure now. Maybe, Paul, if you could clear up exactly what the implications are, it would help me at least get a more accurate picture. I honestly had no idea that by choosing 'yes', it implied that I ended up being 'linked' to potentially everyone with personal avatar's servers. I run AnalogX's Cookie Wall and it's set to scan for new cookies every 5 seconds and I certainly have never gotten hit with tons (if any) of prompts to add cookies while I've been here. So maybe I either don't understand the technology involved or else some of the other posters don't. If you could clear that up, we could all be better informed. Thanks. sk sk
Hi sk, First: we are working on a solution to upload avatars to our server . At the moment, any registered member can put an URL in his profile, pointing to a "third party server" where the pic actually resides/is hosted. Depending on this host, cookies can be set etc. This is the way most boards/forums handle avatars. It's not the way we prefer it; thus working on a solution. regards. paul
Thanks, Paul. But my question was really this: Given what you've just described, what effect, exactly, does that have on my individual computer when I log onto this site? As I stated above, some posters stated that because of those 3rd party URLs, individual members here are then subjected to some kind of interference from those avatars. But I've never noticed any sort of interference whatsoever. That's what I'd like to understand. Thanks again. sk
