Avatars & signatures

VW Derf

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 3, 1996
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
2010 Blue Graphite Pearl Golf Variant
Due to mounting problems with (and related to) Avatars and signatures, there have been some changes to the requirements As a review here are original tips the original tips.

Avatars:

  • Size is currently 100x55. There is a bug in the program that causes the images to scale to this no matter what size the are, throwing off the aspect ration sometimes. Best practices is to resize to something close to this
  • If the images is hosted off of the pics server, just the thumb nail image. It's a pretty close match and is automatically resized for you when you upload the images. This also makes the images smaller in size. You can get the location by right clicking on the thumbnail image and going to properties (URL will be shown there), or add "-thumb" before .jpg or .gif in your image file name (without quotes of course)
  • If you are using one hosted on your own website, resize it to something small in image size and file size. Not only does it reduce your bandwidth, but also makes it faster to download pages, particularly those on modems. Case in point one member had a 0.5MB avatar without realizing it. 20k or less is the suggested file size.
  • Make sure you have permission to link the image if it is not from your own site. This can cost the website owner where the image comes from.
  • Avatars must now be Diesel, TDI, VW, or similarly related to the forums. (Ie political ones no longer are OK).
Signatures:

  • Images ok, but lets keep them down to 3 or so lines
  • Files size should also be around 20k or less
  • Let's keep it TDI related

Since some of these things are new I'll give everyone a week or so to make the required changes.

Thanks,

Fred
 

TheLongshot

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2003
Location
Burke, VA
TDI
Jetta Wagon '03 Reflex Silver
Fred,

For some reason, my signature hasn't worked in a while. I've sent you PM about this before, but didn't get a response.

Basically, when the message goes into preview, the sig text gets appened to the end of the message directly, with no seperation line. When the message is saved, the sig doesn't appear in the message.


Any solution to this?

Jason
 

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
I don't use avatars, so I can't comment there. But the signature change sucks bigtime. Why the need for this change? Grownup people should be able to express themselves peacefully and not in ways that attack other tdiclub members. Grownups also should be able to accept politically related statements, whether they agree with them or not. Remember reading about democracy in high school?

But then again, perhaps there are not many grownups on these boards.

What gives, Fred?
 

NRU73

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2004
Location
N.E.
TDI
02 GOLF TDI Silver, 5 Speed
Grownups should also be able to suck it up and deal w/ any changes to the forum rules.
 

dvsails

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2003
Location
Toronto - Pickering
TDI
Passat 05 TDI Wagon
Why the need for this change? Grownup people should be able to express themselves .....blah, blah, blah....But then again, perhaps there are not many grownups on these boards.

U.S. Out of Iraq. Show Bush the door in 2004:
http://wwx.blackstarsblog.com/bushin41point2.swf
<font color="red"> It's Fred's TDI-CLUB website and he's very correct in keeping politics out of it!
It's all about TDI's and has absolutely nothing to do with Democrats and Republicans.
</font>
 

sdcatdi

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2005 Passat B5.5 GLS TDI
Hear, hear. Political discussions should take place elsewhere. There is no protected right to free political expression on this website. There are plenty of other websites for political head-banging and affronting.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
Ummm, they prolly don't drive themselves anywhere anymone


Come on... save this for a political forum. It only get's people pissed of at each other.


-Jason
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
So I suppose my signature will have to go (or change)?
 

craig01b

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Location
Guelph, Ontario.
TDI
None
I am a canuck, born and bred in Montreal....don't start on political association by car types...or us canucks will all be lost....

Craig B
 

TigBounce

Veteran Member
Joined
May 13, 2003
Location
Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2001 Silver TDI Beetle
Just read all this thread and still no explanation on what a avatar is.

Could someone PLEASE explain?

Thank You
Actually, if you had clicked on the link to the "Original Tips", the first line explains what an avatar is. For times sake, I have copied it for you...

"A few tips for those using avatars ("URL to your picture" in your Preferences)."
 

Sappington

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2003
Location
Manassas, VA
TDI
2017 Chevy Volt now -- sold '03 Jetta Wagon :-(
It's Fred's TDI-CLUB website and he's very correct in keeping politics out of it!
It's all about TDI's and has absolutely nothing to do with Democrats and Republicans.[/b]</font>
It is Fred's site and I agree he can do whatever he wants. In regards to your second statement: politics has everything to do with whether or not you're allowed to drive a DIESEL in the USA.

Fred,

For some reason, my signature hasn't worked in a while. I've sent you PM about this before, but didn't get a response.

Basically, when the message goes into preview, the sig text gets appened to the end of the message directly, with no seperation line. When the message is saved, the sig doesn't appear in the message.


Any solution to this?

Jason
I have the same problem. I PMed about it a long time ago and it was fixed, but only for a while before it "broke" again.
So, now I just always include my sig. No biggie....
 

PlaneCrazy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 3, 2000
Location
Province of Quebec, Canada
TDI
Gone...
Keep in mind folks that this is an INTERNATIONAL TDI site, and moreover, it's hosted in Canada. I think there are better places to discuss politics, EXCEPT as directly related to diesels. Generalized Bush vs. Kerry or Martin vs. Harper vs. Duceppe vs. Layton, or Blair vs. whomever, etc, really doesn't belong here. Fred used to host a "general" forum for that sort of thing but it got so childish and out of control that he canned it.

As for the plane in my avatar, it has a 180 hp Lycoming. There is now a diesel replacement for that engine. In fact Diamond aircraft just flew their new diesel twin 1900 n.m. across the Atlantic, NON-STOP, on 72 gallons of Jet A, at a ground speed of 150 knots. The flight was 12.5 hours long and used just under 6 gallons per hour total (just under 3 gph per engine!). This is an amazing feat, my Lycoming would burn about 10.5 gals/hr at the same speed, or 9.0 at reduced cruise of about 90 kots. Diesels rule in the air too! Hope I can afford one some day!
 

Kaufmann

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2003
Location
A Red State near you.
Hmm. Ok. But Kerry would drive a TDI and Bush would certainly drive a Lincoln Navigator.
If that is true then why does Kerry own a Suburban? Oh, that's right, it's not his truck. It's his wifes.


Kerry is rich, just like Bush. So Kerry will only drive large, luxurious vehicles. Just like Bush. And all the other rich people in America.

IIRC, Kerry drives a new Chrysler 300. Not exactly the most fuel efficient vehicle on the market.
 

dieselt

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Location
maine
TDI
jetta, 2000, green
Then why is fredb showing a political avatar??? tia...I am with the forum and TDI info...not what political beliefs you have.
 

VW Derf

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 3, 1996
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
2010 Blue Graphite Pearl Golf Variant
Sorry for not responding here sooner guys. If you notice any signatures or avatars, let me know, I'll deal with it. As for the signature box, I'm working on getting the next releaseof the software out, so I'll make sure that is deal with for that release.

Fred
 

Stealth TDI

Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 1998
Location
Newport News, VA
TDI
2017 GTI APR Stage 3 (395 hp/376 lb-ft)
Hi,

Grownup people should be able to express themselves peacefully and not in ways that attack other tdiclub members. Grownups also should be able to accept politically related statements, whether they agree with them or not. Remember reading about democracy in high school?
As stated elsewhere in this thread, this is not a place to exercise rights. I remember the same stuff happening in the GD forum when it existed. People were whining about their right to free speech. I'll use the same analogy now as I did then:

Imagine a group of people showing up to your front yard, no the city street in front of your house... "public property." They're carrying signs, banners, and pamphlets that support the candidate that you do not support. They're expressing themselves peacefully, perhaps making a driveby remark about an issue that just grates your nerves. Being a "grownup," you accept these polically related statements. But how long do you tolerate them being in your yard and/or "personal space" before asking them to leave, calling the police, or whatever your style may be?

This is Fred "house." He can make whatever rules he wants. Some agree and stay. Some disagree and stay. Some disagree and leave. All three of those decisions exercise an act of freedom. Sometimes I wish the US citizens who protest the US would exercise the right to leave.


But then again, perhaps there are not many grownups on these boards.
Think about how people walk in crowds. They're more courteous when they encounter people (for the most part). Get behind the wheel of a car and many of these "grownups" become much less courteous. One's vehicle dehumanizes them and turns them into an object (consider the reason deer and some other animals don't run from cars until the door opens and a human pops out). Being on the Internet is the ultimate in dehumanization and anonimity. Some people act the same as they would in person. Some are total asses. That's why the GD area is gone and that's why some rules have been erected. Gee, sounds sort of like why laws are made? So thousands of different people can coexist in relative harmony?


Take Care,

Scott
 
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