Can avatars be made optional?

I hate the thought of leaving DG and love the people here, as well as PlantFiles, Garden Watchdog and so many other features, but the avatars really are a distraction to my eyes and to several of the people with whom I correspond. One has Macular Degeneration and has to enlarge the screen as it is so she finds them particularly annoying.

Please see if we can have the option to not see the avatars just as we have the option to not see ads.

Is it permissible to have an "avatar free" thread on different forums?

Thank you.

I think the option would be a really good idea.

Thanks for your vote, Elsie. I wish others who felt the same way would post here.

I vote to have the avatars optional as well..... I find them very distracting.

Thanks, Carolyn.

Optional Avatars great idea Pirl. Include me in also.

I appreciate the vote, Kin. That is one highly distracting avatar!

I like that idea also... just as it's optional to display an avatar or not, I wish the viewing could be optional. Keeping DG's pages clean and simple has been a draw from the beginning, especially for people for whom "normal" web pages are a challenge. My vision is fine, and there are other sites that are just too visually busy & "loud," so I can appreciate how even simple avatars could be too much for anybody with vision problems.

Thanks so much!

I second Critterologist opinion. Pirls too. Etelka

Thanks, Etelka.

I find them very distracting and they are blurry. I like the option to have them or not. Great idea Pirl.

Personally, I like the avatars. Helps me recognize individual posters. However, if individuals with eye problems would prefer they be optional - I would go along with that.

Maybe it needs to be that we can opt out of seeing avatars. Some sort of option in our My Info page that we could click on. Another goodie would be to have an option to have all of the text shown as bold and a larger font.☺

Sounds very good to me. So many of us aren't in our 40's, 50's or even 60's anymore.

Are you taking to me, Arlene, I am up there to, but not all the way up. Sending you a picture of my new love, Larkspure. Etelka

Guess I'm stupid.......what the heck is an avatar? Looked it up on Wikipedia, didn't make sense??

This link will explain what an avatar is:

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-computer-avatar.htm

My avatar is a honeybee because I used to be a beekeeper many, many moons ago.

Simply put; an avatar is an image that represents the individual poster.

Love the larkspur, Etelka. It's such a nice blue.

dillansnana - on many posts you'll see a photo or image by the name of the poster to identify them. That is called an avatar. That is not to be confused with a photo they may post, as Etelka Kiseta did above your post.

Just scroll through this clematis thread and look to the far left and you'll see what people use as their own avatar.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1307845/

I like a larger font too! Good idea.

Change font size can be done by going to
'My Tools'
Then go to your
'Preferences'

Then select your font size




This message was edited Apr 23, 2013 5:16 PM

I like the avatar thing and change mine to suit my mood. I can fully understand accomodations for those that experience visual issues or those that find it too "busy". Having the option to change the ability to view avatars makes good sense to me.

You can also change your font size up & down by clicking Ctrl+ or Ctrl-

It's easy enough to enlarge the page but then we end up with giant avatars - twice as bad.

Hi Arlene,
I have a vision problem also, but I love the avatars and have no problem with them. Do you also have a problem with the pictures that are posted on the threads? They are basically the same thing I would guess. I can certainly sympathize with you and if an option like that is available that would be great. My drops cause my vision to be blurred much of the time but I am learning to live with it. Good luck with your problem. I know how scary it is. I am already blind in one eye and my other eye is now being treated aggressively.
BTW
A few months ago I purchased Zoom Text especially for doing my bookwork and banking online. DG font change is great for the forums. I am surprised I do not have a problem with the avatars or the pictures as you describe them. Have a nice day.

I don't have problems with photos but I find the avatars at the far left so annoying that I have to move the entire screen to the far left to avoid them and then can't see all I've typed. For some people the text is a problem but it's the avatars that make me squint leaving me finding concentration so difficult.

From "aboutfloaters.com"... Aging is one of the main causes of eye flashes. As one reaches middle age, the vitreous gel in the eye starts thickening and forms clumps inside the eye. The shrinking vitreous gel starts pulling away from the retina leading to a vitreous detachment. Posterior vitreous detachment is more commonly found in the following individuals: myopic patients, those who have undergone cataract operations, those who have experienced inflammation in the eye or those with hereditary defects.

I am not saying these are flashers or floaters but my husband does have that problem and it sounds similar to my issue. I have had cataract surgery twice, two years ago, and I did make an appointment with our ophthalmologist.

The possible "shrinking vitreous gel" is the only shrinking part of me!

Since I gave up sugar (and all other sweeteners except Stevia) in 2005 my eyesight has been getting better.

Just to voice my opinion....I also think the avatars are distracting. The option to see avatars or not see them would be greatly appreciated.

pirl, we are looking at how we can make the avatars optional. But if you have blown up your font size on your DG preferences page, (not enlarged the page size through your general computer settings), the avatars don't enlarge, and so they actually become smaller and less noticeable in proportion to the rest of the page. Do you need any help in testing this out?

Terry, thanks for looking into it!

Thanks for responding, Terry. Those of us with eye issues (not medical) appreciate the effort.

It's just as distracting when the font is enlarged. I have no need for the change of font on threads without avatars so I really hope the option can be instituted.

Just returned from my eye doctor's and at almost 72 I still don't need any corrective lenses. I asked him about avatars being distracting to me and he said it's normal.

On radio I heard the host talking about being at a movie and the person next to him was busy texting and how annoying he found the light to be. Many others called in to say they also found it annoying. At least I am not alone.

Pirl, glad you don't need corrective lenses.

I removed my avatar - it was Chloe my cat and she is right at my feet so I don't need here here. After seeing the avatars for a while they are not so noticable to me. But that is with my eyes, with glasses.

Thank you, Elsie.

We don't know why we are so fortunate as to not need any glasses since all of our kids wear them and all four of our parents (his and mine) wore glasses, but we are thankful.

The one in the family with the worst eyesight is sweet Smitty!

Well Pirl, he has you to watch out for him. Great picture - he is such a sweety!

You'd never know he is 40% blind in one eye since his aim for his breakfast and dinner plates is so on target. He hasn't missed yet.

I guess I'm not "seeing" the problem here.
If you want the option of not seeing the avatars, it seems so simple to me: don't look at them!

JB, it's not that simple. You can't read a forum without seeing the avatars. You can't look at a bowl of raisin bran without seeing the raisins. I personally don't mind the avatars. But apparently some people do.

Well, you may "see" them, but you needn't "look at" them.
I hardly "see" them at all.
I also note that they are no larger than the thumbnails of photos posted by some of the same people who protest avatars.
If we are a "community" here, can't we just accept that everyone is different and get on with it?

JB - I hope you never have the trouble I have with the distractions. Your sense of compassion leaves me speechless.

ZenMan - thanks so much for seeing the problem.