Pet Peeve: Huge Sigs

Sablesword · Jul 11, 2007

One of my pet peeves here is seeing posts with huge sigs, sigs that are bigger than the actual content of most of the posts.

The rule is suppose to be "If your sig image is bigger then the TMF 'feet in a circle' logo that you can see in the upper left corner of every forum page, it's TOO BIG. Use a smaller one." That logo is 168 pixels high and 200 pixels wide. But a lot of sig images are two or three times as high and wide, plus a number of lines of text - a half-dozen to a dozen lines, which is also far too much.

In my completely arrogant opinion, sigs should be limited to not more than four (4) lines, or to two (2) lines plus an image no more than 168 pixels high. (And the lines should be single-spaced, unenlarged, and generally not formatted to be bigger than a standard line of text.)

Width isn't such a problem; I don't mind seeing page-width, banner-style sigs, and I'd support a rule change to specifically allow them. But sigs with so much height that they take up half a page or more are just annoying. Especially after being seen a dozen times.

(And another thing: Sigs really need to be non-obnoxious. Bland even. They should be non-annoying even after being seen dozens of times. A standard of "this sig isn't nasty enough to cause the thick-skinned to complain after one viewing" just doesn't cut it.)

Had to get that off my chest.

chicago · Jul 11, 2007

What are you talking about?

This is the best sig pic ever

paracarl44 · Jul 11, 2007

These Signature Pictures are Getting Out Of Line.

You have to keep scrooling just to read a single message. :rant:

I find the Picture of the TWO DOGS as being extremely repulsive. :rant:

steph · Jul 11, 2007

All ya have to do is shut them off gang, it's in your control panel!
XOXO

Sablesword · Jul 11, 2007

Sure I could shut off all sigs when I view TMF - but that would mean shutting them *all* off: The good, reasonable, within-the-rules sigs, the elephantine oversized sigs, and the sigs that are gross & disgusting as well as being oversized.

There is no control panel switch for "shut off those sigs bigger than size X."

Helena · Jul 11, 2007

Sablesword,
I notice that you have a siggy in your postings. I assume you deem yours appropriate. If I understood your request correctly, you would like to view the siggys that look similar to your own, and turn off the rest so you can not see them.
Hmmmmmmmm, I know the user control panel can block you from seeing any siggys, but that would mean cloaking your own. That won't do because you love yours.
I love my siggy. I intend to let it continue to annoy you.
:devil:

theticklingmaster · Jul 11, 2007

Multiple Line Signatures

I like my random five line signature, so I'm keeping it.

chicago · Jul 11, 2007

Sorry to break your heart, bub, but life's full of annoyances.

If it hurts your eyes so much to look at signatures more grotesque, beautiful, small, or large than your own, and turning off signatures altogether doesn't work, it looks like you've got yourself in a clusterfuck.

Calm down. Have some tea.

Deal with it.

Bugman · Jul 11, 2007

One of my pet peeves here is seeing posts with huge sigs, sigs that are bigger than the actual content of most of the posts.

If that is your big problem with the forum,i would suggest you might be happier elsewhere.Come on,why does that bother you so much?I really would like to know..

Sablesword · Jul 11, 2007

Helena said:
Sablesword,
I notice that you have a siggy in your postings. I assume you deem yours appropriate.

Yes. Before I created my sig, I checked the rules and made sure that my sig didn't violate them.

So why can't others show the same courtesy, and use sigs that likewise conform to the letter and spirit of the rules?

Or - second best from my POV - Myriads et al should modify the rule to match what the moderators are actually willing to tolerate, rather than saying that they'll remove too-big sig images whenever seen and then... not doing so.

chicago · Jul 11, 2007

Sablesword said:
Yes. Before I created my sig, I checked the rules and made sure that my sig didn't violate them.

So why can't others show the same courtesy, and use sigs that likewise conform to the letter and spirit of the rules?

Or - second best from my POV - Myriads et al should modify the rule to match what the moderators are actually willing to tolerate, rather than saying that they'll remove too-big sig images whenever seen and then... not doing so.

You'll note that was written five years ago, Myriads used the phrase "as of late" meaning, five years ago, and, now I'm guessing here as I wasn't around five years ago, that they were using a different database and perhaps they didn't have the "turn off sig" option. But now that they do, perhaps the rule is null.

Sablesword · Jul 11, 2007

bugman said:
If that is your big problem with the forum,i would suggest you might be happier elsewhere.Come on,why does that bother you so much?I really would like to know..

Because it's rude.

Why are you so willing to commit an act of rudeness with every post you make?

Bugman · Jul 11, 2007

Sablesword said:
Yes. Before I created my sig, I checked the rules and made sure that my sig didn't violate them.

So why can't others show the same courtesy, and use sigs that likewise conform to the letter and spirit of the rules?

Or - second best from my POV - Myriads et al should modify the rule to match what the moderators are actually willing to tolerate, rather than saying that they'll remove too-big sig images whenever seen and then... not doing so.

My sig pic,and many others here was created by Mimi,who is a senoir mod here.I doubt that i would be allowed to have said sig if not allowed.You might have been away to long,and again i don't undrerstand why this bothers you so much?

Sablesword · Jul 11, 2007

ticklishgiggle said:
You'll note that was written five years ago, Myriads used the phrase "as of late" meaning, five years ago, and, now I'm guessing here as I wasn't around five years ago, that they were using a different database and perhaps they didn't have the "turn off sig" option. But now that they do, perhaps the rule is null.

IIRC, the "turn off sig" option was in place when I first joined the TMF, a year before then, and was in place when Myriads made the post on sig size. If "the rule is null" then it is so for some other reason, and anyway it's up to Myriads to say whether the rule still applies or not.

But even without the rule, using a small sig is simply good forum citizenship. Small sigs serve a useful purpose; big sigs subvert this.

chicago · Jul 11, 2007

Sablesword said:
IIRC, the "turn off sig" option was in place when I first joined the TMF, a year before then, and was in place when Myriads made the post on sig size. If "the rule is null" then it is so for some other reason, and anyway it's up to Myriads to say whether the rule still applies or not.

But even without the rule, using a small sig is simply good forum citizenship. Small sigs serve a useful purpose; big sigs subvert this.

I have a GREAT idea.

Why don't you start your own forum about forum sigs, and then maybe an alternate tickling forum, where you can rule the people and large sigs will be punishable by cyber beheading

Sablesword · Jul 12, 2007

bugman said:
My sig pic,and many others here was created by Mimi,who is a senoir mod here.I doubt that i would be allowed to have said sig if not allowed.You might have been away to long,and again i don't undrerstand why this bothers you so much?

There are two issues here: Whether the big sig pics are allowed or not, and whether they're a bad idea or not.

If they are allowed, then a clear statement by the moderators will shut me up on that point. But right now it seems to me that the only clear statement is that they're not allowed, and that it's only deduction and implication supporting a supposed big-sigs-allowed policy.

As for their being a bad idea, the subtext of a big sig is:

"Hey, look! I'm an idiot! Pay no attention to what I actually have to SAY here in my post because it's stupid and trivial and not at all important. No, the real reason I'm posting is to show off, once again, my Kewl Sig. Isn't it a Kewl sig? Huh? Isn't it? Isn't it?"

The thing is, I am actually interested in what people have to say here - in their actual words, even, and not just in their nattering and gomishing. Even when I don't happen to agree with them. Also, I'm actually interested in who is saying what, which is where a small neat sig servers a useful purpose. A small sig at the bottom of the post, along with the handle at the top, helps identify the poster. But a big sig subverts all this.

johntfs · Jul 12, 2007

Why don't you start your own forum about forum sigs, and then maybe an alternate tickling forum, where you can rule the people and large sigs will be punishable by cyber beheading

Exactly. I can't imagine why he might be upset. Can you?

johntfs · Jul 12, 2007

johntfs said:
Exactly. I can't imagine why he might be upset. Can you?

Just to be sure everyone gets the point, yes, I can imagine why he might be upset. Big sigs are obnoxious and annoying to view and scroll through. Any "coolness factor" your huge-ass sig ever had disappears the forty-second or forty-third time it gets seen. Of course, that's also true of small sigs. Which is why I don't generally use sigs.

Unless I just want to make a point about them.

Myriads · Jul 12, 2007

The signature rule is in effect as printed.

The size is as stated in the rule,which is the 'ideal' size. Though we allow them up to the size range that Mimi makes them at now. Once they get bigger then an average Mimi sig we have problems.

If a sig image 'breaks' the forum page by being too wide it will be nuked instantly when we see it.

We are tolerent of multiple signature images but if it reaches the point where more then two full screens are full of them We will step in. There is a point where it gets rude.

If you see a sig violation report it. We'll get it.

That cover it? Or is this thread a reqiest for me to review the use of signatures in total here?

Myriads

Sablesword · Jul 12, 2007

That covers it as far as I'm concerned.

Bugman · Jul 12, 2007

The thing is, I am actually interested in what people have to say here - in their actual words, even, and not just in their nattering and gomishing. Even when I don't happen to agree with them. Also, I'm actually interested in who is saying what, which is where a small neat sig servers a useful purpose. A small sig at the bottom of the post, along with the handle at the top, helps identify the poster. But a big sig subverts all this.

Fair enough,and i'm sorry if you found my responce rude.It was not meant that way at all,perhaps i did not understand your objection.

steph · Jul 13, 2007

Ok, I'm still not feeling the issue. If you want to see other people's sigs, cruise in unregistered. If you want to avoid them, sign in, change your user preferences and avoid all the commotion...

XOXO

Sablesword · Jul 13, 2007

steph said:
Ok, I'm still not feeling the issue. If you want to see other people's sigs, cruise in unregistered. If you want to avoid them, sign in, change your user preferences and avoid all the commotion...

Well, what I want is to be able to see the poster's name at the bottom of a post without being stuffed full of graphic-and-word salad in the process. A sprig of graphical garnish or a crouton of useful or amusing text is tolerable and even desirable. But I find it annoying when finding the "Steph" in your sig means having to scroll down so far that I can no longer see the text of your message.

I'm not going to get what I want here - Myriads had made it clear that he won't limit sig sizes to that degree, and I'm not willing to argue with him about it. But that is what I want.

Do you at least understand now, even if you don't agree?

spareme · Jul 14, 2007

I totally agree. I just looked at my sig and it is way too big, especially in the hip and thigh area.................... Only kidding! I understand your complaint. I love looking at the sigs, but rules are rules. I asked Mimi to put my sig together and it could easily have been cropped to fit "The Rules". I didn't know when I joined that there was a size issue. Size doesn't mean much to me. If newbies ask for help with sigs and we get it, then I guess we just assume that we're okay. Sorry if we offend you.

Myriads · Jul 14, 2007

Sparemes Sig is about the size of Mimi's largest work. It does not break the forum horizontally. This is about the point we draw the line at.

Folks, I've tried to not be a rules nazi about these things. There are there for fun and people enjoy them. As long as they are not getting out of hand I tend to be mellow. I'm not seeing a wave of out of control sigs.

Myriads

Pet Peeve: Huge Sigs

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