Your Avatar in the Forums

[admin]

Ironically, sticky posts often have the opposite effect of their intent.
Since they are sticky, we all know that they are artificially placed at the top of the page, and therefore not necessarily "fresh", and so we ignore them. I know I do.
In the last two days I have had members email me asking why their avatar doesn't show in the forums.
It's because our programing is not a shining example of perfection around here. Parts of the site are held together by bubblegum and duct tape, and we have two separate avatar systems; one for the main site and one for the forums.
Here's the often ignored sticky post about how to get your avatar to work in the forums:

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/avatars-in-forums

 

[admin]

Bump

 

[seilerjp]

I guess the "bump" was for me.....but your instructions do work, as does bubble gum, duct tape, etc.

 

[unclearthur]

Duct tape is really the FORCE ! It has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together .

 

[ernest]

Bubblegum and duct tape works well.Now if you want to fix a plane wing,you'll have to use a good smear of all-purpose bread flower and water.

 

[admin]

You weren't the only one John.
I had someone that emailed me asking how to put his avatar up only 10 minutes after he signed up.
This is the very first thing that is explained in the welcome email, which doesn't get read either.

 

[lordnoble]

There's a welcome email? LMAO!
-Jason

 

[ps27]

When I signed up, yesterday by the way, I uploaded an avatar immediately with the sign-up process. However, it was a few pixels two big so I was led to the crop avatar screen. What a useless, clunky, piece of software! Now I'm a graphics creation oriented person, but the crop process was a nightmare and then, to beat all, I could find no WORKING tab to let me accept my crop. I spent 10 minutes trying to make it work, find how to get it to accept the crop, then finally just closed the screen hoping it had somehow taken in. Nope. So now I will go through the process--after I post something. (Guess this is my first, a complaint, that's a bummer.)
That aside, I'M LOVIN' THIS PLACE. Don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Everyone suffers through clunky software at times. I decided to join after reading your anti-snobbery thread a day or two ago, and I still may go back to it and reply. As a newbie/returning to pipe sort of guy, it made me feel comfortable.
But don't be too down on new folks and their avatars, you've got some quirky stuff going on here technically.

 

[classicgeek]

Not to mention that there seems to be two separate private messaging systems, one for the main site and another for the forums. That confused the heck out of me when other members have indicated that they have sent me a PM, and I couldn't find it in my inbox.
I understand the technical pain. Overall, the site's effect is very good.
Simon

 

[admin]

I hate you Jason. ;-)
Yes, we definitely have some clunky functionality in some places here. ps27, be glad you didn't sign up last year. It was waaay worse with ten times as many glitches!
It was just two days ago that I got rid of the stupid backslashes showing up in the thread titles that had quotes and apostrophes. And no one even noticed
I go by Seth Godin's philosophy. He's an Internet Entrepreneur, like me, and he says this:

"I am not a perfectionist. I think that I am very focused on doing the best I can quickly and fixing it to make it better. A perfectionist doesn't do things quickly, it takes them too long to shift."

- Seth Godin

As far as avatars - anyone that needs help with their avatar, feel free to send me the photo you want and I can make it work.
The only thing is, and this is another flaw, is that the user avatars is the only part of the system where I can't edit a user's account as the admin.
I will actually have to login to your account as you, so you will have to send me your login along with the picture.

 

[ltrav3nw00d]

What this site needs is a chat section.

 

[classicgeek]

It was just two days ago that I got rid of the stupid backslashes showing up in the thread titles that had quotes and apostrophes. And no one even noticed

That's the sad life of system developers. 99% of people will complain about things that don't work, and less than 1% will acknowledge the stuff that does. You have to take solace in the huge number of people who have joined up and stick around. You gotta be doing something right.
Simon

 

[ps27]

It’s all good. I did successfully upload an avatar, somewhere yesterday when I registered and again earlier this morning, but it never appeared with my posts though I logged in and out. When I went to my info by clicking my screen name, it wasn’t there.
I wonder if I actually uploaded an avatar to the blog section or something which didn’t carry through to the forum section. When I tried to check by clicking on “Your Blog Admin” or “Your Profile” to the left of the page, I now only get error messages or 404 indicators.
I ran over to the forum profile just now and loaded yet another avatar from there and … ah, it worked!
Originally, I was somewhere trying to upload an avatar that required cropping for a thumbnail, then sizing the actual avatar picture—does anyone know where that was? Again, that’s where it took me when I registered and opted to go ahead and create an avatar in the process. That became baffling.
But really, I’m not complaining or wanting to go on and on. This is the end of it. I have an avatar. I just thought it might be good for you to know it’s possible to get shanghaied when registering. I came here to talk with people I was impressed with about a pretty low-tech pleasure. As I said before, I appreciate the attitude around here and am not wanting you to think I’m all put out by the setup. Believe me, I understand the reality of screwy software and appreciate your getting-it-going-and-then-seeing-what’s-what approach.
I especially appreciate how those silly backslashes showing up in the thread titles with quotes and apostrophes are gone now! Whoever took care of that must be a genius and has our utmost thanks! (Oh, OK. I’m just sucking up now to try and make up for coming across so negatively during my first few hours officially being here.)
Done.

 

[python]

You mean that the backslashes in the titles are now gone?
I didn't notice ;-), lol

 

[cortezattic]

ps27, welcome to the forums! We're all looking forward to your comments and opinions. Looking forward to seeing Mr. Rockwell's image populating these threads. BTW, for me that avatar is working at about 3 or 4 levels of meaning. Cool.

 

[ps27]

No, really: That's what I look like! A cartoonish verson of Norman Rockwell with no eyeballs. But really, thanks for the welcome. I guess I should get over to the new guy thread to be doing this, though. Glad you like the avatar.

 

[cortezattic]

No, really: That's what I look like!

Alas! Yet another layer of meaning!