People Who Change Avatars

anamardoll · 08-22-2011, 05:10 PM

I've noticed that some people on MR change Avatars extremely frequently -- sometimes once or twice a week.

I'm wondering: Am I the only one who is confused by changing avatars? I'll admit that I'm a visual person and I'm MUCH more likely to remember a picture than a name. Like, I ALWAYS know pooh_bear by the roasted chicken avatar zie uses, but if it changed tomorrow to, say, an actual Pooh Bear, I'd be confused. Who is this person and why are they a moderator? I'd be thinking. I confuse easily, though.

(And, yeah, I had to look up pooh_bear's name for this post. And I probably STILL got it wrong.)

So I'm just wondering if I'm Dumber Than Most or if the "remembers the picture, but not the name" is a usual thing for some other MR people.

RockdaMan · 08-22-2011, 05:15 PM

I'm a visual person too. Avatars are like shirts to me. Take one off, put one on according to, well, whatever variable applies.

To you they seem to be more like a name -- get, keep it except in rare situations. I saw your picture on your Amazon reviewer page too.

Some forums I have the 'display avatar' option turned off -- don't know if you can do that here or not.

din155 · 08-22-2011, 05:20 PM

Even I am a visual person. I couldn't believe it was RockdaMan in this avatar. The best I have found is from WT Sharpe.

din

RockdaMan · 08-22-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by din155

The best I have found is from WT Sharpe.

I like JSWolfs rotations.

poohbear_nc · 08-22-2011, 05:48 PM

Just a friendly warning: should the temperature ever drop under 90 F here, I'll revert to my prior avatars ... uncooked chickens in one form or another.

HomeInMyShoes · 08-22-2011, 05:48 PM

People are visual. Sight carries a lot of informational bandwidth. I find changing avatars confusing as well. I would guess most people do. I've got the same avatar and username across several forums. If you know me in one place, you'll know me in other places. I do like JSWolf's theme-based ones. They change, but they are still pretty identifiable.

Greg Anos · 08-22-2011, 05:50 PM

I'm afraid I can't give up the bathroom humor....

JSWolf · 08-22-2011, 06:06 PM

I have been changing my avatar here and there. But it has been Tux in some form. So if you see a new unknown Tux, it could be me.

issybird · 08-22-2011, 06:08 PM

This is by far the most flattering depiction of me in existence, so why would I change?

(I also tend to identify posts by avatar rather than user name.)

aceflor · 08-22-2011, 06:10 PM

And I admit it.... I am vain :-)

@Rock : so you did find a picture in the end !

Edit: just took time not only to look at names and avatar, but also other information. love ana's devices description

(dirty mind, I know, but hey, I am french)

xg4bx · 08-22-2011, 06:15 PM

i change mine whenever a new picture or idea catches my fancy. i switch my avatar at least once a week across all the forums i use.

RockdaMan · 08-22-2011, 06:17 PM

Sorry folks, the lady in the picture isn't me. Just someone I'm fond of...

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2...abys-got-bass/

Given the name calling I get, I think the forum would more readily recognize me if I had this as my avatar:

A troll.

ucfgrad93 · 08-22-2011, 06:37 PM

I tend to keep my username and my avatar the same across the forums I frequent. I don't change avatars very often.

JD Gumby · 08-22-2011, 06:42 PM

Hmm. From the sounds of it, I might be the only person who turns off the avatar view (and signature, for that matter). Being in the minority is cool! :P

Hellmark · 08-22-2011, 07:10 PM

I tend to remember avatars better for people I don't interact with on a regular basis. Even for people I remember the names for, the avatar pops out at me before their name does when scanning posts.

Personally, I rarely change avatars. You'll either see my cross coin (which you can make out an H, and potentially other letters if you pay attention), another logo of mine, that has items related to the character of mine that I derived my nick from, or a picture of me. I rarely change, and keep something decidedly me when I do, as to not confuse people.

As far as the shirts thing, well, if you look in my closet, I have many of the same shirt. I have like a dozen white shirts, several blue dickies button ups, and some random geek humor shirts. I wear a tshirt, and one of the dickies every day. The only time I don't, is when I dress up, and it is still a button up.

08-22-2011, 05:10 PM	#1
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	People Who Change Avatars I've noticed that some people on MR change Avatars extremely frequently -- sometimes once or twice a week. I'm wondering: Am I the only one who is confused by changing avatars? I'll admit that I'm a visual person and I'm MUCH more likely to remember a picture than a name. Like, I ALWAYS know pooh_bear by the roasted chicken avatar zie uses, but if it changed tomorrow to, say, an actual Pooh Bear, I'd be confused. Who is this person and why are they a moderator? I'd be thinking. I confuse easily, though. (And, yeah, I had to look up pooh_bear's name for this post. And I probably STILL got it wrong.) So I'm just wondering if I'm Dumber Than Most or if the "remembers the picture, but not the name" is a usual thing for some other MR people.

08-22-2011, 06:10 PM	#10
aceflor Wizard Posts: 3,472 Karma: 48036360 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: where the sun lives, or so they say Device: Pocketbook Era, Pocketbook Inkpad 4, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Scribe	And I admit it.... I am vain :-) @Rock : so you did find a picture in the end ! Edit: just took time not only to look at names and avatar, but also other information. love ana's devices description (dirty mind, I know, but hey, I am french) Last edited by aceflor; 08-22-2011 at 06:15 PM.

08-22-2011, 06:17 PM	#12
RockdaMan Banned Posts: 1,644 Karma: 213512 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: On the other side of over there Device: Pandigital Novel, Kindle G1 (broken), iPod Touch	Sorry folks, the lady in the picture isn't me. Just someone I'm fond of... http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2...abys-got-bass/ Given the name calling I get, I think the forum would more readily recognize me if I had this as my avatar: A troll. Last edited by RockdaMan; 08-22-2011 at 06:20 PM.

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08-22-2011, 05:15 PM	#2
RockdaMan Banned Posts: 1,644 Karma: 213512 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: On the other side of over there Device: Pandigital Novel, Kindle G1 (broken), iPod Touch	I'm a visual person too. Avatars are like shirts to me. Take one off, put one on according to, well, whatever variable applies. To you they seem to be more like a name -- get, keep it except in rare situations. I saw your picture on your Amazon reviewer page too. Some forums I have the 'display avatar' option turned off -- don't know if you can do that here or not.

08-22-2011, 05:20 PM	#3
din155 Guru Posts: 880 Karma: 7556602 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle PW, Win 10 thinkpad 8in	Even I am a visual person. I couldn't believe it was RockdaMan in this avatar. The best I have found is from WT Sharpe. din

08-22-2011, 05:48 PM	#5
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,250 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Just a friendly warning: should the temperature ever drop under 90 F here, I'll revert to my prior avatars ... uncooked chickens in one form or another.

08-22-2011, 05:48 PM	#6
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	People are visual. Sight carries a lot of informational bandwidth. I find changing avatars confusing as well. I would guess most people do. I've got the same avatar and username across several forums. If you know me in one place, you'll know me in other places. I do like JSWolf's theme-based ones. They change, but they are still pretty identifiable.

08-22-2011, 05:50 PM	#7
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,527 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	I'm afraid I can't give up the bathroom humor....

08-22-2011, 06:06 PM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,660 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have been changing my avatar here and there. But it has been Tux in some form. So if you see a new unknown Tux, it could be me.

08-22-2011, 06:08 PM	#9
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,246 Karma: 234602041 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	This is by far the most flattering depiction of me in existence, so why would I change? (I also tend to identify posts by avatar rather than user name.)

08-22-2011, 06:15 PM	#11
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	i change mine whenever a new picture or idea catches my fancy. i switch my avatar at least once a week across all the forums i use.

08-22-2011, 06:37 PM	#13
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	I tend to keep my username and my avatar the same across the forums I frequent. I don't change avatars very often.

08-22-2011, 06:42 PM	#14
JD Gumby Cynical Old Curmudgeon Posts: 1,085 Karma: 8495696 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Kobo Arc, HTC Desire C	Hmm. From the sounds of it, I might be the only person who turns off the avatar view (and signature, for that matter). Being in the minority is cool! :P

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08-22-2011, 07:10 PM	#15
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I tend to remember avatars better for people I don't interact with on a regular basis. Even for people I remember the names for, the avatar pops out at me before their name does when scanning posts. Personally, I rarely change avatars. You'll either see my cross coin (which you can make out an H, and potentially other letters if you pay attention), another logo of mine, that has items related to the character of mine that I derived my nick from, or a picture of me. I rarely change, and keep something decidedly me when I do, as to not confuse people. As far as the shirts thing, well, if you look in my closet, I have many of the same shirt. I have like a dozen white shirts, several blue dickies button ups, and some random geek humor shirts. I wear a tshirt, and one of the dickies every day. The only time I don't, is when I dress up, and it is still a button up.