Sidebar member avatar block: for/against?

[Morgain]

The sidebar is important to me as I put it on each type of page.

Having browsed Brogan's excellent FAQ treasurehouse once again, I found sidebar code which hides the member avatar block at the top.

<xen:sidebar>
<xen:container var="$noVisitorPanel">1</xen:container>
<xen:if is="!{$noVisitorPanel}">
Sidebar content
</xen:if>
</xen:sidebar>

I have often wondered why this block is there. It doesn't seem USEFUL to me though it's quite PLEASANT to see my own chosen avatar pic. I imagine others like seeing theirs up there as we do choose pics we like.
The username LINK is only just below another one on the navbar and the bits of data about oneself are not hard to find.
So my preference is to hide it.

But I do not want to decide based only on what I like.
Maybe it serves a purpose or user desire I do not share or value but is nonetheless important.

Could you please contribute what you find important about this block, top right, showing your avatar?
Or do you find it unnecessary?

 

[Claudio]

I think its important because I feel that I´m inside the forum and I´m part of the community. Maybe It sounds strange but I´m thinking as an user and not as an admin.