Sigs - why have them?

[Grover]

Exactly, that's why I hate the crap out of them. You end up doing the forum version of Where's Waldo - hunting down the one-sentence post amidst all the color-fonted, animated swooping dancing text and images.

Exactly. It is just horrendously horrible. I can not even begin to grasp why an admin wants to allow such a thing to happen on his/her site. I mean, did they forget about what the purpose of a forum (hint: it is reading the content!) is in the first place?!!

 

[anotheralias]

Exactly. It is just horrendously horrible. I can not even begin to grasp why an admin wants to allow such a thing to happen on his/her site. I mean, did they forget about what the purpose of a forum (hint: it is reading the content!) is in the first place?!!

The only reason I allow them is the aforementioned Mod. I always disable them on other forums after the first couple days. And recently, on a forum with a strict spoiler policy otherwise, all the damn sigs spoiled me for a major turn of events on the show, so I think from here on they'll just be disabled from the get-go.

 

[Dean]

Getting rid of or altering a sig is far less friendly than never allowing them, imho. At least on our site.

I keep asking, is it worth the grief? And for me, I don't think it is.

Hey we got new xf software!!! No, there are no sigs, sorry.

 

[Kim]

The ones on my site are fine, no one has ever abused it, but some of my customers' sites.. HOLY SCHMOLY I have no idea how they can stand it... 800px or more high blinkie fairies or 400 different blinkies for this and that... arghghgghghghgghghghghgh sometimes when I am installing skins on some of these chick sites, I have to wear sunnies!

 

[Anthony Parsons]

I just like the option for turning them off... it has that.

I actually respect that some forums they are an absolute. Forums for kids... they love to see things moving, colours, etc. Teenagers like to personalise their posts with a signature. So any teen admin running a forum I could see it having use. As Grover mentioned for those who sell advertising space within their sites, ie. sell subscription upgrades for signature use.

Like you abomination... I also don't use them, but I think they still have a much needed place for saleability of the software.

 

[Forsaken]

I just like the option for turning them off... it has that.

I actually respect that some forums they are an absolute. Forums for kids... they love to see things moving, colours, etc. Teenagers like to personalise their posts with a signature. So any teen admin running a forum I could see it having use. As Grover mentioned for those who sell advertising space within their sites, ie. sell subscription upgrades for signature use.

Like you abomination... I also don't use them, but I think they still have a much needed place for saleability of the software.

Most of my sites target either teenagers, or people in the mid-twenties. A lot of the users are graphically inclined (Inclined, not experienced ), but they've learned to keep things to a minimum.

Some of my users, knowing my stance on over the top signatures that result in a bad browsing experience, have actually designed signatures to their taste/style, but make them fit the style of the site. 

 

[Floris]

If vBulletin didn't start it who made signatures the new norm?

In 1993 when I was making some basic web apps for customers, including guest books and what not. There was already a single line of 50 characters signature they could include.

I am sure I wasn't the first.

 

[Spenser]

You have peaked my curiosity. Any examples?

Most things that have to do with some "$fancy_buzzword integration". I don't have any clue how things like twitter, facebook and such will go on, but right now about 98 % of twitter (exact value may be discussed) is all waste. I think there will be basic changes in the things we call "web 2.0" that can't be foreseen right now.

 

[Jethro]

Exactly, that's why I hate the crap out of them. You end up doing the forum version of Where's Waldo - hunting down the one-sentence post amidst all the color-fonted, animated swooping dancing text and images.

I have mine in a collapse box, thanks to a Mod that someone kindly made for me a long while back.

You can switch em on or off at a member level in IPS, some sites I have them switched off (animated bling) other sites am not overly worried.

 

[anotheralias]

That's pretty cool, but to be honest, I'd still just switch them all off.

 

[Carlos]

Because vBulletin implemented them and everyone thought it's the new norm.

No, because signatures add a new dimension. Especially with images.

 

[Sador]

I like them because you can add something personal to your posts, in my case, usually a quote of some kind. On this board I use an image because I liked the whole group feeling I got when this was created. Sadly, some people are already complaining about these kind of things, which kinda ruins it.

 

[RickM]

Sigs are a great feature. Take a look at some of the uses they have been put to here on XF.

• Promotes your own sites
• Provides more interesting content to read
• Allows you you easily automate your message sign-off

 

[Forsaken]

Sigs are a great feature. Take a look at some of the uses they have been put to here on XF.

• Promotes your own sites
• Provides more interesting content to read
• Allows you you easily automate your message sign-off

Playing pranks on unsuspecting people (Floris).

 

[gordy]

Just thank your lucky stars there's not audio sigs, or the ghastly midi tunes of the 90's

 

[Forsaken]

Just thank your lucky stars there's not audio sigs, or the ghastly midi tunes of the 90's

I was on a site that had those, as well as flash avatars.

So much abuse . 

 

[Dean]

Sigs are a great feature. Take a look at some of the uses they have been put to here on XF.

• Promotes your own sites

Exactly. With regards to my own forum, why should people be able to advertise their own sites? Key words are 'my own forum'.

 

[Floris]

I am considering turning them of 100% for my community.

 

[pk698]

I like sigs and don't mind them. sometimes, people want to share stuff in their sig and they should be allowed that. you can establish rules and guidelines to make sure people stay in line. an option should be allowed for members to hide/reveal other's sigs, but I wouldn't be strong-handed and turn it off completely. giving people options in your forums might make you look less like a...... tyrant? if that's the proper word..

 

[Shamil]

Signatures are a wierd thing. They aren't signatures, as such any more, but can be a place for marketing. I think, they are both useful and useless, depends on what you use them for

What I despise though, are extra-long signatures, like I've seen on TheStudentRoom for example. Having videos and large images is just a no-no.