[DigitalD]

Thanks to the wonder that is 'The Internet', we bring you a new era in signature size rules. And more importantly, a new era of signature size rule enforcement.

The Rules

1. No signature can be over 500 pixels wide by 150 pixels tall. That's 500x150. This is INCLUSIVE of any text you have in your signature!

2. The cumulative filesize of all the images in your signature must not exceed 80 kb's.

3. Similarly, avatars must not exceed 80kb.
- see update below.

How are they to be enforced?

• The 'Edit Signature' page in your control panel shows a green box around your sig. This box will display red lines if your signature is breaking the 500x150 limit. If the box is all green, that means you're ok. If it shows red however, then your sig IS breaking the limit, and no amount of crying and complaining will change that fact. Remember, If you see red, it's too big. If you don't change it, your signature rights will be revoked until you DO change it. If you persist in making oversized signatures, your account will be suspended.

•The server will now check the filesize of all the images in your sig. If the total filesize of your signature exceeds the 80kb limit, the server will refuse to save it. If an image appears twice, it's filesize is only counted once.
Sadly, this is not foolproof. Nor is it idiot proof. You could overwrite the image on your host to get around the filesize checker, or you could use an image rotator to 'confuse' the script. If you did something like that, then we'd have to give you one of those oh so terrible temporary bans. We're not saying rotators are illegal, we're saying you have to check the file sizes yourself.

•The server will now check how many images are in your signature. If there is more than 10 seperate images in your sig, your changes will not be saved. If an image appears twice, it is only counted once.

What if I break the rules?

•If your signature is over the limit, and we see it, your signature will be disabled. Once you have fixed your signature, make a post in this topic and ask a staff member to check your signature. If it's ok, we'll re-enable it. If you continually make oversized signatures we can only assume you're doing so to annoy us and you will be suspended. Continue it and you will be banned. Forever.

Anything else?

•All old signature rules are out the window. That means people like Moto will no longer have the privelege of wearing 150kb signature images. Official gangs will no longer have 20 pixels over everyone else either, the only official gang perks now are the Group Images. Sorry, but these are the new rules, and they must apply to everyone. Exceptions create confusion.
•We can now disable your signature whenever we want. If you're being an ass, don't be surprised if your signature rights are revoked.
•ADDENDUM (8th Jan 2005): Sexual imagery is banned in signatures and avatars. Women or men in signatures is no problem, including bikinis, hotpants, the usual glamour modelling outfits, and all the other stuff we see in the everyday media. However sexually suggestive images, even if they don't technically contain nudity, are not considered appropriate for this forum.

Avatars

[Prodded 6th Oct 2006]

• Your avatar is the square image that appears under your username next to each post.
• The maximum size of an avatar is 64×64 pixels. Exceptions are some pre-installed avatars, which measure 80×80 pixels.
• The rules regarding signature content also apply to avatars.
• Maximum filesize is 80kb. Please note this is the maximum, not the target. You are recommended to keep avatar filesizes below 20kb. Use whatever filesize you like. Just don't expect anyone on 56k to see it if it's huge. And don't cry to us when your server's bandwith is raped.

In Summation

We're hoping that these new rules will finally spell the end for the Sig Size headaches we staff get everyday. It seems to us that forum members simply refuse to adhere to our very simple requests. We'd rather not have to hack iPb to pieces just to get some idiots to listen to us, but it looks like there's no other way. We also hope that everyone will be happy with these new rules. The general sig area is not bigger than usual, and you can fill it with as much text and images as you can, as long as they're within the (rather lenient, if you ask me) rules.

Remember, these rules are for the good of the forums. If you don't like our rules, you are more than welcome to leave.

These rules will come into effect immediately.



Edits:
1: Changed 'post' to 'topic'.
2: Added rule to protect against sexual content of signatures and avatars.
3: Changed 'topic' to 'post'.
4: Removed all occurences of "star", seeing as the warning stars were removed.
5: Sexual content rules added.
6: Avatar section added 10/09/05.

[Lazlowrocks.]

Erm, I don't see any green lines or red lines in my 'Edit Signature'

[cice]

nice. This should stop the confusion that members have with the sig rules.

[Jay]

Harsh but fair. Looks like mine is over, I think. But better be safe than sorry. Will there be an amnesty period, or will you be warning right away?

[Cerbera]

Stuck with the dimensions Ill and I came up with, then?

Great to see the staff working hard to solve these age-old problems now. The technology for the sig area sounds excellent, it was the difficulty of checking the overall pixel size of your signature area which stopped the rules Ill and I made from being adhered to. I think having to take a screenshot of the browser, paste it into MSPaint, crop it down to just your signature area, then measure it was a bit much to ask!

(EDIT) Just had a look at the edit signature area for the 2k4lite skin and I didn't notice the fancy gubbins? Any chance of sticking a couple of thumbnailed screenshots into the rules to show what it looks like when the sig fits and when it doesn't?

This post has been edited by Cerbera on Tuesday, Jun 22 2004, 11:51

[Azkoyen]

Seems fine to me dude, maybe there was a timing problem with the posting of this topic and the actual installation of the changes?

[Doody the Clown]

Love the new limits. The green/red box thing makes it really easy to see if you're over the limit or not.

The downtime was worth it, in my opinion.

Now just up the avatar to 100x100

[Mark]

aha is that what you've been up to? Fair dos. Linked it into me sig to warn others who don't look about that often, seems like a good idea

[Demarest]

QUOTE (Jayzamann @ Jun 22 2004, 06:42)

Harsh but fair.

Harsh??? Are you kidding? It's almost twice the size as before and a quarter of the confusion.

[Doody the Clown]

Sig looks a bit awkward, since I'm not using to seeing big sig here, eh?

[meth.]

Nice work fellas. This will make things much easier on newer members and I imagine on yourselves also. The Network will probably be mucho busy from now too.

[Demarest]

I agree, Doody.

@lazlow: Yours is all green.

[Opius]

This is f*cking mad. Was there much coding behind that size checker dealy?
Anyway, I like it. Well done.

That is all.

[Doody the Clown]

The script should not let the sig be updated if it breaks the rules, or does that already happen? It should, since that would basically shatter all need for a written signature policy...

The new system makes it seem possible, however.

[Azkoyen]

Fred did some tests where JavaScript is used to measure the sig the box is in, and it seems to work ok. At the moment, that's not in there, but there's a good possibility it will go in.

The sig won't save if the images that you put in there are too big, or if you break the character limit (dunno what that is). As Digi said, it's not fool proof...

Opius, yes a lot of work went into it

[Demarest]

QUOTE (Doody The Clown @ Jun 22 2004, 08:52)

that would basically shatter all need for a written signature policy...

Except as stated, there ARE ways around it. The rules make for a nice measuring stick

[Doody the Clown]

I'd just like to state that without this new rule, my kick-ass signature (compressed to under 80 KB thanks to Dup <3) would not exist.

[DexX]

QUOTE

We'd rather not have to hack iPb to pieces just to get some idiots to listen to us, but it looks like there's no other way.

I'm not sure i understand what the problem was.
Being an idiot = star
Too many stars = bannage. Simple. i swear the authorities here are afraid to use it...

Anyway, the new sig rules are nice. it is less confusing and alot cleaner.

[Refluxe]

Interesting. I have got to say that's a great addition and really clever how it works. Nice work!

[Demarest]

QUOTE (ashdexx @ Jun 22 2004, 09:39)

i swear the authorities here are afraid to use it...

Not at all. Hence the perpetual moans you hear as you scroll down the main page to where Network can be found

@Doody: Nice animated sig