Avatars are now enabled for almost all members. Any member in good standing with at least 5 posts can now add an avatar to their account.
In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click User CP, then click "Edit Avatar" in the sidebar on the left. You can then enter a URL or upload an image from your computer. Images larger than 160x160 will be automatically resized.
I also changed the post layout to put the handle, avatar, and other info on the left instead of on top. This is a test to see how people like it, so give yourself a little time to get used to it.
If you see anyone asking about avatars, please refer them to this thread.
Please consider this a test/trial of this feature. If avatars work out well and they seem to improve the quality and cohesiveness of this community, we'll obviously keep using them. If they end up being abused and the moderation burden becomes unreasonably high (people posting image ads, porn pics, etc), then we'll simply disable them and return to avatar-free forums.
You don't have to use a real pic of yourself, but I highly recommend that you do if possible. It will help people connect with you, and a real pic is probably more likely to be taken seriously when people reply to you than a cartoon or celeb image.
So please choose your avatar consciously.
