How does anyone know a post has been approved or just been posted? There is no difference! Again, people are trying to make this about something it isn't.

Look at it this way:

Allow people to post in a public forum, without having it approved by a moderator first?! How can we possibly allow that? Someone might post a dirty word! Or offer a SWU where they aren't supposed to! The moderators will be overwhelmed! Civilization will break down! What if someone posts claiming to be someone else? WHAT IF SOMEONE POSTS A LINK TO A SITE WITH INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT?

JFC people! An avatar, like an inline image, is just content. We (i.e., the site community as a whole) deal with content every day and society hasn't collapsed. I seriously, seriously doubt there will be a rush to post naughty avatar photos. Certainly nothing beyond the occasional trolls, spammers, and hotheads we deal with every day anyway.

I really don't understand the freak-out some are having about this. You don't want to look at avatars? Fine. You have the option to disable them. So that leaves the other big objection: it's too much work. And I'm calling BS on that.

Good point

The link is http://forums.slickdeals.net/misc.php?do=showsmilies

Yes, those are better than the ones I posted.

Especially the one at the very bottom, which Jenbel will use a lot. ;)

What a cute sheep!!!

I'm sure that sheep smilie was listed on one of the earlier linked smilie lists as :fruit:...

I do note that inline images are only allowed in a few select forums.

Perhaps -not- having all the jumping/flashing animation and color is what helps keep FT focused on miles and points. It doesn't look like every other UBB in the world.

I have not noticed any difference in post quality between boards that have fancy smilies and those that don't. The ones with fancy smilies find me grinning more, that's all. And I think that has value. Helping readers be less grumpy could reduce the workload for moderators.

I'll go in favor of the avatars. I would not choose to upload one myself, but I would view them. I would really like to see the country flags. I think that's a GREAT idea!

I'm with CameraGuy on this one, including his use of ALL CAPS where appropriate.

Hmmmm - Sheep isn't convinced about the sheep one, he doesn't think it looks very Sheeply. But he loves the idea of having his own smilie... ;)

I can just imagine the bandwidth and storage requirements this would place on the owners of FT along with the ongoing moderation nightmare.

What's the upside again?

What nightmare?

I thought things got better when I left :confused:

:p

No avatars for me, just smilies, and not something that takes up the whole screen.

I say we commission the great talents in FT to come up with smilies that are unique to FT

I had a list somewhere, but what I can think of right now are

• Puke
• Beating a dead horse
• stop resuscitating old threas
• We already talked about that topic, and we are at it again, has a year passed already?
• The plane left without me
• Brunch sucked
• Stuck over the weekend
• The new program enhancement sucks
• Where is my upgrade
• I couldn't find an award (air)
• I couldn't find an award (hotel)
• Avoid this place
• You should visit this place
• Babies shouldn't fly first class
• Babies can fly anywhere they want
• I read your post and I don't understand a word you are saying
• you can't have it both ways
• I think this is the smartest post ever
• This is the dumbest post ever
• Stop or you will go blind
• You have way too much time in your hands
• Yes, I am stuck at an airport and I have way too much time in my hands

Just a suggestion ;)

Along the same lines, I think you also might need an iconic representation of this and this. :p;):p

Personally, I like the idea of a way to have someone's picture show up beside their post....I know it adds flavor to a poster once I have met them.... and a picture allows me to put some "personality" with the post.

However, I am not for the animated or non-picture type suggestions.

I like the limited smilies we have now. Just enough to throw one in to help people understand when you are just kidding around. I am against more of them and definitely against avatars. I think it clutters things visually and I think they are distracting (or maybe that's just me with the ADD).