Signatures

[Don McRitchie]

The following is notification of a change in signature permissions and a guide for signature usage. Up until now, I have never changed the default settings for signatures which allow for an unlimited number of lines and up to 500 characters (the size of a paragraph). Some are pushing the latter limit which can make threads difficult to read, particularly when they show up multiple times in the same thread. Quite frankly, it quickly becomes old to see the same text over and over again in the same thread no matter how witty the content.

In summary, there are two issues:

1. Long disruptive signatures;
2. Constant repetition within threads.

To deal with the first, I am changing the permissions to allow no more than two lines of text and no more than 125 characters for new signatures. If your existing signature exceeds this, please change it to meet the new rules or it will be deleted. To deal with the second, I would ask that you only use your signature once per thread, and certainly not more than once per thread page. I don't intend to police the latter rigorously, but repeated non conformance to this guideline will result in more restrictive changes.

[boputnam]

I am changing the permissions to allow no more than two lines of text and no more than 125 characters for new signatures. ... I would (also) ask that you only use your signature once per thread, and certainly not more than once per thread page.

Thanks. Great idea...

[spkrman57]

Will save bandwidth and read/scan time for us.

Regards, Ron

[boputnam]

To deal with the second, I would ask that you only use your signature once per thread, and certainly not more than once per thread page.

Hi, Don...

This latter request has resulted in at-least a few pm's to me.

Is there a Signatures option that can be selected to enable this? I admit cannot find it. Otherwise, this request would seem to require we go into our UserCP area and remove our Signature on follow-ups...

[Don McRitchie]

There is no way to set this up automatically that I know of. However, there is a check box just below the editing window used to compose new posts called "show your signature". Just uncheck it for follow up posts. I have been personally following this practice for a number of years (although I occaisionally forget). That's why I don't intend to make an issue of it unless it is repeatedly flaunted.

As an elaboration, the basic recommendation is one signature per thread. However, I consider it perfectly acceptable to use your signature more than once if you get into multipage threads that span long periods of time. Therefore, the more accurate recommendation would be to have no more than one signature per thread page.

Don

[boputnam]

There is no way to set this up automatically that I know of. However, there is a check box just below the editing window used to compose new posts called "show your signature". Just uncheck it for follow up posts.

Ah... Glad I asked - never noticed that before. Also, I see why - it is just below the main window display (on my screen). I'll use it going forward.

Also, been too focused on spelling... :dont-know

[Titanium Dome]

Bo has his signature three times on one page in this thread...

[boputnam]

Bo has his signature three times on one page in this thread...

Not since I learned it... Count again!

[Titanium Dome]

I'm glad I took a screen shot of it before you changed it.

I think I might have used a signature at one time, but discontinued it long ago. Now I'm glad I did. I'd hate to have to monitor one more aspect of my posting behavior.

[louped garouv]

can't an individual user set an option to display or not display other members' signatures?

[Zilch]

can't an individual user set an option to display or not display other members' signatures?

Yes, of course. It's in "Edit options" in User CP. You can disable signatures, avatars, and/or images, but not selectively.

Look, folks, if my signature was the problem, someone should simply have said so. And if that's the case, there's no reason to go through this. I don't care if I have a sig or not, and given that I'm now aware it's an issue, I'll certainly be more restrained about that in the future....

[Don McRitchie]

Nowhere did I ask anyone to go back and edit posts and no one is restricting the subject matter of signatures. Complying is a simple matter of clicking an option box on the same page where you compose the post. I actually encourage people to change their signatures regularly like your music recommendation example. This can still easily be done within 125 characters.

The problem occurs when two or three people get into a back and forth discussion and you see the same signature sentences a half dozen times on the same page. In some cases, the signatures are longer than the posts. It is disruptive.

[johnaec]

And how about using the Preview Post button also, or at least editing defective posts after posting.

John

[Don McRitchie]

How do I make the "BBC code" visible so I can simplify that when I downsize my sig ...?

I tried to drop my sig to a single line of text but its complaining that one line is too long and it must be "under 125 characters including BBC code" - I know it could not be over 125 characters of text, the single line version was probably under 75 chars.

The 125 character restriction applies to visible text only. You are allowed up 175 characters including BB code. If this is restrictive, I can expand it. However, I'm curious why you would need more than 50 characters of formating code. You can see the BB code by switching to the standard editor in your user CP.

[hjames]

Actually, I found it - in the right hand side of the edit area for your sig is the letter A and /a - it means code editting. The dumb default code may have a tone of junk load and unload - if you can follow html code you can clean it up but you may be on your own otherwise ...
Mine had a some colors turned on and off with no text between the tags, had a URL link and end code that didn't have text linked to it but were apparently still there from something I did a few months back. That made a lot of code that wasn't in use but still counted.
Basically, its like MS FrontPage - the default coding is pretty stupid.

I did get mine reduced - what shows now seems to be acceptable ...

But - a brief thought - I've been coding HTML and javascript for over 10 years - it may not be so intuitive for novices ...

Don,
Sorry, I see the ability to remove signature now, on a post a reply, the only way I figured it out b4 was to edit. Also like Heather has stated with BBC code issue. I have tried to add more to my sig. and it keeps rejecting it saying it to big including the BBC code.


Jeff
J/S-S1A