Silk Road forums

Discussion => Off topic => Topic started by: dew72 on September 08, 2012, 12:02 am

Title: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: dew72 on September 08, 2012, 12:02 am
is there some pool these are coming from?  sorry if this is a stupid question, just something i have been wondering for a while
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: LouisCyphre on September 08, 2012, 12:27 am
is there some pool these are coming from?  sorry if this is a stupid question, just something i have been wondering for a while

Because they're bundled with the forum software.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Hungry ghost on September 08, 2012, 10:07 am
It's weird because even though I know they are just stock avatars they still subconsciously influence the way I feel about the member.
I a) often think its the same person as someone else using avatar

and b)  subconsciously associaste the member with the characteristics of the avatar.  So if it's Bob Marley I think mellow stoner, Kurt Cobain I think moody and self destructive.

I guess it's not totally without foundation as they haverr chosen three image from a list they think best represents them.
     
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: ianfleming on September 08, 2012, 11:39 am
Yeah they're basic generic forum avatars, you just pick one.

I always assume that the davidspade avater belongs to someone like moonbear.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: jameslink2 on September 08, 2012, 02:40 pm
It's weird because even though I know they are just stock avatars they still subconsciously influence the way I feel about the member.
I a) often think its the same person as someone else using avatar

and b)  subconsciously associaste the member with the characteristics of the avatar.  So if it's Bob Marley I think mellow stoner, Kurt Cobain I think moody and self destructive.

I guess it's not totally without foundation as they haverr chosen three image from a list they think best represents them.
   

LOL, So I am ether the green dot or a fungus growing on agar. Hmmm, Maybe I am the magic fungus that everyone loves  ;D

To the OP, you can select from the profile page and there is a basic list that comes with the forum. However, you can upload your own and make your av what ever you want. I find it interesting that so many simply choose from the list and do no upload one of their own.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: LouisCyphre on September 09, 2012, 12:11 am
It's weird because even though I know they are just stock avatars they still subconsciously influence the way I feel about the member.
I a) often think its the same person as someone else using avatar

and b)  subconsciously associaste the member with the characteristics of the avatar.  So if it's Bob Marley I think mellow stoner, Kurt Cobain I think moody and self destructive.

I guess it's not totally without foundation as they haverr chosen three image from a list they think best represents them.

I can understand that and it makes me worry about the people who chose the Bruce Willis pic from The Jackal.  Great film, but really!
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Christy Nugs on September 09, 2012, 04:57 pm
The real truth is we are all too stoned and lazy to find a good one!!  :P
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Thunderweed on September 10, 2012, 01:08 am
It's weird because even though I know they are just stock avatars they still subconsciously influence the way I feel about the member.
I a) often think its the same person as someone else using avatar

and b)  subconsciously associaste the member with the characteristics of the avatar.  So if it's Bob Marley I think mellow stoner, Kurt Cobain I think moody and self destructive.

I guess it's not totally without foundation as they haverr chosen three image from a list they think best represents them.

I can understand that and it makes me worry about the people who chose the Bruce Willis pic from The Jackal.  Great film, but really!

willis just looks fuckin hilarious in that pic
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: pine on September 10, 2012, 04:23 am
It's weird because even though I know they are just stock avatars they still subconsciously influence the way I feel about the member.
I a) often think its the same person as someone else using avatar

and b)  subconsciously associaste the member with the characteristics of the avatar.  So if it's Bob Marley I think mellow stoner, Kurt Cobain I think moody and self destructive.

I guess it's not totally without foundation as they haverr chosen three image from a list they think best represents them.
   

I think there's a space for a whitepaper on the entire subject :D

LOL, So I am ether the green dot or a fungus growing on agar. Hmmm, Maybe I am the magic fungus that everyone loves  ;D

To the OP, you can select from the profile page and there is a basic list that comes with the forum. However, you can upload your own and make your av what ever you want. I find it interesting that so many simply choose from the list and do no upload one of their own.

To be honest James, I thought it was a nice green Apple with a bite taken out of it, I'm confused now!
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: jameslink2 on September 10, 2012, 10:24 pm
LOL, So I am ether the green dot or a fungus growing on agar. Hmmm, Maybe I am the magic fungus that everyone loves  ;D

To the OP, you can select from the profile page and there is a basic list that comes with the forum. However, you can upload your own and make your av what ever you want. I find it interesting that so many simply choose from the list and do no upload one of their own.

To be honest James, I thought it was a nice green Apple with a bite taken out of it, I'm confused now!

LOL, ok, it is agar in a petri dish with Blue Meanie (Ps. Cubensis/magic mushroom) mycilia growing on it. But I can see how it looks like a green apple with a bite taken out of it.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: gestaltassault on September 11, 2012, 01:14 am
i uploaded mine as a nod to the Dread Pirate Roberts  ;)
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Christy Nugs on September 12, 2012, 02:47 am
i uploaded mine as a nod to the Dread Pirate Roberts  ;)

lol dude lose the mu-stash - cut the hair - add black rimmed glasses and a couple pimples and ur almost there!!!

:P SR
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Joey Terrifying on September 12, 2012, 07:46 pm
is it safe to upload an avatar from your home computer?  i figured it might be some kind of security breach, no?
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: TheAbsurd on September 12, 2012, 09:14 pm
For a while I thought everyone was into Kurt Cobain.

is it safe to upload an avatar from your home computer?  i figured it might be some kind of security breach, no?
I believe it's fine unless it's an image that you took/made, in which case you'd want to strip the meta data.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: pine on September 13, 2012, 06:43 am
is it safe to upload an avatar from your home computer?  i figured it might be some kind of security breach, no?

There are two potential issues.

1. Images can contain metadata called EXIF data. Images taken with smartphones even contain geographical coordinates (fucking Apple developers, blithering idiots).

If you google for EXIF stripper or JPEG meta data stripper or anything like that, you'll find a bunch of software that can contain this metadata information.

2. If you are a vendor, you should be aware that digital cameras may leave unique watermarks or other unique artifacts inside an image itself. I believe this may be the subject of ongoing research. I would expect just as an example, that LE research into tracking down child pornographers exists that can identify two different images as having been taken with the same camera even if the metadata is all gone, possibly even be able to identify a camera uniquely. Point is, better safe than sorry, obtain a cheap camera for product snaps with cash, cameras are pretty cheap these days, so having just one exclusively for your vendor account seems pretty reasonable to me.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: mito on September 13, 2012, 12:09 pm
mine is the best avatar in SR.

period.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: BlueSkyTraders on September 13, 2012, 10:04 pm
We like to think ours promotes peaceful thoughts.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: mito on September 14, 2012, 02:58 pm
We like to think ours promotes peaceful thoughts.

Where's Lucy in your avatar?

I see no diamonds either........
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Ahoyhoy on September 14, 2012, 07:00 pm
mine is the best avatar in SR.

period.


Oh contraire....
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Joey Terrifying on September 15, 2012, 01:43 am
is it safe to upload an avatar from your home computer?  i figured it might be some kind of security breach, no?

There are two potential issues.

1. Images can contain metadata called EXIF data. Images taken with smartphones even contain geographical coordinates (fucking Apple developers, blithering idiots).

If you google for EXIF stripper or JPEG meta data stripper or anything like that, you'll find a bunch of software that can contain this metadata information.

2. If you are a vendor, you should be aware that digital cameras may leave unique watermarks or other unique artifacts inside an image itself. I believe this may be the subject of ongoing research. I would expect just as an example, that LE research into tracking down child pornographers exists that can identify two different images as having been taken with the same camera even if the metadata is all gone, possibly even be able to identify a camera uniquely. Point is, better safe than sorry, obtain a cheap camera for product snaps with cash, cameras are pretty cheap these days, so having just one exclusively for your vendor account seems pretty reasonable to me.

thanks very much, pine, for the reply.  its something i've been concerned about for a while.  i uploaded an avatar for my original screen name on these forums, but then had some paranoid moment where i thought that maybe there would be a record of where the image was uploaded from, or the name of my hard drive or something.  this is not the case tho?

if its safe to upload, you all are gonna hate my avatar, i'm sure!  lulz....
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: ZenAndTheArt on September 15, 2012, 10:29 am
mine is the best avatar in SR.

period.


Oh contraire....

I'll second that Ahoyhoy!

Name + Avatar = Perfect Match + Hilarious

 8)
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: Ahoyhoy on September 16, 2012, 11:18 am
mine is the best avatar in SR.

period.


Oh contraire....

I'll second that Ahoyhoy!

Name + Avatar = Perfect Match + Hilarious

 8)


+1 kind sir. Blessed as you are with exquisite taste.
Title: Re: why do so many SR users have the same avatars?
Post by: BlueSkyTraders on October 15, 2012, 02:11 am
We like to think ours promotes peaceful thoughts.

Where's Lucy in your avatar?

I see no diamonds either........

uh...a mind unaided by chemical stimulation, only the picture of a deep blue sky, generating peaceful thoughts....