Big signatures

[silentorpheus]

I'm having a hard time seeing why this is turning into a problem and being received so negatively. No one is suggesting any sort of censorship, or suggesting that signatures be eliminated or done away with - no one with any position of authority, that is.

The OP, a mod, on behalf of the mod team, simply asked that those with signatures that are overly long or make use of excessively large fonts consider taking a slightly more minimal approach. Not get rid of them, not change the content, just dial it back a little.

I'm respectfully asking anyone with a large/long signature to scale it down.

Thanks for understanding,
-Jeremy

There was no edict or command, just a friendly request. They even went as far as to ask nicely and respectfully, and offer a few reasons why the request might have been made - though to be honest, the reasoning behind the request is largely immaterial.

I find the overwhelming response tone of "why do I have to change what I'm doing?" and "If they don't like it, they can just turn them off" to be curiously and surprisingly selfish and self centered. It's akin to someone coming over to your campfire after hours when you're being a little on the loud side, and politely asking if you wouldn't mind keeping it down slightly - and responding "If we're too loud for you, why don't you just wear ear plugs" ...

[AScott]

I'm having a hard time seeing why this is turning into a problem and being received so negatively. No one is suggesting any sort of censorship, or suggesting that signatures be eliminated or done away with - no one with any position of authority, that is.

The OP, a mod, on behalf of the mod team, simply asked that those with signatures that are overly long or make use of excessively large fonts consider taking a slightly more minimal approach. Not get rid of them, not change the content, just dial it back a little.



There was no edict or command, just a friendly request. They even went as far as to ask nicely and respectfully, and offer a few reasons why the request might have been made - though to be honest, the reasoning behind the request is largely immaterial.

I find the overwhelming response tone of "why do I have to change what I'm doing?" and "If they don't like it, they can just turn them off" to be curiously and surprisingly selfish and self centered. It's akin to someone coming over to your campfire after hours when you're being a little on the loud side, and politely asking if you wouldn't mind keeping it down slightly - and responding "If we're too loud for you, why don't you just wear ear plugs" ...

You put it far more eloquently than I was going to put it. Thanks for posting that.

[sargevining]

Here's the thing.

This was presented as being a service to the vision impaired. I have reduced the font size of my sig as the technical explanation for that seemed logical.

However, the moderators describe a volume of complaints about signatures that, if true, goes way beyond the number of complaints one could reasonably expect from members of the vision impaired community seeking to go camping in the woods using hammocks.

I am therefore left to deduce that, if the volume of complaints is as described, the persons making the complaints are not overly burdened with a concern for the vision impaired and are more interested in their own personal wants, wishes, agenda, or desires (making them rather selfish---at least as selfish as those who want to keep their sigs) and don't mind causing the moderators a lot of trouble to get their way.

I suggest that if a complaint about signatures is lodged, that the moderators politely inquire as to the legitimacy of the complaint vis a vis the use of screen readers and render any technical assistance required. I note that the You Tube video shows a GUI that allows the user to modify his on screen experience to suit his needs and, since the video was posted in 2009, I can assume that the technology involved has improved somewhat in the intervening 6 years. If that avenue is not completely successful, we also have the ability to turn signatures off for these users.

If, however, someone is just complaining about the size or color or number of links and thinks the world should cater to their personal artistic sensibilities, then the moderators should politely inform them that at HF we respect each other and if those signatures offend them due solely to their appearance, they should shut them off.

Now, if the response to that suggestion is something along the lines of "Well, I want to see SOME signatures, but not THOSE signatures" we can assume that perhaps their problem might possibly be with off site content and not the feng shui of the site (and is certainly a selfish desire regardless of the motivation), and I would suggest that HF and its moderators stay right away from becoming the internet content police force acting unwittingly on someone else's behalf to promote one agenda or squelch another.

[Jtupnsmoke]

I don't get this much entertainment with my $150/month cable subscription. This community can truly turn a molehill into a mountain. This isn't a big deal, just tone the giant signatures down a bit.

[SilvrSurfr]

You have a very active imagination, sargevining. You see conspiracies when us mere mortals see no evidence that they exist. If you stick to the facts as presented in this thread by the mods, it will ease your racing mind.

[BillyBob58]

A bit new but a simple observation: If your signature is considerably longer than your typical post you might want to rethink it...

Well I really have no idea if my sig is either:
1: too long
2: too big(i.e. font size)

or both. So I'm not sure if I need to decrease one of the above or both or neither. However, by your standards, I am home free! I know I am a long winded rascal, and I apologize for that, but on the bright side there is no way my sig- which is unchanged for maybe 7+ years- can compete with the length of my typical post!

[SilvrSurfr]

I know I am a long winded rascal, and I apologize for that, but on the bright side there is no way my sig- which is unchanged for maybe 7+ years_ can compete with the length of my typical post!

From one long-winded rascal to another, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about your sig being longer than one of your posts!

[silentorpheus]

Withdrawn.

[sargevining]

Well,

The posts in the similar threads section here are kind of interesting and give some insight as to the history of this situation.

[SilvrSurfr]

Well,

The posts in the similar threads section here are kind of interesting and give some insight as to the history of this situation.

That's hilarious! I actually went back and read those threads.