Edited. Name and Avatar Policy

[drew]

Just a reminder that we are not an anonymous forum community. We are a professional photography community.

As such, it has been, and will continue to be the policy that we use our real names in our profile.

Please make sure that your display name is in line with our clarified policy.

Your Display name should be your real full name (first and last)

Alternately, you may use one of the following. When choosing one of these options you must include your real full name (first and last) in your signature line and your signature must appear at the bottom of all of your posts.
a) Your company name
b) Some easily identifiable portion of your real name
c) Your real nickname

How to edit your signature: login, click on the "user cp" link in the top right of the screen, then click on the very first option on the left, "edit signature."
How to edit your display name:Email me or pm me your edited display name and I will change it for you. Email to: drew@prophotohome.com

Clarified Avatar Policy:

The logical continuation of this policy is that all avatars should also be your photograph. The avatar is meant to help people get to know one another, not to show off your latest graphic design. Although, I must admit that some of them are quite cool. Please be as creative as you want in your signature line. Put your cool avatar that you use on all the other forums in this space. There is a lot more room to express yourself there anyway.

In this forum, the avatar should reflect some recognizable semblance of a headshot of you. If you want to Photoshop out wrinkles, put a cool glow on it, etc., that is fine.

If you would prefer not to post a headshot you certainly do not have to do so.

After September 1st, 2006 the moderators and I will edit any profiles not following these policies. We will not provide individual members any advance notice of these changes.

How to upload an "avatar":

You can upload an "avatar" to your profile in your "user cp" section.

Simply click on the "edit avatar" tab in your "user cp" and then upload your avatar (80x80 max pixels, may be smaller) (.gif, .jpg, .png accepted)

Browse to your head shot image and upload it.

Thanks,
Drew

[DougAxford]

Drew,

I just read your post on the use of real names for forum users. My person opinion is that there should be no use of nicknames or company names except after the real name is printed. I believe the change to real names in Rob's old forum helped keep things more personal and civil. I see more & more posts recently that are not using real names and I am disappointed. Why do people want to hide???

Just my opinion. What do others think???

DougAxford

[drew]

Hi Doug,

Please let me know when you see people posting that don't meet the guidelines. All you have to do is click the little lightning bolt to automaticallhy report a post. It will then be easy for me to check and make any adjustments.

I need to go through and take inventory. After the import some of the old avatars got resurrected. In addition, some new members that have signed up are not aware of the name and avatar policy. I have had a lot of other pressing matters, but do plan to continue to enforce the policy.

The wedding forum that was integrated did not have this rule, although most have used their real names anyway. I will need to send out an email about the policy to them.

As far as the nickname. A "real" nickname to me is one that everyone knows you by. Not a made up one just to be anonymous on a forum. For example, Jonathan Dynes may go by JD. Andrew might prefer Andy, Melissa might prefer missy, etc. The full name must be in the profile along with the nickname.

As far as using a company name. I think it is reasonable to use your company name, especially if you are going to be answering questions about your products on a regular basis. Then it will be obvious that you are representing your company. Of course, you would also need to use the (Vendor Recommendation) label if you are recommending a product you are associated with. When using a company name please post your real full name in your profile.

[DougAxford]

Thanks Drew,

I think your reply is fair and workable for all.

I'll work on getting my mug posted - I'm not sure that it would scare people away, but ........

Doug

[drew]

I'm sure your photo is fine. Lots of other folks have taken the plunge.

[AndrewCassino]

Originally Posted by drew

Please let me know when you see people posting that don't meet the guidelines. All you have to do is click the little lightning bolt to automaticallhy report a post. It will then be easy for me to check and make any adjustments.

Drew,

I've reported several posts this way and don't see any changes happening as a result. Are you receiving these reports, or am I just drinking too much coffee and expecting corrections to happen too quickly?

It seems like every day there are new members signing up with clever names that are not in compliance with the policy, seems like there could be a stronger statement made to new members up front so that they sign up using their real names and all this correction need not take place!

Andrew

[drew]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for reporting. I have not been receiving the emails. I will check the settings.

Until I get it figured out a link in a pm will probably be the easiest way to go.

Kind of embroiled in the wiki these days. Will try to go through some of the new names.

I have tried to make this clearer in the hopes that "an ounce of prevention is worth...not having to welcome folks by changing their cutesy names."

If you logout, click the register button you will see that a while back I added in bold a policy about usernames in the agreement. Then when you get to the next page I put it in bold above the username field.

I will send out a reminder in the next global email announcing the wiki that will hopefully go out within the next week. After that I will try to do an inventory.

Not sure what else to do other than edit the new folks as we see them. I think most want to play well, they are just used to all of the other forums.

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