Invisible Gravatars ­ Weblog Articles ­ The Bombsite

What amuses me is that I just changed mine a few days ago. The site was up then but I never got the rating e-mail one usually gets.

Ahh well, it seems to have been fitful at best.

It’s had it’s up and downs which, combined with the current problem, has forced my decision.

I wasn’t to really hip on the gravatar craze, I’ve tried to install it several times, but never had any luck. When I decided to install Gemini Colored theme by Geeksmakemehot(originally by Root) which had the gravatar actually installed I was ready to go then, but shorty after the site went down.

Just noticed that the gravatar icons are not working on some of my other blog reads. Thanks for the heads up Stuart. I shall wait to see what happens.

Agree on the whole anti-gravatar third-party site business. I really want my site to remain inclusive and not to depend on other sites for something to work.

The one at the moment that’s driving me up the wall is Audioscrobbler. I hope someone just tanks the servers cuz the whole thing is just abhorrent. I’ve signed up, and I got all excited but what I want is plugins that do all these fancy features but within the host environment. If I want to list MP3s I listen to, let it access my Winamp and call directly to my host via the plugin and not depend on the downtime of other sites.

Same with gravatars. I remember when they first started and everyone was jumping on the bandwagon: “you gotta have one! Gotta catch em all” and all that jazz. Another one I got suckered into, and another one that basically stinks. The idea is very sound, a global avatar, but it’s still dependent on THEIR servers. Now if something similar, like, er, avatars could be set up in TXP where a user can upload their choice of img with your approval it would be 1) faster and 2) more likely to work 3) you’re in control.

I remember a similar instance of a site that was saved thanks to someone else buying the domain after the owner forgot to renew it.

Why do grandmothers talk so deafeningly loudly?

I think it’s because they have their hearing aids switched off. I noticed that Gravatar was back up but I’m not putting them back in. I would think your idea for having avatars within TXP is perfectly feasible. I have them in my forum after all. It would probably need an extra table adding to the database but that’s not a problem. I think that would be better than simple image uploads.

Well here’s another thought – once it connects to Gravatar, you get the option to cache the image locally, if it’s the same image. I;m not sure if the images are hashed in a specific way which would make this difficult to do though.

Gonna make a request for a plugin :)

Good luck with it. I think people are steering clear of new plug-ins at the moment because everything is changing too fast.

yeah i mean it was 502 a few days ago for me, and we’re already 55 revision past that…pretty hard to keep up with. I think Rob some very important and valid points, it’s a shame that few others see it like. Does nothing for TXP’s rep

_“I remember a similar instance of a site that was saved thanks to someone else buying the domain after the owner forgot to renew it.
... I noticed that Gravatar was back up”_
That’s pretty much what happened. Alan Bell very kindly renewed the gravatar domain and it’s business as usual.

The nice thing about gravatars is that it makes it easy for people to scan comments by providing an immediately recognisable visual identifier. The ease of setting up and the hassle free use is what makes it particularly appealing.

It’s a shame if this minor incident puts people off using them as, IMO, they’re a fantastic usability and community aid.

Hi Phu. Yes I read that somewhere, may have been your site, can’t remember. I’m having second thoughts about bringing them back but if I do it will be part of a bit of minor redesigning. I’m fed up of people complaining about my choice of font for my comments.

Ok then, they are back with a bit more style methinks.

As for your new one Jess, I had a feeling you might pick one of those naughty photos.

It’s not naughty! XD I like the new look with the boxes.

I thank you. I like the colour. Might change the shades all over when I’m in the mood. And yes it is. :P

It isn’t! Hey, did I ever tell you I thought the permalink icon was a running man on fire for the longest time? Hah!

I look forward to seeing the new scheme then. :)

I thought it was a shopping trolley.

hmm i thought it WAS a man on fire – so it’s not? What is it then?

It’s someone pressing their finger on the word “link”!! I’m going to have to find something else now aren’t I? I’m going to be dreaming of people running round with their hair on fire pushing shopping trolleys. Bugger bugger bugger.

people running around with their hair one fire pushing shopping trolleys screaming “Bugger, bugger, bugger” – you all right Stu? :)

I was. I think.

Haha, that would be an excellent dream.

You know, Stuart, the link graphic is kind of an optical illusion. And I can clearly see the finger and the link now that you point it out.

This site has some nice icons if you’re interested.

Graphic Push Icon Sets

_“You know, Stuart, the link graphic is kind of an optical illusion.”_
Hmmm, now I’m disappointed; I can only see the boring finger on link image.

What do I have to do before I can see this “person running round with their hair on fire pushing shopping trolleys” picture? :)

Drink lots and lots of tea.

I’m not sure if I should drink the kind of tea that you guys are drinking

Ha ha. I’m not sure I should. I actually think that I should simply enlarge the graphic a little. If you can read the word link better it would all become very clear. Now another cuppa might be in order.