btw: its very lame to use a `security risk` as reason. i could have fucked up both pics i added to this topic.

having the img tag is no less of a hazard than an avatar, it's an even worse hazard since it can display any type of picture.

an avatar upload system can limit the filetypes.

@DarQ, I'm not using security risk as a reason. I simply replied to SKiLLa's remark

Actually I must admit that I'm quite happy with the current MRC forum -- no avatars, no signatures and a nice & neat lay-out. I wonder what will be left of it when avatars are implemented. Surely we'll find out, but I don't think that the layout will stay as clean as it is now.

@bart, perhaps i was referring to jorito and konamito?

DarQ, ever heard of vulnerabilities inside images? Not too long ago there was a security issue with JPEG I believe, and iirc you could do nasty stuff with a specially crafted image (which also would be possible with other image formats if you happen to find a nice buffer overflow or such). And arguing that there's no need for the server to touch those images at all is a bad idea, I wouldn't like somebody to upload their 8MB photo as an avatar without it being automatically rescaled and optimized

Having said that, it's just common sense! Never allow more things than is needed, the more you allow, the more you have to watch, and the bigger the chance somebody will mess with the opening you provided. Nothing lame there, just common sense (especially when you consider the past problems MRC had...).

Having said that, the rest of your argument is bull as well

yes i know about that, first hand.

but as i said, avatars are no less/more dangerous than the image tag used on every forum.

and now you say my arguement is bull... but i can kill your old IE brower with the image tag too.

you must be againt the image tag i guess

I'll admit I'm a bit against avatars as well. I've seen a few forums where the pages were more filled with annoying avatars and big banners in signatures than content. It'd be a shame to have that happen to MRC and mess up their clean layout

Jorito, it's possible to limit the sizes of the signatures (number of characters AND no picture) and of the avatars.

Forums with big signatures and big avatars are indeed not easy to visit and they are not always nice to see.

My avatar has a limited size.



I use as signature only 2 lines :

Benoît
blueMSX co-developer