Image Poll Started

[farm41]

The image thing is sure to be a hot topic, most sites allow them, and several sites let images be overdone.

I personally do not care for large images on pages that I go to read. Even though I have dsl now. Things can get really bogged down, I don't want to sacrifice the quality of info at this site for an image rich showcase.

There are some sites that I used to visit regularly where people have avatars that are animated. Really turns me off.

I agree with the policy we currently have here, but have voted for an image gallery, conditionally. I would however want to change my vote if it causes bandwidth or server problems.

I am sure it would cost more to operate the server if room is made for gigabytes of images. Right know I am paying for image hosting, so I am sure it will cost Neil more.

 

[_BaDgUy_]

I feel that an image gallery would be great to show our prized dwarf cichlids!!

But for the forum, I think that a size limit would be best suitable for everyone.

Most people have cable or DSL, so they won't mind the larger images. But there are still alot of people out there that have a regular 56k connection to the web, and a 1.5 meg high resolution picture will slow them down big time! Most of the "old timers" know what I'm talking about, because we all went through the phone line modem, with myself actually starting out at the most high tech, high speed, blazing download, connection speed of 14.4k a fes years back!!!

Also, large images might cause an issue with the bandwith the server uses, and I sure don't want it to be pulled off line for the rest of the month, or have a long wait for the page to load because the bandwith is maxed out!!

David

 

[M0oN]

Most sites keep an image restriction under their forum area and require images in their photo gallery to be submitted and reviewed before being posted.

I don't see how using this method here could hurt anything and it would be a shame not to allow people to show off their tanks...I personally feel that seeing other people's tanks can be just as useful as reading posts in the forum for keeping healthy environments for your fish.

 

[cootwarm]

I think a photo gallery for members would be the best option.

It would probably be best if the images were submited via a form. Rules and/or instructions can communicated every time a photo gets posted. Also with a form, key details can be included with each photo to aid in various searches or sorts to allow users to browse a 'gallery'. This could satisfy 2 purposes:
- allow users to view a photo gallery with search & sort capabilities
- allow users to post a link to a photo in a message on the forum

I have 2 problems with the current set up.

1. Most photos end up being posted at temporary locations. So more often than not, when I click on a link on an old post it fails to find the photo because the link is no longer available. With a gallery, new users can still view photos that are related to old posts. Not to mention an extensive and continuously growing database of dwarf photos!

2. The usual problem of funds. :wink: Any extra $'s I get over the next 9 months will go towards landscaping my yard and buying more tanks and apistos! I was refered to a couple sites that were supposed to be free, but I found I was either required to provide some sort of personal info or felt like I was getting a run around. Perhaps if I would have stuck with it longer and jumped through all the hoops I would have gotten there eventually, but I ran out of patience before I got there. So I don't post photos.

I have a cable modem so I have no problem with high resolution photos. But I do dislike having to scroll back and forth and up and down to view the whole photo! :roll:

Anyhow, my vote is for the gallery.

Michael

 

[M0oN]

Well this is somewhat of a plug and the administrator's can feel free to remove this post if they see fit but I think it would be beneficial to mention it.

One of the sites I'm a moderator for offers completely free photograph hosting, in fact you can upload any file your heart desires and it will be placed under our server indefinately. In return all that we ask is that you register for the forum and/or vote for us at Aquarank.com

Sorry if this post offends any of the curator's of this site as I do not intend to leach members from this board in any way shape or form.

Visit http://www.fish-forum.com for more details, the link to upload files is displayed on the first page, left hand menu, under the Forum's link...

 

[mm12463]

I'm indifferent. I have my own server and domain and can host my own stuff. I guess I should be careful and watch my image size.

I voted for links. If people want to see the pictures they can follow the link. If they only wish to read it, they can. So I think I will change my habit to post links to the images.

I guess an image gallery would do that also. And provide a place for those people that don't have a host.

Plantgeek.net just started an image gallery a month or so back. Not a ton was really uploaded so far. I was surprised it has not be used a lot more.

I love reading everything and as soon as I get a few tanks the way I want I cannot wait to try a new dwarf. And the information here is invaluable. And that is the main reason I visit. But love seeing other peoples images.

 

[Leipo]

since I have cable I don't mind the bigger pictures, but I see at other forums that they use the "56k" warning if a topic contains a lot of pictures (they include 56K in the topic title).

also you could allow 1 or 2 pictures in one post and that the other pictures needs to be links <= just a thought

 

[Gary]

Some good ideas / thoughts / suggestions so far. They've given me some ideas that I hadn't considered or thought of myself.

Keep'em coming and we'll find a solution.


Gary

 

[MC1979]

Please excuse me for not reading all the previous posts above this one, it somewhat after midnight and I was just browsing and saw this thread.

My opinion is that the current system is superb. Many sites I visit take forever to load threads for various reasons. I like this forum so much more because it is optional to click on the picture. You can if you want to, and if you don't want to that is fine also.

A swift forum is a good forum and that is what this is. I have a reasonably fast adsl connection, many of my friends have dial-up and I realise how long it can take for even a 100kb picture to load.

My vote is keep it as it is, "if it ain't broke why fix it."

The bandwidth stealing issue is a real one and can be quite costly.

JMO

 

[Neil]

I am inclined to have links to pics in a seperate Gallery, because that allows full speed on text only posting, while still having archived pictures that are maintained over time.

Please keep votes and posts coming, so Gary can make an informed decision.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[tjudy]

Any way to put a timer of image posts so that they go away after a certain period of time... or become a link to an image?

 

[fishboy20]

I don't know if I can change a vote but I would like to change from allowing images on a page with size restrictions to having a link to a gallery. It doesn't makes sense to have people with slow connections go even slower and the people with road runner, etc. can easily load pics from another page. So only text in text areas and pics a members area.
Also it might not be a bad idea, since Neal has started working on listing all dwarf cichlid species, to list experiences we've had with individual species. Almost like what thekrib.com has going on with individual species listed. It might be a good idea to combine some of the info. and pics for the species on that site with the info. and pics we have on this site. That way we can look up a species and the page with that species pops up. Just an idea since we are heading in that direction from the looks of it.

 

[M0oN]

I don't know if I can change a vote but I would like to change from allowing images on a page with size restrictions to having a link to a gallery. It doesn't makes sense to have people with slow connections go even slower and the people with road runner, etc. can easily load pics from another page. So only text in text areas and pics a members area.
Also it might not be a bad idea, since Neal has started working on listing all dwarf cichlid species, to list experiences we've had with individual species. Almost like what thekrib.com has going on with individual species listed. It might be a good idea to combine some of the info. and pics for the species on that site with the info. and pics we have on this site. That way we can look up a species and the page with that species pops up. Just an idea since we are heading in that direction from the looks of it.

It does make sense, it's just not fair

I still think images should be allowed on the forum if kept under 50k in size and have a seperate photo gallery for people to show off their tanks etc.

 

[John7]

Images allowed but kept at 50k or less...

I still think images should be allowed on the forum if kept under 50k in size and have a seperate photo gallery for people to show off their tanks etc.

I agree with MOoN. I really enjoy seeing photos as I read the posts in the other forum I visit (Cichlid-Forum). They even have a separate forum for aquarium photography that is very cool. You can learn a lot from the various post and discussion on the posted photos.
John

 

[Zeco]

There is a hack for phpBB that limit both number of pics per post and size of pic (width X height in pixels). This could be useful in allowing pics without clogging the topics with heavy downloads. I just don't know if it will work in this version of phpBB.

We tried it in the Age of Aquariuns' board and it worked well.

Here is the hack: http://www.phpbbhacks.com/viewhack.php?id=1590

 

[ancientaquarist]

Not everyone even has access to broadband. R/O and ASG.

Hi, Everyone-I voted for the gallery and restricted size. Where I live in PIMA County, 300 yards from the Tucson City Line we have no broadband
access of any kind. In the city limits people can buy DSL from cox.cable
but in the county I would have to add satelite broadband from earthlink which is over $100./month. We don't get cable and I use Dish Network for
TV. Earthlink says it's only a matter or time but they've been saying that for three years. So I have 56K and the best connection I can achieve is
43,200 which makes downloading very time consuming. I definitely do not approve of people posting photos with 1 ine of text. For that reason I unsubscribed from the rhododendron@yahoo etc. and several other plant groups. If I want to see pretty pictures I'll gladly go to the gallery and
cultivate patience.

R/O installed and our excuse for water (someone called LA's 'liquid rock') is now pouring out of a faucet completely distilled (actually I find it quite flat to drink and prefer our liquid minerals). The new R/O water tests
0 for ammonia, carbonates, nitrites and nitrates however the Ph is
exactly 7.0-neutral. What should I do to acidify it for discus and dwarf cichlids-filter it through Canadian peat-and what am I aiming for? 4.5-5.5?

Finally I can't decide if I should join the ASG or the ACA. I can't afford
both. Advice please. I am unlikely to be able to attend conventions and have almost zero interestin African lacustrine cichlids-the Riff group, as I am a major plant and will be designing my 125-150 gallon tank as if it were a model for a landscape-I was a landscape designer and I always kept densely planted aquaria in the 50's and early 60s.

Now that I have an unlimited supply of R/O water (200 gallon tank) what else must I do?

Will I really need a CO2 injector considering my intended fish load? I am starting with the following fish once the tank has cycled
6 Carnegiella strigata or marthae
15 Rasbora heteromorpha
5 Bleeding Hart or Diamond Tetras
7 Cherry barbs
1 pr maronii
group of A. cockatuoides-color form
group of Blue Rams
1 pr Pelvicachromis pulcher
1 pr curviceps
5 adult discus-turquoise/red snakeskins
3 Corydoras aeneus or C. paleatus (albinos)
3 Otocinclus
1 flying fox
2 pr Honey gouramies
pr Colisa lalia
quintet of Trichogaster leeri
trio croaking gouramies
75 fishes-mostly quite small except for the discus, leeris, flying fox and
maroniis
H20 temperature 82F
several dozen plants
three or four rocky caves
several flat smooth river rocks
root system of bog wood
completely different stlye branch of driftwood

Can I plant as I fill the tank with water? Substrate -layer of laterite under
black gravel. I'd like to pain the back with brown crystal paint but can't
find any crystal paint-is this product gone for some arcane reason?? If I
can't find this I shall either use cork outside the back or create a double
raised bed of very large pieces of chocolate slate and plant up a storm at
the rear. I also have available a slate colored like a good English cup of tea before the milk goes in.

Finally, I just received my first copy of TFH Magazine and wish there weren't so much focus on marine aquaria.

So with all my questions and comments you've got your work cut out for you.

 

[Gary]

Thanks for the info and link Zeco, this might be a good solution. I'll have to look into upgrading the version of the forum and do some testing of the hack.

I'll be posting more information soon.

Thanks to all you voted and gave their input.

Gary

 

[snakeskinner]

for some reason I can't seem to vote on the poll but here's how I feel. Sometimes a photo is necessary in a post if you are trying to find out information concerning something that is hard to describe and you don't have a site you can put the pictures on for a link. I do however have a problem when you bring up a post that has half a dozen huge photos and takes an extra-long time to load. Restrictions on size and number would be nice as well as the gallery area. KYle

 

[laetacara1]

I am still on 56k (at least for now), so I certainly am compromised by large images posted directly. This has certainly made page loading take forever on other boards I know that allow direct image posting (where some members don't really pay attention to their image size). I'd like to see the existing forum rules continue, but would certainly welcome a gallery

 

[frankroc]

Just a quick comment: allow links to off sites would be nice. I find that pictures on a page is too long to download. I like this site here for its easy informative read and easy accessibility. Keep it simple they say.