Comments on: A small thing, but annoying.

Question: A small thing, but annoying.

longsleeves — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:23:52 -0800

Why must I have an avatar?

My sbcglobal DSL mail service wants me to customize an avatar for my mail page. Currently a white and gray silhouette of a young black woman's head with trendy (?) worm dreads is always there. Plenty of lame options are offered but I want the graphic to just disapear from my mail page, but that option is not offered.
I understand that it isn't attatched to sent mail but still.

By: aye

aye — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:34:57 -0800

You have plenty of options:

- Block the image in your browser with Adblock (Firefox) or the content filter in Opera.

- Write a Greasemonkey script to kill the image block, although this is probably overkill.

- Set up POP access to your SBC mail account so that you don't have to use the webmail.

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 01:40:28 -0800

I recommend Malevich's Red Square.

By: rhizome

rhizome — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 02:02:01 -0800

It's a part of the profile-ization of the internet. Silly, but it doesn't stop you from creating an image that is the same color as the background. If you're really against it, get used to the silhouette and leave it so that the avatar "conversion rate" numbers at SBC aren't changed by your "taking advantage" of this wonderful feature. Believe me, there are control freaks behind the scenes who pay attention to the number of people who change their images.

By: agropyron

agropyron — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 02:12:03 -0800

Wow, rhizome, that's an excellent point. I also second aye's advice to use Adblock. That was the first thing I thought of.

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:27:43 -0800

If you really want them to get the message, call their support and ask them how to get rid of it. They won't have an answer, but don't let that stop you.

By: You Should See the Other Guy

You Should See the Other Guy — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:43:22 -0800

I would just create a transparent gif the same size as the avatar.

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:50:54 -0800

don't underestimate the power of goatse, tubgirl, and lemonparty.

By: nalyd

nalyd — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:30:13 -0800

I think SBC uses Yahoo mail. IF that is the case:

To delete your avatar:

1. Log in and go to the Avatar home page.
2. Select the "Preferences" tab.
3. Click "Delete My Avatar." You are asked to verify that you want to delete your avatar

By: IndigoRain

IndigoRain — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 21:28:25 -0800

If you use nasty images like Tubgirl, you're likely to get your account banned.

By: longsleeves

longsleeves — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 20:46:09 -0800

Belated thanks to responders.

By: longsleeves

longsleeves — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:06:28 -0800

Nalyd, I tried that before posting the question. Preference link not offered