OUTRAGEOUS BANNERS. WTF?!

[bondagefreak]

So about a couple of months ago, we had a community debate involving myself, the Administrators and many other readers and authors. (See here: https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?p=120944#p120944) The outcome of the debate was that banners would mercifully be allowed to remain (thank you Admins) but that I would agree to limit the height of all new banners to 300 pixels in height MAX (and aim to make them closer to 250), as opposed to the 350 pixels high banners I'd made for several members this past year.

I get it, I really do.
It makes sense.

Banners are rectangular-shaped images with a 3:1 length to height ratio.
It's always been that way, on every forum since the early 2000s.

Unfortunately, more and more users are trying their hand at making their own banners now, all the while seeming blissfully unaware of concepts like: reason & moderation. It's sad, 'cause its the same thing in real life. People wonder why there are so many laws, most of which seem unnecessary to reasonable citizens. The sad truth is that laws are created due to a small percentage of people not having enough common sense to know when a line has been crossed. Hence the need for more and more regulations.

In short, I create most of the banners here, but with more and more users now making their own banners, the problem is now well out of my control.

We now have users sporting SQUARE-shaped banners over 500 pixels high (basically twice the height of the average banner). Soon we will have new users making them 600 pixels high and 700 pixels high. Eventually, the complaints will pile up, and the Administration team will tire and close down the banner option altogether, penalising the 99% of us who did not abuse the system.

If you have a banner that's twice the size of everyone else's, here's my message:

DON'T BE THE BAD APPLE THAT SPOILS THE ENTIRE BARREL.
THANK YOU FOR NOT ABUSING THE SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING REASONABLE SO THAT THE REST OF US ARE NOT PENALISED.

[Xtc]

I must agree with [mention]bondagefreak[/mention] here.
May I suggest that, as the renowned curmudgeon on the admin team, people should not be surprised I f they miraculously find their over-sized banners are no more?

[ExcessivelyCurious]

I shall refrain from restating my opinions on these banners, as we don't want to have that argument again. But ultimately, the banners were already bad enough for me (and others) to turn signatures off entirely, just to avoid them.

If we're allowing banners (which it seems we are) then people should be free to make their own (and I don't think the aspect ratio is all that important), but imposing a height limit seems like a good idea.

[chadmc90]

The admin/moderation team has my permission to remove any banners that do not fit the expected banner size. If your banner is not changed soon, then expect it's full removal and suspension of banner privelages until a reasonably sized banner can be presented.

[bondagefreak]

...then people should be free to make their own (and I don't think the aspect ratio is all that important), but imposing a height limit seems like a good idea.

Hey bud. Of course, they should. That has nothing to do with what we're talking about.
Others (like [mention]Volobond[/mention]) have created their own banners and all of them are reasonable/normal in size.

We already agreed to set the bar at around 300 pixels. It's just baffling that after all that, some crazy massive banners twice the size of everyone else's have begun to pop up. It's just absurd to think that the Admins legitimately need to police this issue due to a few members not being able to distinguish between what's reasonable and what isn't.

Anyways, my original point was that those of us using banners shouldn't abuse the privilege we've been granted.
Doing so will inevitably lead to unfair restrictions for everyone.

[Xtc]

I am pleased to note that action has been taken by at least one "defaulter" and I have thanked them for it.

[DuctTapeSilence]

I’m glad I came across this post. I was considering making myself a banner but will refrain from doing that. All of you moderators/admins have your hands full the way it is!

[bondagefreak]

I’m glad I came across this post. I was considering making myself a banner but will refrain from doing that. All of you moderators/admins have your hands full the way it is!

I don't get it. How exactly have you been left under the impression that banners are not welcomed?

We were simply asked to keep them under 300 pixels high.
This post isn't about banners. I use a banner myself and so do many other authors.
This post is about asking a handful of users not to abuse the permissions we've been granted.

The best banner size for this forum is 890x225-300 pixels.
That's what the Admins are asking us to keep it to.

[Xtc]

Thanks for the consideration [mention]DuctTapeSilence[/mention] but, as long as you don't exceed the guidance. I'm sure it will be OK.

[DuctTapeSilence]

That was my mistake, I misread it as banners not being allowed anymore. I’ll chalk it up to being half asleep from a long day at work.