Why so many pictures?

POSTED BY: bejeweled
UPDATED: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 17:20
VIEWED: 6890
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BEJEWELED

Monday, March 12, 2007 8:25 AM

I've been lurking for ages now. Fan from the beginning. I've seen a lot of changes in this site over the years. Those changes are one of the reasons why I finally registered.

It seems every time I stop by to read the threads, I have to sift through 20 picture threads before I get to any content. Are you guys that arrogant and needy as to need pretty faces, toes, feet, hands, pets...does it ever end?

Why are you even doing this? Isn't one picture enough? Some of you have 50 self portraits on this forum. I can understand the occasional post in the BSR, you may have gotten a pic with a cast member or finished a costume. Why 15 pictures on you sitting on your bed? I don't get it. As a new member, but long-time lurker, I'd like to suggest we move these to their own board or something. They're cluttering up the boards.

I can't even imagine what folks who have slow connections must be going through. Poor people. I can't be the only person annoyed by this? Can I?

I probably shouldn't make my first post a rant, but it's been building inside me. Sorry. I can be very nice most times.

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*seem to recall story signatures by ZOID*

More amazing than the time Michael Jackson came over to your house to use the bathroom.

OUTTOTHEBLACK

Monday, March 12, 2007 8:39 AM

I'm also basically a lurker, but I have to say that I really enjoy the picture threads. And the party threads, the song threads, the water cooler threads, the forsaken threads, the loafer's nook threads, the hidey-tower threads, the league of psychic nutcases, and the bar and grill. People are obviously having fun and I really have a hard time taking issue with that. Plus, the 'Talk Story' forum is, technically, an 'anything goes' forum within the context of the Firefly board. There's different forums for different things, and the reason for that is so people can find what they're looking for. Not everyone uses it that way, and General Discussions does get weighed down a bit with random things, but I don't mind that either. I suggest you work on your sifting techniques if you really can't find what interests you. And if your connection struggles with the picture threads, don't click on them.

SOLAN

Monday, March 12, 2007 8:42 AM

Not much I can think of.off the top of my head. But maybe a few thoughts that might help in this matter.

No matter why the picture threads started out - but by now they are, in a way, a form of tradition. Like the hugs and kisses you get when family visits or something like that.

Then there is, I think, a limit to how many replies you can have on one post - thus the starting new ones over and over again. Some of the folks who have posted in the older ones might post in the new ones as well to help the newbies around get past some initial shyness - which in turn might be a reason for the various self-portraits, seeing as those are often quite hilarious for one or the other reason.

In a way it's patting eachother on the shoulder and telling eachother that you aren't as bad as life sometimes would make you think you are. I can't see any harm in that except for acknowleding that people with lesser bandwith can be really annoyed by such things (which I do understand).

What I haven't seen thus far is someone going "Hey, I look so much better than XY". So yeah, it might be a bit narcistic to post pictures of yourself over and over again. But at least it's not done through any malevolent behaviour as such.

*cough* I hope that helped a bit.

Every fear has a history.

PHOENIXROSE

Monday, March 12, 2007 9:04 AM

Yeah, as the person who starts most of those threads and one who posts a lot of keep them afloat, I don't understand why you would take issue with them. The threads were started so we could see who we were talking to. We're a community, and a lot of us have been talking with people here for a year, two years, longer. It helps make people 'real' to see what they look like.
And, as Solan pointed out, it helps break the ice and encourage new people to post when there are already pictures. It also helps keep the threads in sight if people are posting on them (despite what you might think, they will and have started independently because people are curious, and this just gives a handy place to go, so it helps to keep them visible so people know where to find what they're looking for) So, rather than post the same picture over and over and over and over and over, those of us who would frequent the picture threads opted to become amateur photographers and try to come up with new things. I got fascinated with photography in general, and that's why I started a couple additional threads for tattoos, hands and feet, and a new pet picture thread once the old one got too long to load within ten minutes. It became, as Solan also said, a tradition. Just like the other 'hanging around' threads (listed by OTTB up there) it's a thread that took off and is a fun place to be and can be a way to 'see' some fellow Browncoats. Sorry that bothers you so much.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

RIVERDANCER

Monday, March 12, 2007 9:13 AM

Why not?

AVERYFINECOMPANION

Monday, March 12, 2007 9:15 AM

I just have to say that calling people "arrogant" and "needy" will get you no where fast on here.

It is simple computer logic, a thread with many pictures will load a bit slow. The main difference is that to most, it is well worth the wait.

Like many others have said and will say, if you don't want to see the pictures then don't click on a picture thread.

You were right by the way, it wasn't a very good idea to rant on your first post. You've made a very bad first impression on me.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"Am I a lion?"

SOLAN

Monday, March 12, 2007 9:16 AM

Not that bad. I've seen worse. Probably just a bad day. And after all we're talking fellow browncoats here, so cut them some slack. ;)

Every fear has a history.

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Monday, March 12, 2007 9:24 AM

Well, I haven't posted any pictures of myself yet (although I'll probably have to or JonnyQuest just WON'T stop bugging me) but I read through them pretty frequently. It's good to be able to put faces to the names, and since a lot of people in the social threads mention pets and family members, it's kinda nice to see pics of them too.

I'm not for a second saying everyone likes the picture threads. If it bugs you then chances are it bugs at least a dozen other people. That being said... if they bug you that much, why do you read them? It's not like it doesn't say "Picture Thread!" very, very clearly in the thread subject! And in the other social threads there are fewer images of people and more images of emoticons, smilies and whatever silly images we glean from the net.

Now that that's over with - welcome to the board! Yeah, I know, you've lurked here for ages, but lurkers can't get welcomed by name, so welcome Bejeweled! Very good to meet you, etc etc, hope this won't be your last post. I have a feeling it won't. Once you delurk there is no going back

*hands Bejeweled welcoming strawberries and mudders milk*

Banners, avatars and other fun stuff at www.desktophippie.com

MAZAEN

Monday, March 12, 2007 10:41 AM

Because we're all so damn pretty.

I like the fan-fiction and caption threads the most of all the threads.

GLADIATOR32

Monday, March 12, 2007 11:28 AM

At the risk of repeating what everyone above me's already said, I don't see why it's a problem. If you don't like the picture threads, no one's forcing you to view them. Personally, I'm not a massive fan of all those political threads, so I don't view 'em. And why post so many pics?? Well it's a laugh, really. I mean, it lets folks you talk to know what you actually look like (which I find helps you become closer to them), and it's a chance to mess around with your camera and take some pics. You get to share shiny swag or treasured objects with your friends. Speaking personally, and I'm sure it's the same for all the other pic posters, there's no beauty contests going on or anything, no "look at me I'm wonderful" attitudes. Just a bunch of people sharing photos with each other, much like you would at home over a cup of tea. And I see no harm in that.

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www.myspace.com/32dan32

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