Technical reason for waiting

[gemstone]

until 100 posts before someone can choose their own avatar?  If this has been asked previously I apologize, 8 pages is a lot of reading.  I ask because so many posters end up using the same avatar that it is occasionally confusing.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

I really can't answer for the Mods, but *I* always thought it was because this board gets a lot of interest. We have over 6100 members. Lots of people sign up, post a few times, then they're off to other shiny places, say 10% for example purposes. If all of those 6100 could upload their own avatar from the word go... even 10% of that is an AWFUL LOT of server space wasted on people who are never heard from again.

By the time a person has made 100 posts, they're sufficiently addicted to earn a little space on the server. 

But of course, that's just my thoughts and may bear no resemblence to reality (as usual)

[gemstone]

I think you are probably right.  Why I thought it might be some technical reason for it. But I have a "satiable curiosity"

[iago]

Beyond any technical reasons, there's also the social: This is a participatory culture we have here.  We want people talking and interacting, and it takes a little while to stand out from the crowd when you do.  So the avatar policy follows that path as well.

[comprex]

Hmm.  Interesting.  Assuming sufficiently unique posts (and posting style) to be recognised in spite of avatar or screen name changes, aren't those just fancy emoticons?

[iago]

Hmm.  Interesting.  Assuming sufficiently unique posts (and posting style) to be recognised in spite of avatar or screen name changes, aren't those just fancy emoticons?

I barely understand the question, I'm afraid. 

[comprex]

I barely understand the question, I'm afraid. 

The people who post most also change avatars and display names most; we mostly recognise them by context and style.   New joiners by definition do not have known context and style, is it not to them that avatars are most useful identifiers?