How to browse MacRumors with normal square avatars again!

[redheeler]

Against a majority vote, MacRumors Forums has switched to using circular avatars.

See this thread, where you can view comparisons of both and cast your vote: Circles vs Squares: The Most Pressing Migration Concern

However, there is a simple fix to browse the forums with normal square avatars.

1. Copy and save the following code using a plain text editor into a file with a .css file extension:

.avatar img, .avatar .img, .avatarCropper{
    border-radius: 2px !important;
}

2. Add it to your user stylesheet.

Safari: Preferences > Advanced > Style sheet. Click on the dropdown menu, select Other, and open your .css file. You may need to restart Safari.

Firefox: Here's how.


Square Avatar FAQ

The circles look ok, why should I switch back to square avatars?

Here are some of the advantages regular square avatars have over circular ones:

• More usable/viewable space for avatars.
• Less empty space around the avatar.
• Better compatibility with many avatars.
• Matches the rest of the forum a bit better.

Does this fix work on mobile devices, such as those running iOS?

Unfortunately, no. Most mobile devices don't offer the ability to assign a user stylesheet.

Will this fix affect avatars on sites outside of MacRumors?

When added to a user stylesheet, it might affect a few other sites besides MacRumors, particularly other Xenforo-based forums. However, this has the added benefit of consistent square avatars on those sites as well.

Will this fix affect how other people see my avatar?

No. You should still make sure it looks ok when circular.

 

[MacNut]

I quite like the circles.

 

[Nermal]

I quite like the circles.

You don't need to edit your style sheet then

 

[Cougarcat]

No way to do this on iOS.

 

[Peace]

Round is the new square

 

[eyoungren]

For those of us in Firefox/TenFourFox using Stylish…

1. Create a new style (named whatever you want).

2.

@namespace url(http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml);
@-moz-document domain("forums.macrumors.com"){
 
.avatar img, .avatar .img, .avatarCropper{
   border-radius: 2px !important;
}
}

3. Save and done!

 

[AdeFowler]

In the Preferences there's an option to hide signatures which I always have enabled. Maybe there could be an option to hide avatars?

 

[chrfr]

In the Preferences there's an option to hide signatures which I always have enabled. Maybe there could be an option to hide avatars?

I'm using Adblock to hide avatars. They're just too big and have far too much white space around them.

 

[MacNut]

In the Preferences there's an option to hide signatures which I always have enabled. Maybe there could be an option to hide avatars?

If you hide signatures? why do you bother to have one?

 

[Don't panic]

and, done



now i need a way to reimplement animated ones

 

[OllyW]

Against a 2:1 vote, MacRumors Forums has switched to using circular avatars.

There's been a swing in popularity throughout the first day for the circular vote. They could even take the lead as members get used to the new forum.

 

[Raid]

Well this would solve one issue (other than Don't panic's solution) ... I see what you did there Mister!

This change has let me play around with mine, but I did find out another distressing trait of the new 'tars ... NO ANIMATION . #firstworldproblems

 

[jbachandouris]

I despise animations/gifs. I'm glad they're not available.

 

[redheeler]

and, done



now i need a way to reimplement animated ones

It's possible. I've been working on a simple script which makes avatars optimized for Retina on forum threads by pulling the large one shown on the user's profile, and it has the added effect of bringing animated GIFs back if it was uploaded as such after the migration.

 

[AdeFowler]

If you hide signatures? why do you bother to have one?

I'd completely forgotten I had to be honest!

 

[ardchoille50]

@redheeler my main devices are an iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6. How do we go about applying your code for square avatars on iOS devices?

 

[redheeler]

There's been a swing in popularity throughout the first day for the circular vote. They could even take the lead as members get used to the new forum.

I kind of figured it would happen post-migration. I have updated the phrasing in my post above.

@redheeler my main devices are an iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6. How do we go about applying your code for square avatars on iOS devices?

As far as I now iOS devices don't support adding a user stylesheet. I have added an FAQ in my OP to answer this question.

 

[ardchoille50]

As far as I now iOS devices don't support adding a user stylesheet. I have added an FAQ in my OP to answer this question.

Thank you, sir.. all the more reason to add this as an option in UserCP here in the forums.

 

[AlecZ]

Wow, someone already figured this out?? Thanks! By the way, does this slow down page loading at all?

 

[redheeler]

Wow, someone already figured this out?? Thanks! By the way, does this slow down page loading at all?

It shouldn't slow down page loading at all. The browser simply applies the code and it overrides the webpage-defined style for the avatars.

 

[talmy]

Looks great! Thanks!

Now if there were only a way to get square avatars back in the Contacts and Mail apps.

 

[Don't panic]

wow, it looks like someone must really really hate the square avatars.
was the border of the circle just changed enough only to avoid the "transaparent" look? why????

 

[AlecZ]

This wouldn't be so bad if there weren't a stroke on the circle. I decided to just leave it as a circle because everyone is making their avatars work for that. EDIT: That smiley also looks much sadder than I actually am. Sorry for the hyperbole.

 

[OllyW]

I kind of figured it would happen post-migration. I have updated the phrasing in my post above.

You might have to edit it again, it's currently a tie.

 

[redheeler]

This wouldn't be so bad if there weren't a stroke on the circle. I decided to just leave it as a circle because everyone is making their avatars work for that.

It's unfortunate, I know. I have two croppings of my avatar, one that looks better in circles and one that looks better in squares. I have uploaded the square version for the time being, but the truth is that most people on MR still see the circles

You might have to edit it again, it's currently a tie.

Not quite, sorry!