Avatars and Bee Icons

Avatars and Bee Icons

January 30th, 2009 @ 10:24 am by Mrs. Bee

Avatars have been one of our most popular features ever! It’s only been four days since we launched the feature, and already hundreds of you have uploaded avatars. I love seeing what you guys look like (or at least, what your avatars look like). It’s definitely been one of my favorite features ever.

One thing I’ve noticed is that some of the uploaded avatars look a lot like Bee icons! That’s not a big deal or anything, but it reminded me why we launched Bee icons in the first place (back in December of ‘07):

We recently had our first Bee impersonation! Whether it was purposeful or not, a reader left a strongly worded comment using the name “Spider”. It’d be awful if someone thought that Mrs. Spider had left that comment! A number of our readers were fooled, even though the comment wasn’t left from a Weddingbee account.

So we realized we have to make it even more clear when a Bee is commenting. At first we were going to put some color trim around comments from the Bees, but then BilBee came up with the idea of using the Bee icons next to comments.

I almost forgot that we actually launched Bee icons to prevent Bee impersonations! With avatars on the site, that protection is no longer in place… so just to be on the safe side, we added a discreet dotted green border around Bee icons.

We’ll be adding similar borders to the Boards soon, just so everything matches!

On the subject of making sure that the Boards and the Blog matches, I’ve been noticing that Boards is missing a few little features that the blog has (and vice versa):

MISSING FROM BOARDS

Replies - It’s a lot easier to reply to comments on the Blog than it is on the boards.
Subscribe - You can subscribe to get email updates when a blog post gets comments, but you can’t subscribe to a thread on the boards.

MISSING FROM THE BLOG

Image Uploads - You can upload images to board comments, but you can’t to blog comments.
Flag - You can flag board comments as spam or abuse, but you can’t do the same to blog comments.

Let us know which (if any) of these feautres you’d like us to add to the blog or to boards, and we’ll look into it. Thanks!

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42 Responses to “Avatars and Bee Icons”

Bee

Miss Bruschetta (message) 5,553 posts, Bee Keeper

Sorry to say, but I’m not really a fan of the dotted border. Isn’t it good enough that under the bee icons, it says “BEE”?

1/30/09 @ 10:31 am (reply)

Hostess

driftslikesmoke (message) 1,220 posts, Bumble bee

I would love to be able to subscribe to boards! It’s a little time consuming to comb through my profile page looking for new replies to threads!

1/30/09 @ 10:36 am (reply)

Member

RobinBananas (message) 116 posts, Blushing bee

I also would love to be able to subscribe to threads

1/30/09 @ 10:40 am (reply)

Member

Crash (message) 378 posts, Helper bee

I’ve been thinking the same thing since the avatars launched. What if you used the green background on comments that is currently used for how much you comment, only on the bees comments? Maybe the lighter green could be the hostesses? Personally I think that background makes things stand out a lot more than the boarder and if someone really wanted to impersonate a bee, they could create an avatar that had the dotted boarder around it.

1/30/09 @ 10:41 am (reply)

Bee

Mr. Bee (message) 1,455 posts, Bumble bee

@Crash: Sure you could try to put the green border in your icon… but there would be text below it that said MEMBER. So it’d be kinda obvious?

I like that anyone can earn the green comment highlight based on commenting a lot! It seems only fair that if someone has commented a lot, they can earn a little recognition? I swear I’m not just saying that because I finally became a busy bee this morning!

1/30/09 @ 10:45 am (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Bee (message) 3,252 posts, Sugar bee

i’m just commenting next to mr. bee so i can see my darker green highlight.

1/30/09 @ 10:47 am (reply)

Guest

irene

For a non-bee, they can add a similar if not the same border around their own avantar if they really want to impersonate a bee… right?

I agree with Crash, maybe making a background color on the comment itself will differentiate a bee from a non-bee.

1/30/09 @ 10:48 am (reply)

Guest

irene

ooo i see how it works. never mind

1/30/09 @ 10:49 am (reply)

Hostess

chelseamorning (message) 1,479 posts, Bumble bee

I agree with Crash: Subtle background colors would easily distinguish bees/non-bees (and also hostesses/high posters if you wanted). You couldn’t fake the color like you could a border. You wouldn’t have to stop giving the background to high commenters either…after someone has commented more than 1,000 times they’ve got a pretty big presence around here anyway.

1/30/09 @ 10:50 am (reply)

10.

Member

Crash (message) 378 posts, Helper bee

@Mr. Bee: You’re right, it would still say member below the avatar, but it says that now so if that was enough… no changes would be needed at all

1/30/09 @ 10:52 am (reply)

11.

Bee

Mrs. Bee (message) 3,252 posts, Sugar bee

we actually went over several different options with the bees, including a border around the entire comment, and they liked the border around the avatar best to keep it less busy.

1/30/09 @ 10:53 am (reply)

12.

Member

IrishBride (message) 100 posts, Blushing bee

@Mrs. Bee: Ha! I like your competitive commenting!

1/30/09 @ 10:53 am (reply)

13.

Hostess

chelseamorning (message) 1,479 posts, Bumble bee

Other WB-improvement ideas I had:

Month twins— on the drop-down menu there is no option for October 2009 or November 2009. There does appear to be an Oct 09 board, but no Nov 09 board I can find.

Also, could we increase the size of the box you type your comments into on blog posts? With the new wider layout it’d be nice if there was more room to see what you’ve written, like on the boards.

1/30/09 @ 10:54 am (reply)

14.

Bee

Mr. Bee (message) 1,455 posts, Bumble bee

@IrishBride: I can’t compete with her honey bee ways… she is crushing me with 5x more comments!

1/30/09 @ 10:54 am (reply)

15.

Member

Habibi (message) 571 posts, Busy bee

I would love to be able to subscribe to the boards that way I don’t have to constantly check to see if there is a new comment. Thanks!

1/30/09 @ 10:55 am (reply)

16.

Member

Miss Texas (message) 223 posts, Helper bee

2 things…

1. in the boards, still no Oct09 and Nov09 under the month twins… and i’m a Nov09 bride-to-be.

2. def would like the reply feature on the boards!

1/30/09 @ 11:28 am (reply)

17.

Member

angelastheboss (message) 287 posts, Helper bee

I think the reply feature would be great on the boards.

I think the best thing to do with avatars is to disallow people from using Bee icons. I don’t mind the border at all but it seems easier to make THEM change, rather than changing yourselves. What do I know- maybe that’s more work for Mr Bee in the long run. I just hate the idea of someone impersonating a Bee.

1/30/09 @ 11:34 am (reply)

18.

Member

rasgoola (message) 146 posts, Blushing bee

I think distinguishing bees and members is a great idea! The first day of avatars was sort of confusing but now it’s much easier to see when bees reply. I don’t mind the dotted border but I agree that just seeing the member vs bee title under the avatar helps a lot

1/30/09 @ 11:36 am (reply)

19.

Bee

frenchbulldog (message) 5,956 posts, Bee Keeper

Great idea Bee

1/30/09 @ 11:46 am (reply)

20.

Bee

Miss Bear Cub (message) 1,321 posts, Bumble bee

Hi Mr. Bee! I think it’s a great idea to include replies and subscribe in the Boards! However, I’m not sure if it’s such a good idea to upload images in the Blog - usually these posts are much longer, more in depth, and thus wouldn’t necessitate image uploads, save for maybe cute reminders/pointers to something someone has seen elsewhere. The blog seems to be less of a forum in that sense, you know what I mean? That said, it would be nice to be able to click on a tag when commenting to boldface text, as in the Boards bold? - html tags aren’t exactly difficult, but it might be a good idea to mimic/clone the commenting method with the blog and the board. Also, FYI, I’ve noticed issues with USING the boldface/italics tags/buttons in the comments in the boards. HTML in comments isn’t always functioning there.
Good luck! May I ask - what do you guys script in?

1/30/09 @ 11:49 am (reply)

21.

Bee

Miss Quiche (message) 2,131 posts, Buzzing bee

Mrs. Bee, you’re cracking me up!

1/30/09 @ 11:53 am (reply)

22.

Hostess

Mrs. DG (message) 3,986 posts, Honey bee

How about a 15 minute edit feature in the blog? I can’t tell you how many times I find a typo after I publish a comment!

1/30/09 @ 12:00 pm (reply)

23.

Guest

lou

I feel so boring now, being a grey, no-avator, non-member guest

1/30/09 @ 12:51 pm (reply)

24.

Member

peachypear (message) 343 posts, Helper bee

@doctorgirl: I was thinking the same thing. I seem to always realize an error right after posting!

Mrs & Mr Bee - I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the attention and hard work you put into making your site so user friendly! It really shows on the end product. Thanks!

1/30/09 @ 12:56 pm (reply)

25.

Member

rhodeygirl (message) 108 posts, Blushing bee

my comments look so boring too, without an avatar! time for me to get moving!

1/30/09 @ 1:01 pm (reply)

26.

Member

rhodeygirl (message) 108 posts, Blushing bee

by the way, i think the green border is a great idea. subtle, yet efficient.

1/30/09 @ 1:03 pm (reply)

27.

Member

cj2009 (message) 306 posts, Helper bee

Maybe you could use different colors for the text of different members under their Bee Icon? Like RED for BEES, Blue for Hostesses, Green for Members, Gray for guests?

1/30/09 @ 1:05 pm (reply)

28.

Member

cj2009 (message) 306 posts, Helper bee

And also, I like the 15 minute edit and the green highlights!

1/30/09 @ 1:07 pm (reply)

29.

Hostess

MightySapphire (message) 2,608 posts, Sugar bee

I like the green border. I think people may still try to impersonate Bees, but with “BEE” under the name, it should be pretty obvious.

I wish there was a “Delete images” or “Delete Uploads” button after you’ve posted!

1/30/09 @ 1:09 pm (reply)

30.

Hostess

Lillindy (message) 3,876 posts, Honey bee

I 2nd the idea of an editing feature on the blog because I hate to double comment, but sometimes notice typos or remember to add something right after I hit post.

For the subscribing to the blog and boards, could there be a way to see what we are subscribed to under our profile, I would like to do that a little more than getting all these e-mails. That way, we can manage it if we ever want to be unsubscribed. So, maybe more like have a “Favorites” area or something under our profiles so we can almost bookmark things. It would be great to also be able to organize it…sorry I know sounds like a lot!

1/30/09 @ 1:14 pm (reply)

31.

Guest

BeachbrideT

LOL Mrs Bee, I am laughing that you posted right next to Mr Bee to see your darker highlighted color. HAHAHAH! I love it! Too funny!

I think the border around the bee’s icon is a great idea. Once everyone started uploading avatars, I thought it was a little hard to pick out who was a bee without really looking. I think its a good idea. Hopefully, for those who really love weddingbee, members won’t try to copy the idea and add a border around their avatars. And if they do… you might just have to address it in the future…

Mr & Mrs Bee- you have been doing so much to improve the site! Keep up the great work!

1/30/09 @ 1:29 pm (reply)

32.

Member

cappuccinoaddict (message) 99 posts, Worker bee

I second doctorgirl and peachypear with the 15 min edit. Typos drive me crazy.

1/30/09 @ 1:40 pm (reply)

33.

Member

Janna19 (message) 1,010 posts, Bumble bee

I didn’t even realize you could have shading! I am commenting just to see if I have any. Fun

1/30/09 @ 1:44 pm (reply)

34.

Hostess

driftslikesmoke (message) 1,220 posts, Bumble bee

I just thought of this - is there any sort of autosave that could be added to the boards? Sometimes I’m typing a lengthy response and accidentally click something, then when I return to the thread, my comment is gone.

Am I the only goof who does this? It would be nice to not lose comments every time we accidentally leave the page.

1/30/09 @ 2:02 pm (reply)

35.

Member

Ruby Slippers (message) 472 posts, Helper bee

That’s a good idea, driftslikesmoke! Also, I second/third the idea of an edit button. I love the idea that the frequent posters get greeny blocks - if only my post count didn’t keep getting rest to zero! MRS BEE, why is this happening to me? Anyone else keep going back to zero? I am signed in when I post, I check every time!

1/30/09 @ 3:25 pm (reply)

36.

Member

Ruby Slippers (message) 472 posts, Helper bee

Um, ok, never mind, it’s suddenly started counting them again. Sorry for taking up space! See, this is where that Edit button would be handy!

1/30/09 @ 3:26 pm (reply)

37.

Bee

Mr. Bee (message) 1,455 posts, Bumble bee

@Ruby Slippers: We got a few bug reports about this. so we applied a bug patch last night!
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/post-count-keeps-resetting
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/bee-levels

Glad to hear it’s fixed!

1/30/09 @ 4:33 pm (reply)

38.

Bee

Mrs. Penguin (message) 2,090 posts, Buzzing bee

@Janna19: BOOP! Look at you, busy bee!!!

1/30/09 @ 6:37 pm (reply)

39.

Guest

Amanda83

I am personally not the biggest fans of the avators.. I like that only bee’s have an icon..

1/30/09 @ 7:03 pm (reply)

40.

Bee

Mr. Bee (message) 1,455 posts, Bumble bee

@chelseamorning: Just fixed the missing Month Twins board, and added both links as requested :-).

We’ll look into expanding the comment box!

1/30/09 @ 7:43 pm (reply)

41.

Member

mandalynn17 (message) 1,050 posts, Bumble bee

I guess the dot border works I just don’t think it’s very pretty and it doesn’t seem necessary. Isn’t that why underneath the icons there is “Bee” or “Member”?

2/1/09 @ 1:32 am (reply)

42.