Extension:LiquidThreads/Avatar storage
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This page outlines the options available for avatar storage, and their advantages and limitations.
Regular Images[edit]
An autocompleting textbox would be provided in Preferences that would allow users to select an image already uploaded to the wiki. A one-step upload-and-set-avatar form would also be available.
Advantages[edit]
- Policing of blatantly offensive images is a "solved problem".
- Simplest implementation
- Global avatars come "for free"
Limitations[edit]
- Not all images on a wiki are suitable for avatars. This could be mitigated with a blacklist or whitelist, but such a list would become unwieldly.
- Not all avatars are suitable to be images on a wiki. It "clutters" the File namespace.
- A "reset avatar" button would be needed for admins.
Images in a separate namespace[edit]
In theory, it would be possible to make MediaWiki able to have multiple File namespaces. If this were possible, we could create an Avatar namespace, which would have the convention that User:X would upload their avatar to Avatar:X. There would be a nicer interface for this, and redirects into the File namespace would be permitted. A user's page would be editable only by themselves and admins.
Advantages[edit]
- Policing mechanism is built in.
- History built-in
- Avatars are separated from files at large.
- Global avatars possible with work.
Limitations[edit]
- Implementation difficult.
Internal Storage[edit]
Independent of the rest of MediaWiki, this would involve creating a separate storage location for avatars, a la TeXvc. This could be combined with referencing existing files to allow a few options.
Advantages[edit]
- Most flexible.
- Avatars are separated from files at large.
- Reasonably straightforward implementation.
- Easy to implement global avatars with some foresight.
Disadvantages[edit]
- Policing interface would need to come from the ground up.
- History would need to come from the ground up.