# OptiBoard Site Info > Q&A >  Q: What are Avatars?

## hcjilson

Q. I'll bite!....What is an AVATAR?

A. Avatars are small graphical images that you may choose in your profile. They are displayed below your username on  all posts that you make. You can select the image that best describes yourself from your profile options.

If you click on faq's and go down the page under User Maintaince you will find out about customizing your profile. You should click on "more infomation on Avatars, and you will see what they are. After you do this ask the next question.

Q. Wow! those are COOL! How can I get one??

A. Avatars will be awarded by the administrator who will be rewarding those who actively participate! (See introduction.)  Currently these are set at:

25 Posts:  Pre-defined avatars available100 Posts:  Can use custom pic as avatar

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## sandeepgoodbole

> _Originally posted by hcjilson_ 
> *Q. I'll bite!....What is an AVATAR?
> 
> A. Avatars are small graphical images that you may choose in your profile. They are displayed below your username on  all posts that you make. You can select the image that best describes yourself from your profile options.
> 
> If you click on faq's and go down the page under User Maintaince you will find out about customizing your profile. You should click on "more infomation on Avatars, and you will see what they are. After you do this ask the next question.
> 
> Q. Wow! those are COOL! How can I get one??
> 
> ...


*Avatar* 


In  Sanskrit and all languages originating from it,  The word "Avatar" means "Prophet" OR  "Replica of God" OR "Special Version of himself  by the God in Human form" I think, Guru Shanbaum may be the person to introduce this word and concept to make the board Tingy and Spicy. I am correct ?

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## hcjilson

Dear Sandeep,(no insult intended by the abbreviation) To be honest with you, I came into this format of Optiboard as one of a small group who were asked to play with it before being released to the entire board.That was in late Feburary or early March as I recall.This was my first exposure to the word Avatar.I had no idea what it meant or where it came from.I am sure it had something to do with the features of program, which Steve would be able to answer better than I.Guru Shanbaum was a tester as well as I so I don't think he had anything to do with Avatars before the rest of us.At any rate, to make a long story longer, when it came time to set up the Q&A forum, I thought the simplest way to explain it was to ask the same question I asked when I first saw it.Thanks for giving us the sandskrit version, I was almost sure it wasn't Latin!:) best from harry j

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## Steve Machol

Sandeepgoodbole is right about the Sanskrit origins of the word 'Avatar':

http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=avatar

Note the fourth definition though that describes it's use in the 'virtual reality' world.  Avatars in this context refer to that defintion.

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## sandeepgoodbole

> _Originally posted by hcjilson_ 
> *Dear Sandeep,(no insult intended by the abbreviation) To be honest with you, I came into this format of Optiboard as one of a small group who were asked to play with it before being released to the entire board.That was in late Feburary or early March as I recall.This was my first exposure to the word Avatar.I had no idea what it meant or where it came from.I am sure it had something to do with the features of program, which Steve would be able to answer better than I.Guru Shanbaum was a tester as well as I so I don't think he had anything to do with Avatars before the rest of us.At any rate, to make a long story longer, when it came time to set up the Q&A forum, I thought the simplest way to explain it was to ask the same question I asked when I first saw it.Thanks for giving us the sandskrit version, I was almost sure it wasn't Latin!:) best from harry j*


Harry,be happy.  You have not abbrivated. My first name is Sandeep means "Lamp of Sun"
My Last name, our surname is Godbole means God= Sweet
Bole= the one who talks. By mistake I had put it as goodbole instead of godbole but it's sound ing better.. so I contineued with it. 
Avtar also has colloquial meaning here as to adapt different faces to Camaflauge. Today I am going for a weeks pleasure tour with families of 2 friends. I started to feel missing all of you right now!!
I am addicted to the Board!
Sandeep..

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## Steve Machol

> _Originally posted by sandeepgoodbole_ 
> *I am addicted to the Board!
> Sandeep..*


Another OptiBoardaholic!  Welcome to the virtual reality that is OptiBoard and I hope you have a great time on your pleasure tour! :)

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## sandeepgoodbole

Jim Carry Speaks more with his Expressions than his toung.
My new Avtar expresses the eruption of joy I get at OB which just cannot be described with any words!

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## Sean

Sandeep,
Love it............as though my own avatar didn't give it away. :D 

<-------------

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## Sean

Dropped the bat signal for a bit........working on a new one. :)

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## hcjilson

Sean, I don't think you can do any better than the one that appears under your name now....I love the cow jumping over the moon! ( I also realize by the time anyone reads this it will be something else and I'll have egg on my face again)
Good Job! and thanks for dropping by!
see you tomorrow! 
harry j

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## Sean

Harry,
I'm working on a couple of different ones right now. So the jumping cow will be up there for a bit. I actually have the new ones animated............just trying to work with the OB's image size allowance.At the moment the new avatars have a bit going on in them.......but the image gets to crowded for the size.(that will keep me busy for a bit and also keep the egg off your face for a while.........i would not want to be responsible for that):) I'll try and let you know before i change,that way you could update your post. :shiner:

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## hcjilson

Sean,

Maybe you could keep a step by step track of what you are doing and post it here as another thread.Sort of a "layman's answer" to the question of "How did you do *That* ?
hj

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## ioconnell

> _Originally posted by hcjilson_ 
> *Sean,
> 
> Maybe you could keep a step by step track of what you are doing and post it here as another thread.Sort of a "layman's answer" to the question of "How did you do That ?
> hj*


I second that:cheers:

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## Sean

Ok,
Let me see what i can come up with. It may take me a bit....the next couple of days seem pretty busy.

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## Joann Raytar

Ian,

The Avatar you've got is pretty cool too!

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## Sean

Harry,
What kind of photo software are you running on the Mac?

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## hcjilson

Sean,
I have Adobe photo deluxe 2.0-photoshop LE 5.0, Graphic converter latest, and Iview supplied by Nikon.Can't figure out how they all work but I've got em.In my next life I am going to be a software manual writer! hj

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## Sean

Harry,
Just so you know the reason why i was asking. I was just trying to see if you had photo software that i was familiar with.That way i could help you with the avatar.

P.S.Please don't come back as a software manual writer.......as i would never get to read your work. :D

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## LiquidVision_Dev

I came to ask how I can put a custom avatar up and read this post and was dissapointed it told me how because then I couldn't ask and get another post added to my count but then I thought I'd post a reply and say thanks and all's well! :)

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## hcjilson

That will get the job done faster! Now try posting in a forum like just conversation.....your post count will build up fast! Welcome to Optiboard! hj

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## bob_f_aboc

And then they can start calling someone else 'Fluffy'!!!!:shiner:

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## GAgal

> And then they can start calling someone else 'Fluffy'!!!!:shiner:


You will always be Fluffy!

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## Happylady

I want one! :)

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## hcjilson

Hove you tried Pillow Pets??

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## tedcorey

Avatars should be allowed from the beginning too - let the newbies feel part of the group too

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## SeaU2020

I'm going for the custom one!

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## Kara

> Q. I'll bite!....What is an AVATAR?
> 
> Q. Wow! those are COOL! How can I get one??
> 
> A. Avatars will be awarded by the administrator who will be rewarding those who actively participate! (See introduction.)  Currently these are set at:
> 
> 25 Posts:  Pre-defined avatars available100 Posts:  Can use custom pic as avatar


(trying to boost my numbers now too. haha) I Actually, though, wanted to ask if being allowed to add pictures to your profile worked the same way. Can't wait for that!! :-)

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## Bernardrichii

In computing, an *avatar* is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character.Nice post

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## ajonesgirl

Love this idea!  (Do I REALLY, or am I just trying to boost my post count?)   :Giggle:

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## ajonesgirl

Oh YAY!  That post just boosted me from Optiboard Novice to Rising Star!!! :Dance:

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## King of the Lab

They are these blue people that that live in a forest.

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## lensmanmd

> They are these blue people that that live in a forest.


 :Bounce:

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