Basically, the idea is to include a default avatar image in phpBB that will then be displayed for any users who do not have an avatar specified. This would not overwrite any current avatars, and when a user chooses to add an avatar, this would be replaced by their avatar.
The implementation is quite simple. Just one small edit to functions_display.php in the get_user_avatar() function, and then perhaps a new on/off setting and option to change the default avatar in the ACP. In fact, here is the change required in functions_display.php, though if an ACP setting is added, the URL would use the new config value, rather than being hardcoded.
Other than that, we would just need someone to come up with a satisfactory "default" avatar. In most cases, it is a silhouette of a person using shades of grey, black, and white as the color scheme. As an example, GitHub has this for its default avatar: https://a248.e.akamai.net/assets.github ... ar-140.png For those who don't want to look, it's their logo cat as a light purple-ish blue silhouetted over a light-blue background.
Benefits?
- Makes the viewtopic page more uniform, as all users will have an avatar displayed under their name
- Will potentially encourage users to get themselves their own avatar because they don't want to be known by the default one
Negatives?
- Yet another setting in the ACP (not unreasonable, though, imo)
- Yet another image to make, maintain, and ship with phpBB (not that big of a deal, imo)
So what do you think? A reasonable change, or should it be left as an extension.
