Rambling Reader: Gravatars

This is a sort of public service announcement-slash-free advertising-slash-information type post. Since I self-host my blog using Wordpress software, you have to sign in to leave a comment. You can't use your Blogger profile, or anything else (although I hear that soon I might have access to the new comment form that Wordpress.com is using where you can log in via facebook and twitter and stuff). If you do not already have a Gravatar set up over at gravatar.com the image next to your name when you post a comment on my blog will be something random that my software matches up to your email address.The options that wordpress gives me for default avatars aren't very fun. Either they are the boring random colourful image I have going now, or they are creepy monster faces of balloon faces. When I activate those I get a  lot of "Why is my avatar a sad or angry face? I don't like that!"Here's the thing - this program I am blogging on just randomly associates images with your email address if you do not have a Gravatar. I cannot control what image you get, YOU cannot control what image you get. Not unless you sign up for Gravatar.Gravatars are associated with your email address, so when you post a comment on my blog and type in yours the image that YOU selected will show up next to your name. Back in the day Gravatar was somewhat iffy, it would crash a lot, I think due to over use. I was just on the site today to change my photo and I was MEGA IMPRESSED with how much they have grown and changed. You can now link accounts to other media sites to your profile and the Wordpress.com (and now my wordpress self-hosted site) will even let you hover over gravatars to see more information about the person commenting. You don't have to fill out all information, of course, but it's a nice way to link you to your various other internetty haunts - twitter, facebook, foursquare, whatever blogs you have. I'll even leave a comment after this post so you can hover over my image and see what information comes up!Gravatar is FREE! And super easy to use. You'll notice that some of the people commenting on my blog have their own personalized photos - well! They use Gravatar too!I have been using Gravatar since it was created many, many moons ago (because I am old) and I am only promoting the service now because, as I said, I was very impressed with how they have grown. If you don't want some random creepy image next to your name when you comment - sign up for Gravatar! ;)