Ok, after a lot of frustration and trial and error, I finally figured out how to get my own personal avatar. So I've decided to write a how-to guide for others, who, like me, are somewhat hopeless with computers (Note: I use Netscape as my Browser).
Step 1: Use your favourite search engine to search for 'Free Avatars' on the internet. When you find an image that you like, right-click on it to bring up its dialog box. Left-click on 'Properties' to find out if the image is the right size for this forum (80 x 80 pixels or less). If it is the right size, then go back to the dialog box and left-click on 'Copy Image Location'( for Netscape user's) or 'Copy Shortcut' ( for Internet Explorer user's) then leave the site.
Now load up this site and open 'My Home' to edit your personal information. In the space where it asks for the 'URL to your picture', left-click on the space and backspace out any information that is already entered there.
Now go to the toolbar at the very top of your 'Browser' window (where it says File, Edit, View, Bookmarks ect) left-click on 'Edit' then left-click 'Paste' and the address of the image you chose should be pasted into the space provided. Click the 'Submit' button and when you return to your main page you should see your new avatar.
Step 2: If the image you want is too large for the forum, then things are a little more complicated. Right-click on the image to bring up its dialog box. Then left-click 'save image as', give it a catchy name that you'll remember and download it to your own computer.
I usually choose to save image files in 'My documents', but where-ever you choose to save it, just remember where it is and it's name, so that you can find it again.
Step 3: Now you'll need an 'Image Editor' to change the size of the image and then re-save it at the new size. You can download a FREE image editor from this link
http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/ just scroll down the page and follow the instructions on 'How to Install'.
Step 4: Now you have to get your picture on the web! If you don't already have your own web page, then go to something like
http://www.boomspeed.com/ that offers free web space. Sign up for a free account (note; the site asks you to provide personal information such as your name, address, phone number ect. But you don't have to provide any of this to get an account, all it needs is your email and first name) and then upload your picture from your computer onto your new web page. To do this, click one of the 'Browse' buttons, this will open a window to your computers folders. Change the 'Look In' box at the top of the window to the folder where you saved your image (such as 'My Documents'). Click on the name of your image to select it, then click 'Open'. The name of your picture should now appear in the 'My Files' box at the top of the page. Just click on this name to load your picture. When it appears, right-click on the image and follow the instructions exactly the same way as you did in Step 1.
Best of luck to you
If anybody knows of a better or simpler way please post your suggestions. I'm still fairly new to computers and really don't have much of a clue! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />