Just announced: Gravatar 2 has been released as public beta.
Gravatar was created by Tom Werner back in 2004 to provide a "Globally Recognised Avatar" from your email address, so that the same avatar image can be shown on blogs and content management systems that use Gravatar. It has grown in huge popularity over the last two years, and you will probably see it implemented on every other blogs you visit.
However because of its popularity, the system was always under heavy load which sometimes make blog sites using it almost unusable. The problem worsen in late 2006 — to a point that Tom has to close the registration system to prevent more signups, while he was working on the new revamped version.
Gravatar 2 was announced last month when Tom re-opened the website, however the registration was still closed. The fans were waiting, and a few have defected to other systems. But finally, the secret has been revealed today, and the Gravatar 2 beta has been released to everyone. You can now go there and sign up a gravatar, to have your picture displayed on web sites that use it.
Hmm. Not really a bargain. And what does it have anything to do with OzBargain?
OzBargain has been using Gravatar to power the avatar of each user right from the beginning. That is the picture you see right next to your name when you submit a new bargain, or a slightly larger picture next to the comments youu post. Currently, you will probably see a picture of a question mark there — that's probably because you don't have a gravatar. Sign up (using the same email address you used here), upload your picture and you should be able to see your own unique avatar here within 12 hours.
Now, I am pretty sick of seeing my own picture there on the front page. Go, get a gravatar and come back to post some great deals :)
Yes boss! :)