I'd say that the avatar pic is clearly part of their personality or what they like.  However, the way they express themselves through writing is also important, even when English is not their native language, like mine is not; but the idea they are expressing is a mirror of their personality.  "That can be faked" An old friend of mine told me a few weeks ago.  I'd say that yes, but for how long?  So I guess only time will really say something about a member, and sometimes chatting sessions and why not an oc session now and then.   

I think the old saying "you can't judge a book by it's cover" as OPUS has said, applies here.

Well, I'm sure I've been classified as a scary or dark person before having met me (not here, I don't think ) Yes, I do like hard rock and metal, yes I do like skulls and bats and spiders; but I'm actually a polite and caring person. (at least I hope I am... ) I just like more scary things that most people do.

A persons taste in things doesn't always reflect that they're evil, mean, annoying or stupid. Everyone is different.

Usually, I check their hobbies and interests, taste in music, specific style in humor, that sort of stuff. But because LTS doesn't have custom profiles like that, I read into their posts alot more, try to figure out what they might be like.

But sometimes, a persons style in writing stories, drawing and art style can reflect on what they're like.
Are they random when it comes to humor? Are they more mature?
Usually, time can tell you what kind of a person they might be. After getting to know them and spending more time around them of course. 

In most of the cases, I judge the member on their first messages. If it's something really unusual and interesting, the member is very promising. If the first post is something like "hi im new her plz clink on my forum", then meh...

I also like very much when a member ends their posts with proper punctuation marks. That shows that a person didn't write his post in a rush. Although, I tend myself to end my posts with smiley instead. One of my bad habits.

I find it very hard to judge a person until i have had a probper char with them, a forum in some ways can ber inpersonal due to the non-live aspect of conversion (is others it can be the opposite).

Avatars and such cannot often tell the background of the person, I often pick random pictures. My signatures dont say all that much about me. After reading my way through the forums i can get a few ideas about people, but its not a complete picture for me. I see Dags point about proper punctuation ect, but look at me. I have become typo king. Yet I still try and think about my replies, however absolutely, posts should be well formed, understandabl;e and not the certain one liner... "yeah i agree" type posts

This is one reason why I think making LTS chat room was an invaluable desision, I have learned a lot more and some unexpected things about the people who i chat one to one too.

I think it would make the forum more "intimate" if more people could chat, but I understand this is not for everyone or time factors ect.

I think that the only possible way to try to tell any thing about a member would be their posts. For example, my posts are usually long and I write the way that I speak. Signatures may be interesting, but not neccesarily a good way to judge a member. Mine is Llama llama duck. It has no real relevence, it is just a song on the internet. I am not a care free person as my signatures may suggest, but that is not an interesting story. But, it is still not a good idea to judge members by all of this.

ametur_poet
That's what I was kind of getting at by making this thread. Sometimes, subconsciously, I judge people by their sig and avatar. I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover Although it's unintentional, and just sort of happens. Of course once I get to know them better, I read their posts rather than their profile.

Anyway, I was mildly curious if anyone else was like that.

Heh, I can somewhat relate to that. I've been mistaken for a girl in quite a lot of forums as well, maybe because of my Lisa avatar, and probably also because people (in the US in particular) thought that "Andreas" is more or less the same as "Andrea".

Heck, I've been mistaken for a girl too usually because of the AwwLilMaggie name I had. But I then have to post my real name to correct them.

I've since changed my name which eliminates that problem.

Hm... It's interesting topic. What about me, the most popular nickname which I use is user... or guest.  I think, that people don't like such nicks: they are not friendly or nice or,  maybe, names at all. But I've never try to think about other ways to introduce myself. (Login for LTS was only a good email address, which people, who know me, don't forget.) So, nickname for me isn't important. - it's like an id.  But I have met with people, who like, when  they called by nicks... someone didn't tell me his real name.

And I don't use avatars.  In my opinion, pictures, which you find in internet aren't original and can't say anything. (So, make it yourself =) .) But they can give pleasure to you and another. (For me, I can't find any pictures, what I want to use as avatar). But if avatar can be only nice picture for owner, can we take it seriously? - We can judge tastes of the person only. So, avatar isn't important too.  Such opinion about subscriptions. 

You are right, when you estimate the person under his messages. But the first of them very often aren't as good, as they can be. In the first time people should get used to conditions. So, true opinion  about the person, can be found only some time later, after you can speak with him.... and in real life, when nickname and avatar are not so important...

I find the avartor and signature practical.

1. I wasn’t able to use exactly the same name on Deviant Art. So I hope people recognize me by the avartor.
2. On some forums I am sort of like a ghost, only posting occasionally.

Sometimes people put something in there signature that tells something about them, but in most cases I don’t think you can learn that much about a person by there signature.