I find this decicion that new members are not allowed avatars very weird. I just cannot see any bases of it. Avatars are important part of forming our online identity and new members joinig in may feel it very important as they have almoust nothing else to lean on. It's like in everyday life, the first impression makes a lot of difference.
Setting up some post ammount that you need to achive to order to get these privileges is bit hazardious as it will couse posting rallyes and lots of useless oneliners as people want to achive the "status" of real membership as fast as possiple. I remembering that we made unanimous decision to forbid posting rallyes and useless postings for some status in mind? This regulation against avatars and PM features is bit in conflict in that decision.
So making these decisions with out informing us mods is also bit hazardious and I fear that we might end up like in the keypublishingforum, where local webmaster destroyed two popular subforums whitout any notice to mods that usually have to deal whit the members inqueryes and fustrations.
I'm sorry to "open" in publicly like this, but i think this limitations of new members privilegs should be discussed openly, let all have their obinions been heard...