i use my own icons to represent profile, edit, quote, etc. above each persons post.

in the regular forums, these are all lined up side by side.

but, in private messages, they are stacked 2x2 and look SO much better.

when they are side by side, they are squeezed in there and made a lot smaller.

even the messages are then lined up better, as a result. too bad we dont have the option to stack those icons in the forum.

many of my members are new to these types of online forums, and they did not understand what the default picture icons represented.

if we were able to make bigger ones, it would be better, but since the area is restricted to side by side viewing there is no chance of that, right?

interesting... one of my moderators told me her PM icons (above each post) are formatted just like in the forums... in a horizontal line.

must depend on the browser.

yep, depends on the browser