Zipper,
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... oh wait, let me start over.
Years ago ECF allowed animated avatars (I think likely because they just didn't think to NOT allow them). AFAIK I was the first ECFer to have an animated avatar (though 2-3 other people followed suit shortly thereafter). Back then to have an animated avatar you had to be a Supporting Member and it was one of the benefits of becoming one (and I was one back when the economy was good).
I took a 16 month ECF "vacation" and uppon my return came to find out that animated avatars weren't allowed anymore (I don't believe even for Supporting Members). Well, this just would NOT do as my avatar is who I am and so I set out to restore The Tongue®.
This was right at the time AngusATAT stepped down (or was he pushed?

) as Forum Manager and OldSoldier took over. So Angus couldn't do it for me (and the compromising photos I have of Angus became useless!) and I had never spoken to OldSoldier (gotta admit, he is sorta scary!). So instead I contacted Rolygate, one of the 2 owners of ECF (along with SmokeyJoe). I knew Roly from my pre-vacation days and through threats and intimidation I convince him to consider allowing me my avatar back.
Roly got all the mods together and they voted on whether or not to make an exception and allow me to have it, and while the vote was very close, I did prevail! So I'm allowed to have it but it took OldSoldier to actually change my settings, which is why I can't change it for fear of losing it forever! I used to switch it up every so often (though I still stuck with The Tongue®) but now without OldSoldier's help I'm afraid that any attempt by me to change it will result in it not working.
So long story short, animated avatars add
very slightly to load times, and they can be distracting so I don't see ECF allowing them much. If they were to ECF could quickly turn into the MySpace of ecig forums (and there's enough of those out there already!).
If you REALLY want to pursue it, I'd start by buttering up OldSoldier with tons of praise and adulation (he's a sucker for being called "sexy"!). Then, after 2-3 years of constant sucking up, you MIGHT have a chance! (or you could just ask him, worse he could say is "no" and then permenantly ban you from ECF for bothering him!)
