Again with the borders... I find that avatars without borders are far more visually pleasing in general. It makes then look less small.
But, I do not. D: They draw too much attention, even if they are done well. Specifically with avatars, it is more about defining the one who uses it than just making a work of art with me, though that is important in itself. Also, what size are these? They look a bit big for most forums these days...