New Ads (on Mudcat)

Subject: New Ads
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 02:51 PM

New ads make my screen flicker, and my cursor disappears to be replaced by a capital 'I' symbols, for a few seconds.
Never mind, as soon as I get used to this new addition, I expect the fucking pop-ups will have arrived.

Subject: RE: New Ads
From: frogprince
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 03:58 PM

Uh-huh; I was thinking that our DSL was bogged down, and then noticed that it seemed to be tied to those ads.

Subject: RE: New Ads
From: Smedley
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:01 PM

Yes, my 'big arrow' cursor goes epileptic for a few seconds while the ads load.

But if it helps the Mudcat pay its way I guess we will learn to live with it. It's not as if the ads are for nuclear weapons or Sarah Palin or anything like that.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:19 PM

What's with the new ads showing up at the top of each thread? I don't like that at all; it makes Mudcat look really commercial.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: gnu
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:31 PM

Well, I doubt it will change The Café at all. After all, Max is still in charge.

If it changes and I don't like it, I will leave.

I have donated a fair bit of coin to The Café over the past ten years and I don't begrudge one penny. As of late, I haven't had much coin. Seems not a lot of other peeps had much either... over the past ten years... hence the ads.

Your mileage may vary.

I have faith in Max. Even tho my faith don't matter squat. He owns it and he can do what he likes. Personally, I like what he does. Not every little thing, but, overall, I think he has done well.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:32 PM

"Yes, my 'big arrow' cursor goes epileptic for a few seconds while the ads load."

Mine too, hops all over the place, to the point where I can't look at it. Migraine inducing for some folks I'd think...

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:36 PM

I was taken aback at first. But some of the ads are hilarious in the context of the thread they appear over. Maybe we need to document this for posterity.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: artbrooks
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 05:25 PM

Well, I must confess that, while I had heard that Mudcat has ads, my ad blocker kills them all before I ever get to see them. Am I missing much?

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 05:31 PM

They're only on the BS threads I think.

Spaw

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 05:48 PM

What I notice (using an ad blocker) is that pages sometimes never seem to finish loading; fortunately, I don't get the ads. The Amazon "suggestions" (which do pass my ad filter) are bad enough--more stuff like that and the silly networking popup that pops up when it's not wanted (and often doesn't have sense to go away), and I'm outie. I can't recall a time when I've ever followed a banner ad, but the modern ethic apparently is "It's okay to bother millions to reel in a handful of suckers."

There is a legal ramification, as well. The presence of ads means Mudcat has become a full-on commercial site, jeopardizing its "educational" status. It's only a matter of time before all the pirated, copyrighted lyrics here become fodder for a hefty lawsuit.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 05:49 PM

Yep. just on BS threads. If they help pay the bills, fine.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 06:27 PM

"There is a legal ramification, as well. The presence of ads means Mudcat has become a full-on commercial site, jeopardizing its "educational" status."

How? The ads are only on the BS portion of the forum.

Spaw

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 07:06 PM

I guess if it's only in the BS and they help pay the bills.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: michaelr
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 08:11 PM

Not just in BS - I just got an Amazon ad on the Snows thread. Doesn't bother me much but could be a slippery slope.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 08:45 PM

Like artbrooks, I don't see the ads in my 'usual' browser(s). I use the Proxomitron.....I did notice them in a new browser I was testing.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 10:42 PM

I guess I'll have to do that, too, BillD. I just took another look and I really do not like them. Way too commercial to see them right above the posting box and at the head of a thread.

Now, who said what in this thread to garner an ad below for "Hot Singles Have Arrived- Hot and Sexy Gay Men Here. Sign up! Find Gay Dating, Friendship or More!"

'pose they are talking about the "new" armed forces?:-)

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 10:59 PM

I expect computers to do strange things.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Melissa
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 11:10 PM

I kept seeing an ad about writing a Folger's jingle ($25,000) and thought it would be a hoot if Mudcat was strongly represented in the judging..hoped this thread was a display of 'slightly off' efforts for the competition.

Max appears to be a pretty bright guy. I doubt there's much danger in having gadgety ads on the site even if they are ugly and distracting while they're new to us.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Beer
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 07:02 AM

Was going to pass on this thread until I opened "Arsenal Were Robbed" by MtheGM this morning. Then at the top I have an invite to meet some young chick that had a fine looking cleavage. Nah!! I'm to old for that. Probably would kill me. Then I go to read what MtheGm has to say and here is another advertisement in the area where the member typed he.his message.
I'm sorry, but this I did find annoying. In fact I didn't bother reading the whole message because of this. Sorry MtheGm.

Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Beer
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 07:03 AM

Meant to say "there at the top".
also "her/his message"

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 07:08 AM

If you click on the little logo 'Privacy Info' you can read Amazon's words of wisdom about these pop-ups.
For those who can't be bothered to do that, I shall quickly summarise the contents.
Basically it says, if you don't like it, you can fucking well lump it!

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Beer
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 07:11 AM

Hahahaha! thanks for the morning laugh John.
ad.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 05:29 AM

I am seriously thinking of joining Susan [ WYSIWYG ], in giving up the BS threads, but not just for Lent.
This flickering and slowed down loading really is a pain in the arse!

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 12:12 PM

I've got a fairly good connection, so the majority of the ads don't seem to affect me enough to grumble about.

The one I do find very annoying is the "Share" button added to the box at the bottom of the thread, just above the Reply box, since that one pops up a little menu if you just accidentally pass across it on your way to the Reply box.

If it would close when you move off it, as it's supposed to do, it wouldn't be much of a problem; but in some cases it doesn't go away, and obscures what you're trying to enter into a reply.

Someone may have worked this, as the location seems to have changed (or maybe it just wanders around) and on this thread it closes when I move off it. I've been deliberately avoiding getting close to it (which I don't like being forced to do) so I haven't observed very recent behavior to see if it has changed.

Some other sites have so many of these "popover" things that it can be almost impossible to read anything, so I guess the one here isn't too bad.

John

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 12:21 PM

Mudcat continues to be a free service we all take advantage of. Max I suspect dislikes this as much as some of us do but money requirements are a fact of life.

How much are each of you willing to pay for membership? Maybe we can get rid of the pop ups.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 12:26 PM

I will probably download Proxomitron, but I still do not like them being there. There is so much commercialism all over the internet, on the radio, tv, print media...sometimes we don't even notice it, there is so much, BUT because of the history of Mudcat, they stick out like a sore thumb and I find them offensive.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 12:29 PM

Because I use The Proxomitron, the 'share' button is only a text, and does nothing. (I do have to remember which browser I'm in)

Right now, I have only Firefox set to be 'open' to all the ads, cookies, javascripts, pop-ups...etc... which seem to be require to access YouTube and see various download sites. If I am in Opera, and I want to view a YouTube video, I just open Firefox.

(It is possible, with lots of tweaking, to set site preferences individually and control cookies & javascripts, but it takes a lot of effort...which the ad people no doubt know.)

"...if you don't like it, you can fucking well lump it!
So THEY say!

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 01:20 PM

Done my share of fund raising, and donating to Mudcat, Mary.
Can't afford $1000 a time though.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 05:23 PM

I have been forced to constrain another browser's free access to show ads in Mudcat, as I was finding 15-20 second delays as Ama**n.com loaded up to 100 links at the side and/or bottom. I don't know their algorithm, but it went from 1-2 links from Google to huge banks of them from Ama**n. I was concerned I had a browser problem until I scrolled down and saw blue-clicky stuff loading.

I see why, Max... sort of... but this is overkill.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: ranger1
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 10:18 AM

To be honest, they really don't bother me at all. Compared to other sites I belong to, they're pretty unobtrusive. In terms of what I get FOR FREE from this site, I can put up with them just fine.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 10:22 AM

Ad Block Plus in Firefox. Never seen an add on Mudcat ever.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 10:58 AM

I first noticed the adverts in the most recent Curmudgeon update thread. Because cancer is in the title of thread, the adverts were about coping with cancer books from Amazon and some Airline advertising travelling for medical treatment.

This I did find a bit off putting and inappropriate.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:28 AM

Thank you, Peter! Took just a few seconds and now no ads. Appreciate it!

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Max
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:32 AM

I agree with all of you.

Looming layoffs at work have made me ponder.

BS threads only.

Working on non-members only too.

70% of our hits are hit-and-run. Trying to figure out how to monetize them without pissing you off.

I haven't been in a BS thread since the 90s.
Never, EVER, popups. Ever.

Be patient.

Trust me.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:37 AM

I usually just keep the TV on when commercials are on because they really aren't a big deal. Some are actually interesting. OTOH, there is one company that has ads that I find so fucking annoying that I'll mute the TV or turn the thing off completely.

Not only will I never do business with that company (yes, I remember their name, but it's not a good thing), but I miss ads that follow theirs.

I got to that point with ads here. I don't mind some, and I still get the Google ads at the bottom, but the flashy 'A-word' ones are toast (on this computer, at least), and pages load a lot faster.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:37 AM

Yikes! I'll sit on my hands, now, Max, except to say I spoke too soon. Firefox is still allowing the ads. *Sigh*

Take care and best of luck with job etc.

AND, Thanks!!

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:45 AM

Yikes! I'll sit on my hands, now, Max, except to say I spoke too soon. Firefox is still allowing the ads. *Sigh*


Try right clicking the adds and add them to blocked list in Ad block plus.

I have the following blocked :

http://mudcat.org/shopImages/*

I also have google adds and various other add sites blocked and rarely see any adds in any site at all. I don't know how these latter apply to Mudcat.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:45 AM

Well I seem to have got rid of mine with that Ad Block. Mudcat hasn't loaded as fast as this for me in ages. I hope it continues

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:48 AM

You can also (in Firefox) go to view and click Adblock plus blockable items so you can see what items on a page can be blocked and select from the list those you don't want to see in future.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 11:49 AM

I am back in to say, I don't mind the ads except where it seemed inappropriate.

I am all for, MadMax making money on this venture. He has certainly earned it.

Subject: RE: New Ads (on Mudcat)
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 12:28 PM

All blocked now.
You can subscribe to a list that blocks known ads, but you can disable blocks for sites whose ads you want to see.