CDRLabs.com

I get this popup message every time I go into the forums...running FireFox. I close it, it opens again...sometimes five times, when I'm trying to navigate, this is a real pain.

I know it's not a true plug-in, but I'd think the ads would be far less annoying and not ad/spyware oriented. Ian, who does this ad?

the ads can be very annoying in this site, but hey revenue has to come from somewhere

Hox, I totally agree on the revenue thing.

That said, popups like this one are the ones I tell every user I'm an admin for to suspect, and to suspect every site that carries them in any way. I am fine with ads, but this one gives me pause in several ways:

1. It doesn't show a product that is truly being advertised, always raises a
red flag for me.
2. It mimics what a lot of adware/spyware programs do, encouraging a
user to do something as if it were an operating system/browser
message, while not being up front about what it IS going to do.
3. If I dismiss the ad, it continues to pop up again and again, even if I
just sit at the screen and do nothing, no page refresh, etc. I can't
even close the browser window if this popup is open, as it steals focus.
Most reasonable popup ads will close and go away when I tell `em to.


I have no issues with ads. A site can't operate without revenue. I haven't griped about the "Win A Free Vacation" or whatever baloon popup that comes when I enter the forum. I just think this one is a bad one, and would encourage this site to talk to the people who put this one up.

The Adblock extension is VERY handy for those running FireFox.
http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#adblock

Markz2k wrote:The Adblock extension is VERY handy for those running FireFox.
http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#adblock

Yes, and it puts websites like CDRLabs out of business. What do you think pays our hosting costs? The money tree in my backyard?

Hey Ian, can you mail me one of the seeds form your Money Tree? I've been looking for one around here, but alas, they seem to be on the endangered list.

Markz2k wrote:The Adblock extension is VERY handy for those running FireFox.
http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#adblock

I only use Adblock if I find an ad that is trying to trace back and keep tabs on me with a tracking cookie, or if a site uses a Shockwave ad that spikes Firefox to 100% CPU usage (happened on HardOCP awhile back when mediaplex had some funky ads going on in the forums).

Free sites like this need to make money to at least pay the bills to stay up, and hopefully a little more than that so those operating the site can survive. I understand their need for revenue, and so rather than block ads, I raised concerns about one ad that I felt was misleading (not on the part of CDRLabs, but on the part of the company supplying the site with ads) in a manner that any techie could equate with some of the spyware type of ads that prey on people by scaring them into something. The ad was removed. If they replaced it with another ad, that's all well and good, and I'm fine with it.

I understand the need for ads to provide revenue to keep the site going. But, I use adblock on many sites, (Including HardOCP). For me, having a bunch of flash, or animated .GIF ads, blinking away on the page, distracts me to the point I can't read the content that attracted me to the site in the first place. So, my choices are either block the ads, or don't visit the site.

We all know users that are, shall we say, less than technically proficient, and will click on anything attractive to them, with no regard for the consequences. Since I'm the one who'll be called to clean up the spyware/adware-infested mess, I configure their systems with protection from adware/spyware.

Since it seems even the site operators (like Ian) have minimal control over the ad-content placed on their site, it's just safer to block it. (Especially for those users who are still running IE)

Ian I hate those IE plugins(they are very annoying) and I thought you were above using them.
I will never visit your website again!

burninfool wrote:Ian I hate those IE plugins(they are very annoying) and I thought you were above using them.
I will never visit your website again!

He doesn't control what his add provider gives him... although he can probably make requests to have certain ads removed. I doubt Ian likes those types of Ads any more then you or I do.

You might want to try not jumping the gun so quickly...

burninfool wrote:Ian I hate those IE plugins(they are very annoying) and I thought you were above using them.
I will never visit your website again!

Whatever... Idle threats. I know you can't stay away from JamieW. He's as sexy as Boy George.

Seriously, I do have some control over the ads.. but this damn ad keeps sneaking in under other names. I've removed it (again).

I know you guys hate ads, but websites like this aren't free. Like it or not, they pay the bills.

Ian, have you ever considered arranging a "tip jar", PayPal account or something of the kind?

dodecahedron wrote:Ian, have you ever considered arranging a "tip jar", PayPal account or something of the kind?

I've thought about it. It would be interesting to see if anyone donated. Aside from a few of you die hards.. I doubt it.

burninfool wrote:Ian I hate those IE plugins(they are very annoying) and I thought you were above using them.
I will never visit your website again!

Dude, did you see when I originally posted ths? Check the date. This thread started October 4 of last year, and was acted on in about 48 hours if I remember right.

Ian's content provider feeds him the ads; he doesn't pick them. As said, I'm sure he has the right to object to some (so he doesn't have ads for hamster pr0n or something, for example ) so that one may be removed if it poses a problem. I posted a concern; he acted on it. Seems pretty responsible to me.

Of course, I may just be responding to extreme sarcasm...