That's it, I'm out. The ADS ARE RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TREEMAN]

When I’m reading a post it is interrupted and moved away and replaced by an ad. Everything is constantly moving up and down without me touching anything.

 

[Logician]

Hasta la vista, baby!

 

[Coriu]

Annoying? Yes. But consider for a moment that SOMEBODY is spending their time and money to create, maintain run our little happy gathering place here at FL. Selling ad space is nearly EVERY website's way of covering their costs so WE, the users, don't get constantly solicited to contribute to help support the site. We all buy, sell and trade here, but unlike Ebay, the site gets nothing out of the deal. Speaking only for myself, I think it's a bit of a first-world problem to deal with annoying ads, so long as I get to hang out with many fine folks and discuss geeky things like the zippers on an A-2 jacket, or the correct sweatband in a fedora! Let's all check our pulses and take a sip of 75 year old single-malt, then approach this from a civilized angle. Really not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.

In the Stone Ages, in order to do what we do on this forum we might have to...
1. spend time and gas money driving to the library
2. spend money on long distance calls to vendors (yes young folks, calls weren't always "free")
3. spend massive amounts of time in the library reading books and, if you were lucky, looking at classified ads from newspapers from other parts of the country, searching for jackets for sale
...not to mention the money someone would likely spend going to movies and other forms of entertainment if they didn't have a forum like this to keep themselves amused

As you suggest, Fiver, we need to take a step and look at the big picture. In the grand scheme of things, the ads are a minor inconvenience.

 

[So33]

My daily reading of the Lounge became a struggle, thought it was my I-pad?
So, what to do?
I questioned my 30 something yrs. old kids who said I should go and get the latest edition I-pad.
So, I spend $1400. For one with all the gadgets.

Now, I get my unwanted ads at a tolerable speed, such that, I’m just a one count off time, clicking through the the threads, instead of a 3 count.

I think the people who do these adds use the best fastest computers with the best fastest internet connection.
Furthermore, I think “these people” should forced to beta test they’re creation surfing net with a first generation I-pad and dial-up connection.

 

[Frunobulax]

I remember a Blondie comic strip from several years ago. Dagwood is asking a guy what he does for a living.

Guy: "You know those ads that fall out of the magazine when you're trying to read it? I put those in there!"

Next frame is Dagwood strangling the man.

I don't think anybody begrudges a site like this ad revenue, but managing the customer experience is, as always, paramount. It doesn't do any good to load up the site with ads so that you drive your audience away. This "we used to have to go to the library" stuff is for the birds, as well. If the Lounge wants eyes on its pages, it needs to make the experience one that is attractive. In 2021, not 1965.

I think we should just give them some time to settle this out and see where we are. I'm surprised so many of you have just discovered AdBlocker plus!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I don't get it. Why bombard this forum with a new invasive ad program now and cause many to seek ad blockers or even leave the forum in disgust? What have you gained ??
HD

 

[jlee562]

I don't think anybody begrudges a site like this ad revenue, but managing the customer experience is, as always, paramount. It doesn't do any good to load up the site with ads so that you drive your audience away. This "we used to have to go to the library" stuff is for the birds, as well. If the Lounge wants eyes on its pages, it needs to make the experience one that is attractive. In 2021, not 1965.

I think we should just give them some time to settle this out and see where we are. I'm surprised so many of you have just discovered AdBlocker plus!

Yeah, that's the rub. I didn't mind the ad at the top of the page. I can even deal with the floating ads at the bottom. But ads in the middle of posts is too much.

I'd support a "contributing member" option if that's possible with this forum configuration.

 

[Coriu]

I remember a Blondie comic strip from several years ago. Dagwood is asking a guy what he does for a living.

Guy: "You know those ads that fall out of the magazine when you're trying to read it? I put those in there!"

Next frame is Dagwood strangling the man.

I don't think anybody begrudges a site like this ad revenue, but managing the customer experience is, as always, paramount. It doesn't do any good to load up the site with ads so that you drive your audience away. This "we used to have to go to the library" stuff is for the birds, as well. If the Lounge wants eyes on its pages, it needs to make the experience one that is attractive. In 2021, not 1965.

I think we should just give them some time to settle this out and see where we are. I'm surprised so many of you have just discovered AdBlocker plus!

When somebody invites me over for a free dinner, I don't consider myself a customer. I don't complain about it or tell them what they need to do to make the experience better. If I am paying, that's a different story.

I have a friend who runs a site just like this for sports. He charges no fees for people to participate in forums. He occasionally asked for donations, but had little success, even after many said they would do so(talk is cheap). One day he introduced an ad program like this and the members went bonkers. He helped educate me about how much work and expense it involves to run a site like this. Most folks have no clue. He confided in me that he felt offended by the forum members who bashed him for the "excessive" ads. His insights gave me a different perspective.

 

[Raybuntu]

Here are my 2 cents on the matter. In fact I like using adblock techniques too. The problem is that most sites are using aggressive ads same as the forum now apparently.

This is understandable because it generates the quickest and highest revenue. The problem is that more and more people switch to adblock which cuts of websites completely from income. I think this is a self inflicted destiny by websites. I would suggest tuning it down because nowadays using an adblocker is very easy. Also I get when you go to a newspaper website that they provide "free" content by using tracking and advertising.

But a forum lives off of content the community provides. There are hosting expenses for sure and I don't know how much vendors are paying here but this forum is nothing without it's great community that is providing content, knowledge and keeping discussions alive.

Also most of those clickbaiting ads that are shown in some posts in this thread are very dangerous. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are stolen from mainly elderly people each year by tech or refund scams that highly rely on these ads. Please reconsider.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

In the Stone Ages, in order to do what we do on this forum we might have to...
1. spend time and gas money driving to the library
2. spend money on long distance calls to vendors (yes young folks, calls weren't always "free")
3. spend massive amounts of time in the library reading books and, if you were lucky, looking at classified ads from newspapers from other parts of the country, searching for jackets for sale
...not to mention the money someone would likely spend going to movies and other forms of entertainment if they didn't have a forum like this to keep themselves amused

As you suggest, Fiver, we need to take a step and look at the big picture. In the grand scheme of things, the ads are a minor inconvenience.

Hey...this sounds a lot like how i got my college degree.
I wonder if today’s intelligentsia on-line PhD crowd is beseeched by adds run amuck or if yesterday’s reference desk librarian is today’s errr...Google.
B

Question...Has anybody ever, i mean EVER bought anything from those usurper adds?? WTF

 

[jglf]

When somebody invites me over for a free dinner, I don't consider myself a customer. I don't complain about it or tell them what they need to do to make the experience better. If I am paying, that's a different story.

I have a friend who runs a site just like this for sports. He charges no fees for people to participate in forums. He occasionally asked for donations, but had little success, even after many said they would do so(talk is cheap). One day he introduced an ad program like this and the members went bonkers. He helped educate me about how much work and expense it involves to run a site like this. Most folks have no clue. He confided in me that he felt offended by the forum members who bashed him for the "excessive" ads. His insights gave me a different perspective.

I believe most members would be fine with ads at the top and bottom of pages. The problem here is that they are popping up everywhere and impeding viewing, left, right , up, down, middle of posts, splitting screen, etc...

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

When somebody invites me over for a free dinner, I don't consider myself a customer. I don't complain about it or tell them what they need to do to make the experience better. If I am paying, that's a different story.

Excellent analogy....and by extension if during dinner a neighbor barged in and battered you with questions about random topics of zero interest to the point you couldn’t eat you food, that would be just fine and you would look forward to the next free dinner.
True, we pay nothing for our meal here but expressing frustration is one of the courses.
I’ll just wait for the neighbor to leave, again.
B

 

[Rabbit]

Wow, the latest development is really something. I used to login via a glass browser out of laziness but will revert back to the usual extensions etc., the combination of which turns practically every website ad-free.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Adblocker Plus installed and working its magic. All is again right with the world.

I am going to miss those Chicme ads.

 

[Coriu]

Excellent analogy....and by extension if during dinner a neighbor barged in and battered you with questions about random topics of zero interest to the point you couldn’t eat you food, that would be just fine and you would look forward to the next free dinner.
True, we pay nothing for our meal here but expressing frustration is one of the courses.
I’ll just wait for the neighbor to leave, again.
B

I used to work with an IT guy who would work ungodly hours while being paid for 40 hours per week. While he was busting his tails behind the scenes, neglecting his family, fellow employees would be blowing up their emails and talking at the water cooler berating the IT department. He took it very personally.

Similarly, there might be someone behind the scenes on this website who is busting their tail working "free" OT and trying to do the right thing so that we can enjoy our little aversion. I try to remember that any time I want to complain, because I have been in that same situation. It ain't fun.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I just installed Adblocker Plus. Solved the ad problem. Try it...you'll like it !!
HD

 

[Frunobulax]

Excellent analogy....and by extension if during dinner a neighbor barged in and battered you with questions about random topics of zero interest to the point you couldn’t eat you food, that would be just fine and you would look forward to the next free dinner.
True, we pay nothing for our meal here but expressing frustration is one of the courses.
I’ll just wait for the neighbor to leave, again.
B

Exactly. While I appreciate the dinner, if I have to be subjected to things that make the dinner less palatable, I'll stop coming over.

 

[belfastboy]

In the Stone Ages, in order to do what we do on this forum we might have to...
1. spend time and gas money driving to the library
2. spend money on long distance calls to vendors (yes young folks, calls weren't always "free")
3. spend massive amounts of time in the library reading books and, if you were lucky, looking at classified ads from newspapers from other parts of the country, searching for jackets for sale
...not to mention the money someone would likely spend going to movies and other forms of entertainment if they didn't have a forum like this to keep themselves amused

As you suggest, Fiver, we need to take a step and look at the big picture. In the grand scheme of things, the ads are a minor inconvenience.

I agree. Moving to a 'subscription' model is not the answer as that would eliminate so many 'hat curious' folks or lurkers and tighten the circle. Perhaps there is a subscription model that offers tiers of service that would allow the curious a lengthy time to hang out. Perhaps, posting questions, classifieds for subscribers, but the lurkers could have access to the posts.....or somesuch. I am willing to pay if the model could be as inclusive as possible.

 

[RossRYoung]

Ad Blockers, DuckDuckGo browser, or not being signed in all seem to eliminate ads. The not being signed in part is my daily ritual using my work computer, so sneaky!

 

[Zombie_61]

...Question...Has anybody ever, i mean EVER bought anything from those usurper adds?? WTF

I'm curious about this as well. I'm sure there's a certain percentage of "not being completely honest", but almost everyone I know says they refuse to shop via online pop-up ads simply because those ads are so annoying, even if the ad is for something they're interested in.