General Forum - RE: Is avatar upload live yet? - Page 2

Can I recommend you read this?

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2010/03/why-ad-blocking-is-devastating-to-the-sites-you-love.ars

(Also if you think the advertising this site generates covers its costs, you have no idea how much this site costs to run)


Editor
DVD REVIEWER
MYREVIEWER.COM

"The Green Belt policy is a Labour Policy, and we intend to Build on it"
John Prescott

If you read a site and care about its well being, then you should not block ads (or you subscribe to sites like Ars that offer ads-free versions of the site).

wasn't that among many ideas discussed ages ago? I guess a problem could be that there could be a huge difference in numbers between those who said they would pay for an ad free version and those that actually would.

I think advertising has become a necessary evil, but the style of adverts has become a vicious circle.

static adverts like in newspapers/magazine aren't as eye catching, but years ago when I started using the internet (must be about nearly 15 years ago) I never thought about blocking ads, as they weren't in the way, intrusive, and annoying.

Now they're "in your face", flashing, annoying and obtrusive, to get attention, I feel the need to block them.

If I'm at work not using my machine (so no adblocking capabale browser) and I come to dvd reviewer/gamespot/ign, other sites with annoying ads, I usually last 1 or 2 pages before I've had enough, and give up surfing with IE.

Wikipedia and my work's webmail are probably the only sites I read by choice in IE now!

I'm sure this issue comes up all the time, and I guess there isn't really a happy solution for everyone.

Quote:
(Also if you think the advertising this site generates covers its costs, you have no idea how much this site costs to run)
Well stop bathing in Bolly then.

Ste
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We will pay the price but we will not count the cost..

Admars - not sure if you've heard of them, but there's some guys who make "PortableApps" - which are versions of various applications that can be run without installation (i.e. from a flash drive etc.)
That's worth a look if you're stuck with IE6 (like I am!) at work.
portableapps.com/

I've done this for Firefox - and it's stored on my personal network drive at work.
It means no admin rights needed. All plugins (except Flash which you have to hack around with) seem to work.

Rob - it might be an idea to ask for contributions towards running costs from members if the ads aren't paying enough for it all. Given that there are quite a few regulars on here who probably wouldn't mind contributing a few quid here and there it might help with the 50p's for the meter.

Personally I never use adblocking software, although on my old laptop I used to use something to block Flash unless I clicked on it because two tabs worth of adverts was enough to ramp the CPU to 100%.

But I don't really find them the mass distraction others seem to, you just tune the ones that aren't of any interest to you out after a while. Obviously if you use adblocking software all the time, and suddenly turn it off, you are going to OMG, but I bet if you give it a week you'll soon tune most of it out yourself.

Some sites really have a heck of a lot of advertising, I don't think we're too bad. But the big catch 22 is the more people who block ads, the lower the revenue generated from them is, and the more you have to cram on a page to cover your costs.

I've never really felt comfortable with the idea of soliciting donations, but have considered at various times a small subscription which in turn disables all ads. The big question is what would people be prepared to pay? And should they get something a bit more than just no ads? If so what could we offer?


Editor
DVD REVIEWER
MYREVIEWER.COM

"The Green Belt policy is a Labour Policy, and we intend to Build on it"
John Prescott

Miles - cheers, yeh we use some virtual apps to stop installs interfering, and I've got portable app of firefox, but if I can, I just RDP to my machine if that desperate as I'm an administrator anyway.

Sorry Rob, never got around to responding to your message about donations etc. Just remembered reading it though.

Why not open a message to all members to offer contributions? I'm sure the regulars here trust you enough to not spend it on other things (loose women, fast cars etc. )
If the DVDReviewer community (and it is a community really) needs support then I'm sure we can provide it to keep it alive and well.

Quote:
fast cars etc.You trying to pimp yer TT again?

Jimbo : oÞ

"Making Teenagers depressed is like shooting fish inna barrel"

Damn, was it that obvious?