29 replies to this topic

[DarkyDan]

I always greenlist neowin, because they had that guilt trip "don't like ads, pay for a subscription" text under any surpressed banner. that was a classy way of getting me to turn their ads back on, they aren't particularly irritating either so that helps.

A lot of sites I find unrecognisable when I first install a browser and haven't installed an ad filtering plugin, it's rather insane on some sites.

I'm in two minds about it.. but if more 'quality' websites inobstrusively pleaded with me to re-enable ads for their benefit, I would do so.

[Julius Caro]

I rarely ever click on ads. 15 years of using the internet makes you immune to most ads. In the rare occasion that I'm interested in whatever the ads are showing, sure, I'll click. But most ads are shady as hell.

That said, I never block ads. I do block the sh*t out of flash though.

[Julius Caro]

Same I don't mind the Ad's I unblock Neowin from Time to time and click on a Few Ad's to help out.

But what I HATE...

Those Ad's with Sound.. I visited guildwars2guru the other day and had 2 or 3 playing all at the same time.
I Closed the Tab. and Installed Adblock+...

I also Emailed the Sites contact to let them know how bad my Esperance was. that to me was Unacceptable.

Btw I never received a Reply ..
I love Neowin. I normally Brose here with Ad's enabled.

ain't that basically click fraud?

[Shiranui]

Wow, I'm the only person so far who thinks it's unethical to use an ad blocker? Disappointing that so many people think that way. I guess it's just another sign of the entitlement generation who feel entitled to take anything they want for free, and provide absolutely nothing in return.

Yes, but do you read all ads on the page? Do you click on any of them? Do you purchase anything after having clicked on them?
If not, please alight from your confused ethical high horse.

[Shiranui]

ain't that basically click fraud?

Well, I was only half serious when suggesting the monthly clicking spree -- I certainly couldn't be bothered to do so -- but I suppose it would be.
One could argue, though, that someone making a point of clicking on ten ads might be more likely to buy something than one person "genuinely" clicking on an ad because they think they might be interested.

To be honest, the whole model is rather flawed, the chances of an ad appearing of something you want to buy, at the time you are interested in buying it and from the shop you would be prepared to buy it from, are slim indeed. Of course, there are always impulse buys.

[cork1958]

looks like the sentiment here is the same - to use an adblocker
but I do think I'll take Shiranui's tip and go on a clicking spree once a month or so

thanks again!

It's not sentiment, it's just plain logical

Should add, not only use an adblocker but a good host file too!

[theyarecomingforyou]

Wow, I'm the only person so far who thinks it's unethical to use an ad blocker? Disappointing that so many people think that way. I guess it's just another sign of the entitlement generation who feel entitled to take anything they want for free, and provide absolutely nothing in return.

I don't see how it's unethical to block something that you'd never click on. The last time I checked most ad services - including Google's - operate on a per-click basis, not per-view. I never click on ads, so there is no revenue loss resulting from my actions. More importantly, ads are incredibly intrusive (some even malicious) - before I relied on ad-blocking I would regularly encounter ads that would automatically play audio or block up my entire screen and not allow me to close them (they weren't designed for the browser I was using). Perhaps I'd feel bad if I didn't receive spam emails, spam SMS and phonecalls from random companies intruding upon my free time. Perhaps I'd feel bad if ad-blockers hadn't become necessary because of pop-under and pop-over ads, which at times were virtually impossible to close. Ad-blockers were a direct response to the ad industry and websites abusing users for profit. I don't feel bad about fast-forwarding through adverts on TV either.

Ads aren't the only way to financially support a website. Many - like Neowin - have subscriber perks and merchandise; others allow donations; some are subscriber only. As long as it remains profitable to operate a website despite some users using ad-blockers the ecosystem remains intact. Don't forget that many would consider a website like Neowin to be morally questionable, as by getting your news here that deprives the original content producer of the advertising revenue for visiting their site (ignoring the minority who click through to the original source). Is that not morally dubious?

[Boo Berry]

I use Adblock Plus for Firefox and Adguard for everything else (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Maxthon, etc.). Of course, I do selectively whitelist websites.

[LiquidCrystalMeth]

I rarely see ads.

I am also on a low bandwidth connection, so why should i have my connection used to serve obtrusive things i dont want to see. Ive never clicked on ad online, and i was using the net long before the web when gopher was the primary protocol. So ive avoided clicking on ads for a loooong time.

I have several layers of adblocking.

1) Squid - with ad and malware block lists
2) Admuncher - legal version i might ad
3) Adblock plus in Waterfox, on the rare event an ad makes it through Admuncher

[Ryoken]

Yes to both.

I use Adblock, I use TPL, and I also have a hosts file that blocks adds as well as other stuff system wide..

[Velox]

Yes, I will keep using them and keep trying to find ways of elimating ads that slip through. If I like the site I'm visiting and all that I'll just donate to the creators.

[Tha Bloo Monkee]

I'll consider not using adblockers the day advertising companies respect my privacy.

[THolman]

Yeah... I really hope you disable that for Neowin. Some of us are trying to make a living here

[Shiranui]

I always greenlist neowin, because they had that guilt trip "don't like ads, pay for a subscription" text under any surpressed banner.

Something tells me that Neowin would have preferred you to pay for a subscription.

[John S.]

Advertisement Blocking.
Glorifying the fact in posts here on Neowin is strictly forbidden. We understand that some members could not care less to display advertisements on any website, and therefore block a stream of revenue that is required to keep this site running. We can not do much about that but please do not glorify the fact.

We have a subscription package that professionally removes all advertisements from Neowin for a small annual fee. We never ask members to click advertisements, and for those that do; we greatly appreciate this. Simply allowing the advertisement to load (without clicking on it) also returns revenue for the site. If you feel that you can not whitelist Neowin or afford the subscription but would like to contribute, you are very welcome to donate via PayPal to subscribe@neowin.net and make a post here