I originally got into this website because of the columns, years and years ago. I think I found this place 12 years ago, lurked for a long time, posted a bunch, then lurked again. But through it all I’ve been reading the columns, at least a couple every week.
The recent changes to advertising pissed me off, but I understood why you did it. I get it. You need revenue. I can get behind that. So I’ve dealt with the popups, the redirects, the popUNDERS, and all the rest of the trash.
But today I got the ad that broke the camel’s back. One of your ads downloaded and launched a pdf file on my computer, on its own, without me clicking anything.
I know that this seems like a minor thing to get upset over, but I do not. Go. On. Websites. That download things automatically. Today it’s a pdf, tomorrow it’s an exe file.
So it’s a great shame, because I love the columns, but I just don’t want to deal with it anymore. At least the forums aren’t so bad (so long as I’m logged in).
Becoming a member doesn’t change a thing since you aren’t logged in on the front page, only on the forums.
And if the solution is adblock, why have ads? They don’t get revenue if we don’t see them. At the end of the day I don’t want this site to fail. I thinking getting a reasonable ad regiment is a better idea than having such terrible ads that every visitor has to use adblock.
Automatic downloads is crossing the line, for sure. I’m also starting to see an increase in ads (not here) that will lock your browser and try to convince you that you’ve been “banned from the internet” or become the victim of ransomware or something. They provide a number to call get your computer unlocked. It’s not true ransomware thankfully. Yet.
Y’all must be getting more interesting ads than me.
For the last few months I have had nothing but the same four (which might well be a single ad):
ONE
Image
BUSTY WOMAN IN TIGHT WHITE LOW-CUT DRESS ON AN AEROPLANE USING HANDHELD DEVICE (OO-ER) Text
You’ll Probably Quit Your Job After This Video. You can earn $10,000 every week! Watch this.
**
TWO
Image**
TWO YOUNG EAST ASIAN WOMEN AT SOME SOCIAL EVENT STARING AT SOMETHING OFF CAMERA Text
Chinese Government Will Never Show This To The Public! Be Were (sic) This System Will Make You Breathless.
THREE
Image
SAME IMAGE OF BUSTY WOMAN FROM AD ONE Text
A Proven System Can Trade $800 Every 5 Minutes With A Clean (sic) $15,000 Profit! After A deposit Of £250!
FOUR
Image
WOMAN IN RED BIKINI LAYING ON A BOAT Text
This Secret Method Can Make You a Millionaire in 30 Days! Watch How It’s Done After £250 Deposit.
Laughably mistargetted (I already am a multi-millionaire with my own private jet and yacht and all the busty women I can eat).
Yeah, and you can mark that down as one of the main reasons why I sometimes ask myself, “why am I still paying?” along with the technical problems (which haven’t been too bad lately.)
I’ve been following the Dope long enough that I’ve read all the old columns, so I only check the front page on Fridays for the new column. But those ads are a TERRIBLE way to welcome a first-timer.
Memberships probably give more money, are far less work, and certainly less disruptive. If every guest was a member they’d kick the ads down the Miracle Mile.
PDFs are a very common vector for malware. Adobe’s products are just so exploitable. I strongly suspect the OP’s experience was a malware install attempt.
Note: Using some other PDF reader is a really good idea. They have holes, but not as many as Adobe’s and less frequently attacked.
This is why I no longer reccomend the Dope to people. I don’t know if they use adblockers, and I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting malware on their computer. Saying, “buy a membership” isn’t a reasonable solution for someone wanting to check out the place, or who just wants to read an article, or a single thread. (And as I’ve said before, “buy a membership, lest you want to be bombarded with dangerous ads” is a really shitty business model)
A good many websites aren’t usable without an adblocker of some type.
A good many websites aren’t usable with an adblocker. Personally I run Adblock and pause it if a site makes me, but I can well understand the philosophy that if the ads render your site unusable, then it ought not be used.