# Banner ads? You're kidding, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 28, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090 "2007-11-28T21:43:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/341 "2007-11-29T15:58:42Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] Edited to add: whoops, spoke too soon. Ads are back … but it’s a sometimes-there-sometimes-not thing as I surf around the SDMB. Don’t know what the heck is going on 😕 [/QUOTE] Yeah, I just noticed this. They sometimes appear at random moments. Makes life interesting. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/342 "2007-11-29T16:00:01Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] Yeah, I just noticed this. They sometimes appear at random moments. Makes life interesting. [/QUOTE] I’ll try the host file fix soon … that seems to be a more robust solution. ETA: Hmmm … now ads are consistently not showing up, though page loads are slooow. Guess I’ll just ride the restricted-site fix a little longer and see. ETA again: Now the ads are back. Hosts file, here I come! ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/343 "2007-11-29T16:12:55Z")
I got an ad once, which was enough to make me re-enable Flashblock, but I’m not even getting the Flashblock image now. Register me as another charter member who won’t resubscribe in April if the ads stay. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/344 "2007-11-29T16:14:32Z")
Hosts file fix was money – thanks, all. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/345 "2007-11-29T16:18:28Z")
Maybe someone should start a thread in ATMB on how to block the ads. 😉 Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/346 "2007-11-29T16:20:37Z")
Another non-complainer here. These are annoying, and tip my balance over into “not worth the money.” If they’re still here at re-up time, I won’t be. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/347 "2007-11-29T16:25:05Z")
I just came in, read this thread. closed my browser, and discovered a pop-up ad under the browser window. Not cool. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/348 "2007-11-29T16:26:53Z")
I could hardly care less. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/349 "2007-11-29T16:33:20Z")
[QUOTE=LifeOnWry] I just came in, read this thread. closed my browser, and discovered a pop-up ad under the browser window. Not cool. [/QUOTE] Just to clarify, I don’t think the Pop-ups are from the SDMB, unless you clicked a banner ad inadvertently. There may be some other cause of the Pop-Up. The new ads have had problems like animation, sound, and partially covering the SDMB menu in some browser/Operating system combos, but you have the first report of a Pop-Up. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/350 "2007-11-29T16:39:02Z")
Ya know what’s funny? They aren’t just greedy fuckers. They are STUPID greedy fuckers. If they would have held off doing this until May, they would have had another years’ worth of subscriptions. Any idiot can run a company. The only problem is one eventually does. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/351 "2007-11-29T16:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] “So what?” is still my reaction. I can scroll down two inches and not see the banner ad, and see all the text on the page: it’s not blocking my view, or distracting me in any way. I’m glad they’re pulling in a few more shekels. [/QUOTE] Although **Liberal** ’s response is a bit aggressively analogical, he’s got a really good point. The SDMB depends on members. What separates it from other message boards is, essentially, GQ and the people answering questions there (and the spillover into IMHO and GD and such). The board depends on recruiting new members as old ones leave. There are a lot of people who are going to find NOISY, MOVING BANNER ADS intrusive and hard to deal with. Those that are currently members will leave. Those that aren’t members now will _never_ become members. And, worst of all, there’s probably a large subset of people – currently non-members – who might be willing to pay a membership fee and dick around with Adblocker once they realized they like this place. But they’re not going to bother to try it out, because the Chicago Reader is bound and determined to run them off with NOISY, MOVING BANNER ADS. It’s nice that you’re not personally inconvenienced, but me, I’d like to see this Board grow. Too bad for me, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/352 "2007-11-29T16:47:13Z")
Well I’ve gotten them now too, so it appears it’s not only not temporary, but that they’re actively finding new ways to implement them as well. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/353 "2007-11-29T16:48:48Z")
Well, I’m out. Stuck around 'cause it was a cheap occasional diversion but I’m not a fan of remaining a paying member of a site that obviously has contempt for its users. I’ll check back in a couple of weeks and see if they’ve changed their minds but, if not, I’m gone. See y’all, it’s been fun. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/354 "2007-11-29T16:50:37Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] Any idiot can run a company. The only problem is one eventually does. [/QUOTE] That’s funny. I’ll have to remember that one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/355 "2007-11-29T16:51:06Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Rather than just rant or rant about people ranting, I think it is better to assist people in getting their computer back under their control. This banner ad with audio is just a terrible idea. If it was just the banner ad, I would not care as I do scroll past it quickly. I would still understand posters complaints and not think the complaints were unreasonable. Jim [/QUOTE] I think having to fuck around with my computer is a terrible idea. Anyone who wants to change browsers or add software or tinker with their registries or whatever, that’s fine for you. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s like suggesting I rewire my car’s audio system because I don’t like the commercials on one station. A station that I’m paying for. Screw that, it’s a lot easier to change the station and quit paying for it. I understand TPTB want to make a little profit off this board, and as I said before, I’m willing to put out a little more cash to help them achieve it. How much more? I’ll start the bidding at a dollar a month. ---
**Author:** ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/356 "2007-11-29T16:51:52Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] You should be able to find it and remove it from the restricted list and then add it back as just [http://media.chicagoreader.com/](http://media.chicagoreader.com/)\* Jim [/QUOTE] It is not on the resricted list. It is on no list I can see. I assume it is saved in the default of “Internet” but I can not view the URLs under that zone, or if I can I don’t know where to look, so I can remove it and then place it on the restricted list. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/357 "2007-11-29T16:52:23Z")
[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] I just realized something, you guys. Maybe we’re all just being judgmental ninnies. Like, sure, there are banner ads, but maybe the plan was to make the board free. But now, we’ve all ruined the good will of our overlords and must be punished for our insolence. ☹ I blame **Zsofia**. _shakes fist_ Maybe if we stop complaining and be thankful for the glory we have (while clicking on banners-- BUY GIFT CARDS!1111111111!!!), then maybe we can prove that we are deserving of at least basic customer service. [/QUOTE] You know I just did it so I could have my MOST SUCCESSFUL THREAD EVER. I mean by orders of magnitude! ---
**Author:** ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/358 "2007-11-29T16:52:58Z")
SA style would be fine with me but not fine with the majority of the posters here, many of whom would collapse into intenet social anxiety and threaten to sue the first time someone bought a banner ad with a picture of their mom blowing a cartoon horse. Plus let’s face it, whoever this Jerry is, he has enough problems just running a regular message board. So uhm, if we’re all leaving in a huff can someone give me like an early heads up? There are actually some cuties on here and I feel like I should have done more flirting before it all went down the shitter. ---
**Author:** ![Polymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@Polymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polymer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/359 "2007-11-29T16:55:44Z")
[QUOTE=zut] Those that aren’t members now will _never_ become members. [/QUOTE] I fall into that category. I joined as a guest a few weeks ago and was definately planning to become a member. But now…uh no. Paying to be assaulted by talking banner ads?? You gotta be kidding me. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/360 "2007-11-29T16:56:40Z")
Distracting or not, they’re certainly convincing. Why, I feel like taking some Ambian and going for a drive in my new Escalade right this minute! Seriously, though, I really didn’t even notice them. If someone had told me they’d been there for months I’d have believed them. They don’t bother me at all, but I’d hate to lose posters over them, especially over a vehicle not in my price range, despite the 100% total luxury of the 403hp vortec V8 engine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090.md?page=19)