# 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:** 31
**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 30, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/601 "2007-11-30T19:10:13Z")
[QUOTE=MacTech] Agreed, I see the same behavior, if I enter the forums on another machine (as my main machine has the Hosts file modded to block advertising globally) I see the banner ad, but as soon as I _log in_ the ad dissapears I’m waiting for official confirmation that ads for paying members have been terminated, I’ll believe it when i read it from Ed, Tuba, or any of the “officials”, but I’m not holding my breath, call me cynical if you must If banner ads have truly been banished for members, I give a hearty thanks to Ed, Tuba and the other officials for going to bat for us, much appreciated 😃 [/QUOTE] I’m unblocked again, if they come back, I will notice pretty quickly, note the fact in several threads and then put my custom blocks back in. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/602 "2007-11-30T19:13:52Z")
Yep. Thanks, Staff. (Especially **Giraffe** , who was the first to let us know anything at all.) If nothing else, I hope \*\*Tuba \*\* takes a lesson to stop posting from her ivory tower with snarky ad hoc barbs whenever people ask questions in ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/603 "2007-11-30T19:31:28Z")
So… I’ve been gone about a week. Anything going on around here? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/604 "2007-11-30T19:34:54Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] **Ed Zotti** [just posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=446080) a fairly lengthy explanation in ATMB about the banner ads and some possible future directions for the board. Although no promises have been made, I’m personally quite heartened to see that CL appears to be taking the board seriously. [/QUOTE] I feel informed. Yay, informed is good! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/605 "2007-11-30T19:40:28Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] So… I’ve been gone about a week. Anything going on around here? [/QUOTE] Nah, just the usual. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/606 "2007-11-30T19:47:02Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] Which columns would those be, exactly? [/QUOTE] I don’t remember all of them, but the one I _do_ remember is on [oil origins.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=371368) I _was_ going to keep track of them and at some point write a pithy thread about Ed cribbing columns in order for him to be able to spend more time downloading squirrel pr0n, but, well, fuck that. Now, having read Ed’s latest missive on this whole abortion, I’m still heading towards the door. > [@Ed](#): > > Of our 8 million monthly page views, 4.5 million are served up to people who pay no money for the privilege, including SDMB guests. These people have been seeing banners since September. The other 3.5 million are SDMB pages served up to subscribers. A couple weeks ago the CL guy in charge of online ventures, Pat, asked me what I thought about showing banners to subscribers. Thinking of the relatively unobtrusive banners that have appeared for years on the SD home page, I said it was worth a try. But we discussed no specifics. A couple days ago, with no warning to me, Pat told Jerry to switch on ads. As it happened, one of the first banners to appear was a Ford ad that flashes to giant size on mouseover and apparently emits loud sounds. (I don’t hear this on my system for some reason, so I’m just going by what I’m told.) It was pretty obnoxious and we’ve now had multiple threads with hundreds of posts and tens of thousands of page views from complaining subscribers. After lengthy discussion yesterday we’ve decided whatever money we make on banners isn’t worth driving off the paying customers. I’m not the boss of CL, but it’s pretty safe to say we won’t be showing banners to subscribers again. So, let me get this straight, CL decides they need more money from the SD (a property which they consider to be “highly valuable”), and instead of doing some, uh, _basic_ research and seeing how the gravy train (i.e. _us_) will react to it, they, like the previous overlords, just arbitrarily make a call (and a _bad_ one at that). This is akin to car makers swiping everyone’s car and replacing it with a Pinto because they think that they’ll be able to make more money off of us. In short, dick move. > [@](#): > > So we’re starting to think maybe we should start offering unlimited free posting again. I emphasize that no decision has been made. It’s too soon to say if remnant ads are going to be a dependable revenue source. For all we know the banner ad market could tank. If, however, it becomes apparent that more page views = more income, we may well decide to go to a two-track model. If you register, you can post for free but you have to put up with ads. If you subscribe, your SDMB experience remains bannerless. The key word here being “think.” I “think” of a lot of things, too. Many of them involve tropical islands and half-naked women, but that doesn’t mean shit, really, since I still live in a dump and the odds of me actually owning said island are pretty much between slim and none and slim just left town. The Cecil Adams columns I cut my teeth on taught me to be a cynical bastard to such things, and given that we’ve been various things in the past and they’ve **not** shown up, I ain’t holding my breath. > [@](#): > > I, Pat, Jerry and other CL folks will be meeting next week to discuss the above. If we go to two tracks, we’ll need to ramp up our server capacity in a major way, upgrade the software, and deal with the search lockup issue and other problems that have been too long postponed. This is not, repeat NOT, a promise. But I think you’ll agree this could work out to everyone’s advantage. More vague promises, and I’ll note **no** mention of re-examining the overflowing plethora of suggestions members have made over the years about how the Reader could make some bank off of this place _without_ pissing the membership off. One would think this would be at the top of the list of things to do. After all, the gravy train is _pissed_, and while some of them are placated by a return to normal, it’s pretty clear to anyone with brain cells rubbing together that it doesn’t take much to upset the apple cart. ---
**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 30, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/607 "2007-11-30T19:52:51Z")
Every please see \*\*Ed Zotti’s \*\* update in ATMB: [No more banner ads for subscribers](http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/showthread.php?t=446080) It is great news ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/608 "2007-11-30T20:02:04Z")
I’m back! (OK, I couldn’t go a day without lurking, dang it, what else am I gonna do at work?) And I gotta say Ed’s annoucement is the best possible outcome I could hope for. I would love to see lots more new posters and a more robust and vibrant SD. And also have the option of turning off the ads with a subscription. Win-win IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/609 "2007-11-30T20:17:36Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] I’m back! (OK, I couldn’t go a day without lurking, dang it, what else am I gonna do at work?) And I gotta say Ed’s annoucement is the best possible outcome I could hope for. I would love to see lots more new posters and a more robust and vibrant SD. And also have the option of turning off the ads with a subscription. Win-win IMHO. [/QUOTE] Oh, yay! I was about to stalk you via email to let you know the storm had (mostly) passed. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/610 "2007-11-30T20:49:54Z")
Okay, this is to be my final post on this subject, I’m letting the matter drop… But what the hell were TPTB thinking, to even contemplate showing banner ads to paying subscribers, all they needed to do is a little _RESEARCH_ (something for which the SDMB is great for) to discover the last uproar when the Google AdWords were implemented, if we got _that_ bent out of shape over small, unobtrusive text ads, how in the hell did they think we’d tolerate large, noisy, animated disruptive ads? they should have known that banner ads would go over like a lead balloon… ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/611 "2007-11-30T21:41:02Z")
I would like to apologize for posting identifiable phone numbers and addresses. I did not want to spend much time on the post, because I would have gotten quite upset and said things I should not have. The general point was not intended to create a mailbomb campaign, but rather to note that people who _could_ have direction over the message board are easily locatable, and some sort of consensus message could have been passed to them, signifying our displeasure, and the potential results thereof. ETA: Now, perhaps we could think of positive revenue-enhancing methods for Creative Loathing? For example, _tasteful_ banner advertisments? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/612 "2007-11-30T21:46:10Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] The general point was not intended to create a mailbomb campaign, but rather to note that people who _could_ have direction over the message board are easily locatable, and some sort of consensus message could have been passed to them, signifying our displeasure, and the potential results thereof. [/QUOTE] No worries, that’s the vibe I got from your message. And I think that’s why **fluiddruid** left the information up – it was clear you guys were just brainstorming ways to communicate your feelings to those in a position to make decisions, not trying to cause mischief. ---
**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 30, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/613 "2007-11-30T21:51:54Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] No worries, that’s the vibe I got from your message. And I think that’s why **fluiddruid** left the information up – it was clear you guys were just brainstorming ways to communicate your feelings to those in a position to make decisions, not trying to cause mischief. [/QUOTE] **Giraffe** , thanks again to all the mods that helped, complained with us and gave us more leeway than usual in posting on this subject. I think I speak for most in saying it was greatly appreciated. 99% of the complaints were from people that like or love this board and did not want to see it head the wrong direction. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/614 "2007-11-30T22:02:32Z")
Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/615 "2007-11-30T22:12:19Z")
Thirded. [QUOTE=E-Sabbath] ETA: Now, perhaps we could think of positive revenue-enhancing methods for **Creative Loathing**? [/QUOTE] Oh god, if I were really smart I’d come up with a witty SDMB-worthy comment, but as it is, I just have to say that that made me laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/616 "2007-12-01T02:33:54Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] No worries, that’s the vibe I got from your message. And I think that’s why **fluiddruid** left the information up – it was clear you guys were just brainstorming ways to communicate your feelings to those in a position to make decisions, not trying to cause mischief. [/QUOTE] Yeah, big love to all the mods and admins who let a lot of stuff stand in the various threads that probably wouldn’t have passed muster otherwise: I was halfway expecting my “Boycott” thread to get locked, and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t. You guys could have made what was already a pretty heated topic much worse by jumping on threads and warning people for pushing the boundaries, but you showed great judgement in showing a lot of patience and restraint. Big love too to all the posters who didn’t start shouting, “This decision stinks, therefore the mods suck!”: restraint all round, with righteous wrath tempered by good judgment. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/617 "2007-12-01T03:39:30Z")
… sadly, that was a freudian typo. I rather like it. It’s not quite as good as the one a friend once used to describe a pair of vampire-goths. “Nouveau Rice.” He meant ‘Riche’, but it was such a perfect description… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/618 "2007-12-01T21:02:40Z")
As anyone in Customer Service will tell you, you can get away with a lot if you KEEP THE CUSTOMER INFORMED!!!111!!! Nobody likes being treated like a mushroom (especially this herd of cats). (I’m still having trouble getting over the idea that The Powers That Be have no idea how members feel about anything. Too busy having high-powered meetings and doing power breakfasts to take a look once in a while? I’m still getting whiffs of arrogance/ignorance.) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/619 "2007-12-01T22:52:03Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] (I’m still having trouble getting over the idea that The Powers That Be have no idea how members feel about anything. Too busy having high-powered meetings and doing power breakfasts to take a look once in a while? I’m still getting whiffs of arrogance/ignorance.) [/QUOTE] As most of us, they would like to make money. They may not have any experience with a message board, and they are probably concerned with business interests other than the SDMB. I’ll be glad if I can turn off the avatars, and I’ll hope they don’t attract riff raff. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090/620 "2007-12-01T23:35:41Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] As anyone in Customer Service will tell you, you can get away with a lot if you KEEP THE CUSTOMER INFORMED!!!111!!! Nobody likes being treated like a mushroom (especially this herd of cats). [/QUOTE] And burying the information in the bottom of a long list of fine print, doesn’t count. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banner-ads-youre-kidding-right/428090.md?page=32)