comment on popup ad question (long ago)

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

I was reading the archives and on pg 12 (hey, I’m on vacation and I like reading archived message boards - don’t judge) there was a question about popup ads. I clicked on ‘comment on this answer’, but it only took me to the front page of the message boards. I suppose this post was too much of an archive to comment on. Welp, I felt the urge to comment anyway.

The popup ad creators are devious. I don’t believe they are trying to sell you the product on their ad; they are (probably) the same people creating the ad-blocker applications. They create irritating ads so they can sell you something to make them go away. I don’t have proof, which is why I’m posing this idea to a larger group to see if anyone can corroborate this. This is similar to security hackers marketing security software.

It reminds me of that story about the firefighter (with a crew) that charged people money to fight their house fire (which he may have set the fire himself). This was a 1700 or 1800 era story. Today, I believe most people don’t know enough about computers (we can use em just can’t build em or create various software platforms ourselves) that the larger companies can pretty much get away with this kind of racket without anyone knowing (for a while at least).

2

Well, I’m no computer expert, but most browsers have built in popup blockers that do a pretty good job. If you’re getting popups, your PC may be infected with malware. As to your claim that the creators of adblocking software are creating popups so they can sell you a product, the adblocker that people on the Dope seem to prefer, AdBlocker Plus, is free, so that would not seem to support your claim. Also, most of the popular anti-spyware programs, such as Ad Aware, Spybot, and Malwarebytes are also free, so the makers of those programs have no incentive to create popups to get you to download their programs.

3

Most ad-based income sites have worked around ad blockers. Just go to cracked dot com (amusing articles to read once passed the annoying ads). You will get banner ads that hide the (x) close button and popup ads that can’t be blocked by the free ad blocker – youcan only just close them out once they appear.

I did find a few free ad blockers for IE but when reading the fine print I found addons I didn’t want that I couldn’t prevent from being downloaded. For instance, IEpro7 ad blocker will force you to download a coupon app that will essentially make the download useless. I want to prevent ads all together (like the flash ads that start playing a video commercial).

The original question wasn’t posed my be, I was just commenting on a very old post (pg 12 of the archives titled What’s up with popup ads?).

I don’t get regular popup ads, just the evolved/mutated ones. I get your point about there being a lot of free apps to handle the ads, however they must have made money on the app some how. The cost is likely hidden in the cost for computers that come with the software (perhaps pre-bought by larger software companies that added it on to their browser).

Sure, we can download some apps for free, but we have to buy a new computer at the very least every 6 years (desktop – as for laptops it is more like 4 years) for compatibility purposes. The cost might only be 2-3 (dollars, pounds, …insert proper currency here), but when the app is included in every computer and mobile device … see what I mean?

Plus, we don’t get a say in what software piggybacks with those free downloads.Like that coupon app I mentioned with IEpro7 ad blocker. I can uncheck a few things that they do give me an option not to download with their free product, but sometimes there isn’t a choice.

With a few updates I did with existing apps I had, I found a web browser add-on downloaded on my computer with another program that I specifically unchecked not to be included with their app. It downloaded anyway in the ‘just in case you wanted to activate it’ unactivated form. Sneeky.

I’m tired of having to sift through every detail to keep my computer and info (semi)safe. Nothing is completely safe. I have no choice but to be suspiciousof everything (which I hate doing and hate I’ve become that person). I have to use a computer for just about everything now, even though my job has nothing to do with technology. Software has invaded just about every aspect of the market. I’m unsure I can even think of a decent way to live where I wouldn’t have to ‘play’ with a computer for at least a few hours every day. I even get most of my entertainment from the web – even if it is to buy books or read old message boards.

4

The column you commented on is eight years old. That’s ages in terms of computer capabilities. The column mentioned SP2 for XP. Those of us who still use XP have SP3 installed. Also, most people have moved beyond XP and are using Vista or Windows 7. Lots of us don’t use IE, either. Many of us use Firefox and run Adblock Plus and NoScript as add-ons. Personally, I haven’t had popups in literally years. They are not a problem for me. I have never run into the problems of any programs “forcing” me to install a coupon app or anything else malicious. And I don’t have to play with my computer to keep it safe. I don’t see any suspicious connections whatsoever between popup ads and adblocker programs. You may not have a choice of browsers on your work computer, but for your home computer, you should really forget about IE and use Firefox. You can even run extensions that will block Flash ads and even run Firefox in IE compatibility mode for those websites that really require it.