# getting ads **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 12, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161 "2014-02-12T16:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/21 "2014-02-13T19:51:48Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Well, on my desktop, I have windows 7 and Explorer 11. > > The brand new just out of the box Dell laptop has windows 8.1 and whatever version if IE came with it. > > I never specifically installed an ad-blocker on the desktop, but I guess I’ll have to look around for something for the Dell. Any recommendations? It’s not something you install on the computer, per se, it’s something you put on the browser – it’s an extension. I haven’t used Explorer in years, but I’m sure Adblock Plus would have a version for it. I would also really reccomend using Chrome or Firefox. Hope you get everything worked out! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/22 "2014-02-13T20:14:21Z")
[Adblock Plus for Internet Explorer](https://adblockplus.org/releases/adblock-plus-11-for-internet-explorer-released) I highly recommend it. But I don’t think this is causing the problem you describe here, because a) you’re only seeing ads on the one machine b) as a Member you shouldn’t be seeing ads at all c) the description of what you’re seeing doesn’t sound like the ads that the SDMB displays My bet is on the culprit being some piece of pre-installed software, or something that came bundled with a program that you downloaded (you did make sure to uncheck all those annoying ‘yes, please install this piece of crap along with the program I actually downloaded’ buttons, didn’t you?). And as soon as I hit ‘Submit’ I noticed that there seem to be lots of reports of problems with Adblock Plus and Win 8.1. Personally, I recommend installing Chrome (which has its own version of Adblock you can install)…but that’s just my personal preference. Firefox is ‘the other’ alternative; I confess that I haven’t paid much attention to IE to know whether or not it’s improved ober the last couple of iterations. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/23 "2014-02-13T21:49:03Z")
Well I did install adblock, and the situation seems to be resolved. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/24 "2014-02-14T03:08:38Z")
Also reported this situation upstairs. Please continue looking at this; perhaps with your help we can figure it out. Thanks for your help, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/25 "2014-02-14T04:15:54Z")
How to take a screenshot: Step 1: While holding down the CTRL key, hit the Print Screen Key a couple of times. 1. Open up Microsoft Paint. You can do that by entering the word “Paint” into the Program box in Win7 or looking inside the Accessories folder of the Start Menu. 2. While holding down the CTRL key, hit the letter “v”. The screen shot should materialize. 3. Save the file. 4. Email the file to the admins. If you want to post a link to it, you will have to open up a photo sharing account. I’ve used Photobucket and [Inbox.com](http://Inbox.com) in the past. eg [http://wm40.inbox.com/thumbs/6f\_130b4f\_76618ad1\_oP.png.thumb](http://wm40.inbox.com/thumbs/6f_130b4f_76618ad1_oP.png.thumb) ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/26 "2014-02-14T04:44:21Z")
Like I said, the adblocker has fixed the problem. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/27 "2014-02-14T15:51:13Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > You’re incorrect about there not being a left-side ad panel on the SDMB. I’m not sure why the OP may be seeing it as a paid member but there is no question that it exists. > > I loathe to disable ad blocking just to get a screenshot but [here you go](http://s13.postimg.org/uy8c6sv47/sdmb_threadview2.jpg). I’m going to forward your screenshot to the ad people; I don’t think we’re supposed to be getting ads like that. Now things may have changed but I don’t think they have, I think this is another bad ad. Let me find out for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161/28 "2014-02-14T21:19:38Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > I’m going to forward your screenshot to the ad people; I don’t think we’re supposed to be getting ads like that. > > Now things may have changed but I don’t think they have, I think this is another bad ad. Let me find out for sure. Thank you Tuba. One note - the ad that plays looping music, etc. was here: > [@Crazyhorse](#): > > I found [this one](http://s4.postimg.org/6l3t6ujwt/sdmb_forumdisplay.jpg) particularly annoying as it also plays looping music at a loud volume over and over. The screenshot demonstrates that there is both a ‘below the messages’ ad space and a ‘left hand side’ ad space, though. (in this case both ads from the same place but usually different ones appear) The one in the part of my post you quoted is just a ‘normal’ ad but was shown to demonstrate there are ads on the left column of the page. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ads/681161.md?page=1)