I probably won’t renew my subscription. I see no need to pay for a site that has banner ads.
I think it’s ridiculous to leave before any attempt at getting rid of the ads via an ad-blocker. There have been many examples so far in many threads that will accomplish this.
While it may not change your opinion, I don’t think you’re making a distinction between those who would leave because they think they can’t get rid of the ads, and those who would leave because the fact that the ads were implemented is upsetting to them.
No, I won’t leave. I just freakin’ got here!
Don’t get me wrong, I HATE ads with a passion where ever they exist. But it should be no surprise that they were implemented here. I say, if you wanna get upset, post to the Ad thread in the pit, block it, and move on with your life. Good luck with finding any message board with the quality of content as found here.
Man, my AdBlock must suck! I’m still having to add individual sources to the Blocked list, even after throwing in a few 'ed ones - http://media.chicagoreader.com/phpAdsNewer/ that What Exit? mentioned - which either deleted itself or switched itself back to something longer and more detailed and http://m1.2mdn.net* that popped in with a few that made it through AdBlock today. I even had two banner ads with no Block tabs that I couldn’t figure out how to block at all. So it is slightly more than the principle of the thing for me, it really is an annoyance that I don’t seem to be able to conquer through third-party technology.
I hesitantly re-upped last time. This could very well push me over the edge. The lustre of keeping that “Charter Member” status under my user name is growing dimmer.
I could block them, but honestly they don’t bug me very much. I’ll stay.
P.S. Flyertalk allows you to “buy out” of banner ads, if you will. You sign up for a premium subscription (cost is $12) and voila! No banner ads.
Adblock, or Adblock plus? I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I use the plus version. I also use the Filterset.g extension. But for my laptop, I installed Adblock plus just for the SDMB with just the filters in the image below. Maybe check this against yours for a typo or something different?
Well, I’ve got the ads blocked, but I’ve “left” several times before. I’ve come back eventually, but it wouldn’t be any big deal to not come back again. But I’m not sure I am pissed enough to leave. I’m never really surprised when a corporate entity decides to break it off in their customer’s asses.
If I do leave, though, you can find me at Unaboard, Upsidedown Message Board, Nads, G’Dope, Skip’s Magic Board or LJ, all under the same name.
Sorry, I have added updates since then to the pit thread. It works better to block media.chicagoreader.com/* instead. This works fairly well in IE6 and perfect in IE7. I tested the IE6 on two PCs both XP and the IE7 on an XP and a Vista machine.
The other alternative is to do a hosts file entry. Details also in the pit thread or PM me.
Jim
Thanks, I added those just now, we’ll see if that helps. I added the google ads block as well, even though they’ve never bothered me before. Now it IS the principle of the thing: adding banner ads lost them a viewer (and occasionally clicker-througher) of the google ads as well. Take that, Mister Man!
Yeeeeeaaaahhhh…that part went over my head with a whooshing noise not heard since Paris Hilton took the SATs. But if ParentalAdvisory’s list doesn’t do it, I’ll PM you for instructions in Captain Dummy Speak.
I’m here until the end. I intend to have the last post to the SDMB, which I predict will occur on or around the year 2035, when ignorance finally completes its victory over the Earth and our new idiot overlords close down the internet.
More seriously, it’s just one more minor issue I disagree with on this board. It’s one of several annoyances, but I still enjoy posting here, still enjoy reading the threads and its such a minor issue to make a “principled stand” over, its hardly worth leaving.
My last post will be
I haven’t seen one yet. Even if I did, I’d just take it as a challenge to figure out how to block them.
So, it doesn’t/won’t change anything for me. While the ads must suck (for those who see them), the bang/$ ratio is totally worth it. Until/unless there’s a mass migration away from the board…
Have some of you had ads with sound? Because although I have these animated ads at the top of the page I haven’t heard a peep today, but from what people are posting it seems like some of you are getting ads with sound. I’m confused.
The thing is, is I’m now looking at some other message boards. That would have made me feel dirty before. And they have been kind enough to give me 5 months to sniff around the other boards and decide in early may whether what **Dominic Mulligan **said rings true with me.
They might have me for another year. But if a lot of people leave, this place just won’t be the same. That’ll tip the scales even more.
I said it in the Pit, but I’ll repeat it here. I’m willing to pay more and not have ads, but I’ll leave if I’m expected to pay AND have ads.
How long do you think it will take for TPTB to come up with the latest unblockable banner ads?
And then pop-ups?
And then an unnoticed change to our user agreements that allows them to sell our email addresses to “partners”?
Nope, sorry. If the ads stay, I’m going.
I shan’t be storming out simply because ads have been implemented.
However when it comes time to re-up, I will be looking at how TPTB handle this whole thing and that will definitely dictate whether I do put down my money here or not.
If the Reader bean-counters come back (either directly or via a conduit such as Ed) and say “We’re sorry for springing this on you, here’s our options (re: ads but free posting vs paying for no ads vs choice between the two)” then I probably would look at continuing to pay in exchange for avoiding the ads. I like the community and the people here.
But if the current trend of “We do this, you take it and like it” continues, I won’t be re-upping.
I’m still thinking about all this. I wanted to point out, though, that flashing, expanding, or noisemaking banner ads will probably have some effect on overall board traffic regardless of how offended people are, just because they make the board more annoying to read.
I blocked them with Adblock in Firefox so, meh. Not a big deal.