# Uh...I thought people HATED pop-ups... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 6, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188 "2001-08-06T22:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/21 "2001-08-07T09:22:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*One of the sites I forgot to mention was Ain’t It Cool. I sent an e-mail to let them know of my distaste for the pop-up and here’s their reply: > > > [@](#): > > > > the alternative is shutting the site down. hosting bills for our traffic are massive. > > > > now which do you prefer, us shutting down, or popups? > > I replied: Well, with that kind of attitude, what do YOU think? > > I’ll save them the trouble of one more intrusion into their traffic. \*\* And that’s a bad attitude how? I mean, they’re being truthful - hosting costs for one of the most visited websites in the world must be astronomical! They have to get funding for it somehow. I personally don’t mind pop-ups generally, though the way they steal focus pisses me off sometimes. But if you go to any IGN site, they have ads just being rudely intrusive, and that really is a bad way to do it. At least Aint It Cool has ads that are kept in the background. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/22 "2001-08-07T10:16:33Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by ModernRonin2_ > **Turn off cookies while you’re at it, so they can’t track you from site to site.** Is that paranoia talking or has the media gotten to you? How exactly can they use cookies to track you from site-to-site? ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/23 "2001-08-07T10:41:07Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by capacitor_ > **not only kill javascript, kill Iframes too. This little nugget can tuen HTML into DOSShell/Windows Explorer that is controlled by the webmaster. Imagine your own files being deleted before your eyes. it is not a pretty sight.** What in God’s name are you talking about? An iframe is just an inline frame. Anything that can be shown in an iframe can be shown in your regular browser window. As long as you’re using a modern browser, you have some common sense, and your security settings aren’t set to the “Please Hack Me” level, no one is going to be deleting files from your hard drive. Sometimes I wonder where you people get your information. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/24 "2001-08-07T11:28:53Z")
Javascript can’t be turned off in IE, can it? I tried Proxomitron, but that screwed up the SDMB: the “post reply” button disappeared! ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/25 "2001-08-07T12:13:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neidhart \* > \*\*Javascript can’t be turned off in IE, can it? > > I tried Proxomitron, but that screwed up the SDMB: the “post reply” button disappeared! \*\* **Neidhart** , I also use [Proximitron](http://spywaresucks.org/prox/) and thought the post reply button disappeared. It turns out the link is still there (it’s just the same colour as the divider bar), just move your cursor to where it used to be and it will be highlighted. Otherwise, I find Proximitron to be very effective. To turn off javascript in IE5, go to Tools–\>Internet Options–\>Security–\>Custom Level, scroll down to Scripting and disable Scripting of Java Applets. cheers, Hodge ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/26 "2001-08-07T14:04:44Z")
The evolution of popups was driven by the fallacious argument that since people weren’t clicking on banner ads, they weren’t effective. Which is hideously stupid, of course. What’s the clickthrough rate on billboards? On magazine ads? On restroom-stall ads? Zero, zero, and zero, respectively. Yet no one’s saying those advertising vehicles are failures. The assumption that the Internet is a whole new world, based in no way on old-media precursors, is screwing us all up. Someday 'Net advertisers will have a sense of history, and that’s when websites will be paid for by little, unobtrusive but visible “Drink Coca-Cola” ads down on a corner of the page. Or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/27 "2001-08-07T15:58:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > **The evolution of popups was driven by the fallacious argument that since people weren’t clicking on banner ads, they weren’t effective.** That, plus the realization of companies that making money on the internet is really really hard to do, especially if all you are selling is content. So more losses can be recouped by charging advertisers more for pop-up ads than they did with banner ads. My prediction: The next annoyance on the web will be commercial advertisements (video clips) that play before access to a web page is allowed and can’t be disabled. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/28 "2001-08-07T15:58:58Z")
For a decent description of cookie usage, go [here](http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/cookies.html). If you scroll down the page, they also give information on java and activeX scripting, and how to disable them. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/29 "2001-08-07T19:05:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Purd Werfect \* > **I agree with turning off Javascript. Turning off cookies makes some sites impossible to use though.** Here’s what I do: leave cookies turned on, but set the cookies file to read-only. That way, your browser will tell sites you have cookies on, but they won’t actually be saved on your computer and the site will still work. My cookies file is blank and I never have a problem with sites demanding cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/30 "2001-08-07T19:22:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\* > > I’ll save them the trouble of one more intrusion into their traffic. \*\* Since they only get about a jillion hits a day, I’m sure you’ll be missed. Have you tried running a website lately? It aint cheap. Mine is to the point where I need to move it to a better server (my server now is complete shit, but it’s cheap). A better server will cost upwards of 50 to 100 bucks a month. If I can recoup some of that with advertising, f’n aye I’m going to. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/31 "2001-08-07T20:46:22Z")
I work for a small, for-profit, content site. We can not, and do not, individually sell our ads. We belong to several services. These ads are the only thing keeping us alive and now that those services have begun using pop-ups and pop-unders we either spend a lot of trouble getting set up with news services (and the contracts involved don’t make this a pleasant thought) or we live with it. Of all the bills we pay, the only one that isn’t optional to a certain degree is the server bill. I’m sure it is the same way for Harry Knowles. We either allow the pop-ups or we turn over more of our pages to cheaper advertising. It is a sucky choice. I hate pop-somewheres, but we don’t have much choice. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/32 "2001-08-07T22:09:05Z")
I just got this from IMDb: Thanks for your email to IMDb regarding our use of pop-up adverts on the site. We are sorry that the ads caused offense. We have now disabled them, although it may take a few hours for the changes to make it through to the ad servers and for the site to return to normal. This was part of a limited experiment with this type of banner, however, we did not expect the ad system to serve them at such a high frequency. Due to the overwhelming feedback from IMDb users, such as yourself, we have discontinued the experiment and will look for alternate ways of supporting the site with less intrusive advertising. Thanks for taking the time to mail us with your thoughts and once again sorry for any inconvenience caused. Regards, The IMDb help desk \<[help@imdb.com](mailto:help@imdb.com)\> ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/33 "2001-08-07T22:34:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slacker \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > > \*\* > > > > I’ll save them the trouble of one more intrusion into their traffic. \*\* > > Since they only get about a jillion hits a day, I’m sure you’ll be missed. > > Have you tried running a website lately? It aint cheap. Mine is to the point where I need to move it to a better server (my server now is complete shit, but it’s cheap). A better server will cost upwards of 50 to 100 bucks a month. If I can recoup some of that with advertising, f’n aye I’m going to. \*\* Let me know the next time you’re going to a movie or watch a TV show and I’ll jump in front of you with a big billboard and shove it your face until you read the whole damned thing. When you change the channel on the TV, I’ll be sure to do it again. When the scene in the movie changes, I’ll do it again. Even when you read the ad and come back to the theater or turn on the TV again, I’ll be there to annoy the fuck out of you again and again. ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/34 "2001-08-07T23:11:14Z")
_Is that paranoia talking or has the media gotten to you? How exactly can they use cookies to track you from site-to-site?_ I’ll give you a hint: Banner ads can set (and read) cookies. I’ll give you another hint: The exact same few companies do banner ads on nearly all major sites. My friend used to work at a company called MatchLogic, which specializes in this kind of thing. They started out as a e-junkmail company, but mutated to tracking people through banner ad cookies since it turns out people get annoyed as all hell and go out of their way not to buy things from you if you spam them. (Duh!) Last I heard, they still hadn’t figured out that people don’t enjoy being tracked, either. -Ben ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/35 "2001-08-08T01:59:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OneChance \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by capacitor_ > > **not only kill javascript, kill Iframes too. This little nugget can tuen HTML into DOSShell/Windows Explorer that is controlled by the webmaster. Imagine your own files being deleted before your eyes. it is not a pretty sight.** > > What in God’s name are you talking about? An iframe is just an inline frame. Anything that can be shown in an iframe can be shown in your regular browser window. As long as you’re using a modern browser, you have some common sense, and your security settings aren’t set to the “Please Hack Me” level, no one is going to be deleting files from your hard drive. Sometimes I wonder where you people get your information. \*\* Iframe can also be use by unscupulous hackers to snoop for information on your drive that you don’t want them to see. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/36 "2001-08-08T07:30:41Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by ModernRonin2_ > **I’ll give you a hint: Banner ads can set (and read) cookies. I’ll give you another hint: The exact same few companies do banner ads on nearly all major sites.** You’re right, banner ads are sometimes accompanied with cookies, but it’s not like anyone can track you from site-to-site… unless, of course, you only visit sites that have DoubleClick ads, for example. And that’s just not likely. Also, it’s unlikely that these companies know anymore about you than your IP address (which they can sometimes use to get your general location) and a few other tidbits of information. You’re essentially anonymous to these companies. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/37 "2001-08-08T07:31:43Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by capacitor_ > **Iframe can also be use by unscupulous hackers to snoop for information on your drive that you don’t want them to see.** Whatever someone can do in an iframe, they can do in a regular browser window. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/38 "2001-08-08T07:34:00Z")
Oh, almost forgot. Sorry for hijacking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/39 "2001-08-08T09:24:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OneChance \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by capacitor_ > > **Iframe can also be use by unscupulous hackers to snoop for information on your drive that you don’t want them to see.** > > Whatever someone can do in an iframe, they can do in a regular browser window. \*\* Yeah… an iframe is just telling the browser “load this page in this area”… it isn’t some magical portal into the Hacker Realm. I’m curious as to what capacitor means. ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2001, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188/40 "2001-08-08T10:27:06Z")
I think **capacitor** is talking about [this security bug in IE](http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-3356729-100-1400328.html?tag=st.dl.10001-103-1.lst-7-1.1400328) : > [@](#): > > _From the site:_ > This patch eliminates two security bugs in Internet Explorer 5.0. \*\*One involves a command called IFRAME ExecCommand. \*\*The other bug involves a feature in Internet Explorer 5.0 called download behavior. This feature allows Web page authors to download files for use in client-side scripts. Under certain circumstances, a malicious Web site operator could use these features to read files on a user’s machine or local intranet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-i-thought-people-hated-pop-ups/75188.md?page=3)