# Video?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180 "2009-06-18T15:30:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/21 "2009-07-14T01:06:22Z")
> [@Tenebras](#): > > So, what exactly is the cutoff for when the ads are considered to be obnoxious? > > “The ads spawn half-page flash pictures that obscure the text of the thread when your mouse cursor goes anywhere near them!” > – $14 and you won’t see ads. Also, take your meds, Michael. > > “The ads play loud music and unpausable streaming video!” > – $14 and you won’t see ads. Also, turn off the sound on your computer, stupid. > > “The ads feature hardcore sex–with sound, video and barnyard animals!” > – $14 and you won’t see ads. Also, why are you such a prude? > > “The ads installed a virus on my computer!” > – $14 and you won’t see ads. Also, you shouldn’t be browsing without anti-virus software. Bestiality sites are _full_ of malware. > > “The ads impregnated Sarah Palin’s daughter!” > – $14 and you won’t see ads. Also, shut up Sarah. The first one is the cuttoff for me. I’ll say this again. It’s irrelevant what the staff thinks. If the customers think the ads are annoying, they will adblock them, and the company will not get paid for those ads. Expecially here on the Dope, where the majority of people are quite computer literate. I will not risk violating policy by explaining how, but there are ways to adblock no matter what web browser you use or your level of administrative access to your computer. And an aside those members who say they would willingly take the ads (even though they haven’t commented in this particular thread). Put your money where your mouth is–surf the dope as a guest, and only login to post. After you’ve done that for a while, get back to us on whether the ads have crossed the line. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/22 "2009-07-14T01:23:37Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > T If the customers think the ads are annoying, they will adblock them, and the company will not get paid for those ads But the customres don’t get the ads. At least I don’t. The company doesn’t have to allow guests, do they? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/23 "2009-07-14T02:07:12Z")
I’m a paying user, but I still have a spare 2 cents to throw in: On other sites, video ads tend to lock up my “older” (2005) Mac laptop. I can only imagine how these affect the user experience of someone using an even older computer which is otherwise perfectly capable of browsing a text-based message board. The powers that be should consider the lowest common denominator when implementing, well, anything. My thought is, as long as we are a board free of inline images and avatars, ads should be text-based as well, or at the very least avoid Flash. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/24 "2009-07-14T03:59:24Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > But the customres don’t get the ads. At least I don’t. > The company doesn’t have to allow guests, do they? The posters with “guest” under their name are also customers. They’re just paying into a different revenue stream–page-views instead of yearly membership fees. In fact, that’s pretty much the whole point. If the guests weren’t customers, they wouldn’t see ads and nobody would be complaining. The ads aren’t some kind of punishment or a trick to drive away guests. They’re there to generate revenue. If they’re so annoying that they get blocked, they don’t serve their purpose. Is this really so hard to understand? ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/25 "2009-07-15T07:24:19Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Eh - I’ll figure a way to just install AdBlock. It’s free, and works on every other webpage on the intarwebs. Try iepro - has great ad blocker [http://geekswithblogs.net/Mohamed/archive/2007/05/04/IEPro-Bring-these-remaining--Firefox-features-into-your-IE7.aspx](http://geekswithblogs.net/Mohamed/archive/2007/05/04/IEPro-Bring-these-remaining--Firefox-features-into-your-IE7.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/26 "2009-07-15T07:42:15Z")
Just curious, has anyone ever clicked an ad on the internet? Are they ever NOT noise? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180/27 "2009-07-15T08:50:09Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > Just curious, has anyone ever clicked an ad on the internet? Are they ever NOT noise? The best ads don’t need you to click on them, as they are just there to remind you that their product exists, just like commercials on television. The idea is that, eventually, you might be out shopping, remember the ad, and think, “why don’t I try this?” A banner is not going to be useful for any in-depth purchases. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video/500180.md?page=1)