Upsetting Adverts.

[vivandorron]

It does appear that a number of ABers get upset by some of the adverts which appear on this site.

Until today, I have refrained from blocking-out adverts, which are important to AB; in the knowledge that a superb site would not survive without them.

However,I am concerned about the flashing ones which I feel could be responsible for affecting my eyesight.

Consequently, I am now resorting to 'Adblock' and suggest that the Ed examines the whole question of adverts and the effect they have on individuals.

Ron.

[AB Editor]

"I don't understand why Adblock would hinder the adverts? Afterall, it's not like they know i/we're blocking them. Or do they?"

The way it works is adblocker changes the code of the page, so it doesn't load the part of the page containing the advert.

A view/impression is only considered where the advert has loaded correctly.

So, no, they don't know you're blocking them (although I have been considering putting up a block for blockers)

"PS
Can't see me now in my PJ's can they? <hides>"

Yes, they can - of course!

[TheNovice]

how do I activate adblock?

[NOX]

Whilst I appreciate the need for adverts on your site to some degree, if my adblocker gets blocked then I'm not going to be visiting tbh ( no great loss I hear you say), but I imagine the same is true for a lot of people as they are just so annoying, distracting and generally irritating that I really do avoid sites that you can't block ads from. No-one wants to be inundated with adverts that's why they made adblocker for the naturally morose and intolerant amongst us ;-)

[AB Editor]

"No-one wants to be inundated with adverts"

No. Would you pay a small subscription for the service?

[boxtops]

I would, and it might keep the trolls out - but it depends what you mean by "small", Ed.

[rowanwitch]

Boo the tea stain on the front needs a touch of vanish when they go in the wash...

[sunny-dave]

Yes - I'd pay a small sub too

[rowanwitch]

I don't mind the ads but would pay for the service so long as it was not too dear... addicted now I'd need my fix...

[naomi24]

I seriously can't see what the problem is with the adverts. I look at the posts, not the adverts. I haven't a clue who's advertising what on this page right now.

[AB Editor]

These guys used to have an ad-blco9ker blocker which says "If you don't want ads, give us a little cash and maybe we can do business" If you have adblock on you may want to see the kind of thing I mean: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

Would you page £50 for an annual subscription, ad-free, maybe some other benefit like private messaging or something?

[boxtops]

£50 sounds a bit steep - but I wouldn't want private messaging, there are other ways of contacting people. Given the troll habit in the past, if a troll could private message someone they would make their life hell.

[B00]

Id pay a small annual subscription, but no sorry £50.00 is too much for me to consider.

Surely with the amount of regular users a subscription needn't be so large? If £50.00 is the minimum to keep the ads at bay- i'll live with the ads, or find a new home, sorry.

[weecalf]

can you get adblock for sky .I dont wanta borrow money and Im no retiring And I dont wanta go to dotcompare where ever it is.

[snags]

I currently use Adblocker on here and will continue to do so until I no longer can. If the time comes where I can only use AB 'with ads' then I will do so.

Someone will probably come up with an 'adblocker blocker unblocker' filter anyway...

[AB Editor]

"if a troll could private message someone they would make their life hell."

I doubt they'd last long! Also, we'd have their card details and would be able to present a case to the police.

What would be a reasonable amount?

[BlueScorpion]

I must admit I agree with Naomi & Boxtops, I dont really pay any attention to the adverts so they don't bother me. I can see one problem with a subscription (even a small one) - I found this site a few years ago when I was trying to find an answer to a fairly trivial question. If I had had to pay a subscription in order to ask the question I probably wouldn't have bothered, then I wouldn't have discovered what a fascinating, entertaining mad place this is lol

[hc4361]

Subscription wouldn't work. I'm sure we've all seen the 'question and answer' sites that require payment to read the answers. I back straight out, never to return.

Another consideration about subscription is value. Yes, the entertainment of the site would give value, but if someone took the advice given on a financial, legal, medical matter and it was wrong - could someone here be responsible if the questioner had 'paid' for the advice via subscription?

If I were paying to use the service and got trolled to the point I was suicidal (I am of a very nervous disposition) would the ed be responsible for allowing it because he has taken the trolls money and as I pay for the service I can reasonably be expected to be safe from such attacks?

If the ed were to profit directly from the sound advice readily given and trusted by some of the contributors should they be paid?

There would be no new members and it would become a closed group. Eventually people would get bored and the numbers would dwindle.

[rowanwitch]

I currently pay £5.99 to a game site so I'd drop that to keep AB at the moment but will be on a much lower income when I retire in June
Would like private messaging though as sometimes I would like to offer help in more direct ways but couldn't do it with an 'audience'

[boxtops]

^ how about then, you get a few free entries (which "someone" might monitor for sanity and trollishness) then after that, you have to pay?

Is this really such a problem though? Ed - could you not run a poll, out of interest, to find out how many of us really are disconcerted by the ads? Apart from the big one in the middle which gets in the way, the rest don't both me at all, I barely notice most of them.

[rowanwitch]

or like some sites have levels of access so free access to a site with ads and say 19.99 for no ads and 29.99 for private messaging, no ads , and the right to have an avatar