What's with the ads on this site lately?

[SomethingNew]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the The DU Lounge forum).

For the past couple months it seems like in order to read the forum I have to dodge ad after ad. They come from the top of my screen; they come from the bottom of my screen; they are sprinkled amongst the legitimate posts.

I know ad revenue helps support websites and that’s why I whitelist sites that I want to support. That whitelisting goes away when the ads become obnoxious and distracting. I can’t be the only one thinking DU ads are creeping awfully close to that line lately.

[uppityperson]

1. Ads go away with a donation, even minimal.

Try it, it helps.

[SomethingNew]

4. So is the strategy to annoy me into donating?

[hlthe2b]

5. Well, you could look at it that way or know that even $5 or $10 helps the site and rewards you.

[SomethingNew]

11. Bad strategy.

I’m much more likely to donate to a site that simply asks than one that decides to make the visiting experience for those who don’t donate miserable.

[hlthe2b]

12. Given DU has successfully used the model since Jan, 2001, I'd say it is working pretty darned well..

If you are here during one of the incredibly busy periods as we saw most recently during midterm election night, having a star membership ensures you aren't locked out.

Or, you can enjoy ads.... No one is forcing you to pay anything.

[SomethingNew]

14. Not the current model they haven't.

I have never seen ads like this on a legitimate website and it’s been a very recent change.

[hlthe2b]

16. The star membership system is what I am referring to. You seem very unhappy.

Perhaps this is not the site for you.

[Fla Dem]

22. The admins probably changed the service they get their ads from, or the service they were using

changed up the format.

Donate and they will all magically go away.

[uppityperson]

8. Websites need some sort of financial support. As you said, ads give them that. Or choose option B

and send $5. Websites cost money to run. You can choose how to support them.

[Hoyt]

2. Donate a bit for a star, no more ads.

[Corvo Bianco]

3. In the good old days like last year they were only along the bottom

And a side of the thread. Now ads are positioned as comments themselves.
Joke is on them I'm too old to try Lyft.

[SomethingNew]

6. Getting some strange ones here too.

Hearing aids and stereo equipment. As a 28 year old, I’m a bit young for the hearing aid market but maybe if I buy all this stereo equipment I’ll be grateful for that add sooner rather than later.

[mr_lebowski]

13. Be glad you weren't around for the Wall of Sound, brother ...

[SomethingNew]

15. If only.

The Dead are my favorite band. If I’m not listening to them, odds are I’m listening to some other Jerry album. Saw Bob live two years ago, it was everything I’d hoped.

[mr_lebowski]

18. Not saying it wouldn't have been great, but ... you might actually have those hearing problems :)

You sound like my younger bro ... he likes TONS of music (I brought him up right) but the Dead are pretty much his favorite. Only time I saw 'em (sadly) was Dylan/Dead show, circa 1986, Oakland Coliseum. Should've gone to more Shows. I remember when Jerry passed though, made a pilgrimage to the Haight (I wasn't far away) that weekend, just to hang and grieve. The outpouring was like no other musician ever, save perhaps Lennon. And I think it'll never be matched, save by when Paul goes, maybe.

BTW, you ever heard the (double) album 'Cold Roses', by Ryan Adams? If not, you should check it out on YT or Spotify ... probably dig it

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. Really, the cost of donating to get a star is trivial.

$5.00 a year will do it.

No ads.

[elleng]

9. Contribute (even a small amount,) and there are no ads.

[Liberty Belle]

10. They are annoying. Some can't donate due to jobs where we're not allowed to support politicians.

Journalists, for example.


So ads are acceptable to a point, but when they move, flash, cover test, or have obnoxious content, that's over the line.

[mr_lebowski]

17. Given all the possible screen resolutions and complexity of coding layout for the web ...

Plus the fact that this isn't a major corporations site, with expensive dev teams ... it's pretty safe to assume that ads covering text is definitely not intentional.

'Moving' and 'flashing' ads are pretty much everywhere on the web, and 'obnoxious' is debatable.

It sucks that some jobs disallow donating $5 to a 'political' website, even though it's not advocating any specific politicians. That's really not right ... given what PACs and 'non-profits' get away with ...

[Glamrock]

19. Try a different browser

I switched to Firefox and it's not quite as bad.

[RandiFan1290]

20. Firefox with Adblock and NoScript

Gladly never paid a dime

[RealityBasedNewYorkr]

21. The new ad format annoyed me into donating

...but then again, happy to chip in. There was a marked increase in hyper-annoying ads about 3 months ago and it helped me “do the right thing”

[ProfessorGAC]

23. That's The Spirit!

It's not like this site is a hundred buck a month or something.

Way to go RBNY and welcome to DU, at least under this screenname.

[Omaha Steve]

24. After a review by forum hosts...locking.

This type of question should be posted here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=ata

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