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Pony99CA
06-15-2003, 04:00 PM
Are the multi-ad bars at the top of every forum page new, or have I just been oblivious?

I don't have any problem with Jason trying to make money with ads, of course, but I wish they would make sense. The first time I noticed them (and several times after), the ads were for Palm PDAs. :roll: At least they did have a Pocket PC bar, too. (Yes, I realize Jason probably doesn't have much control over them, as they appear to come from Tribal Fusion, but I needed something to complain about today. :-))

I did click on one Web hosting ad, partly because I was interested and partly because the wording was strange:

PHP Bulletin Board Included
Free Hosting from $1, $8.75
Domains, DNS

Free hosting for a dollar, eh? :lol: (That, ladies and gentlemen, is why punctuation is important.)

UPDATE: As I was writing this post, the ad frame seemed to disappear, and a standard banner image (for Spb) seemed to reappear. Was the ad frame some glitch?

Steve

davidspalding
06-15-2003, 06:04 PM
New kind of less intrusive ad that is gaining popularity on teh web (finally!). Text-based as opposed to image/flash. imHo, I hate the banners, have blocked them for years with Webwasher, but it doesn't block Flash very well. So I've avoided the big-big sites which use Flash.

I don't mind the text. It's not blinking, not brightly colored, and doesn't distract my eye. Kudos to Jason for being an early adopter of this new ad form.

Pony99CA
06-15-2003, 06:46 PM
New kind of less intrusive ad that is gaining popularity on teh web (finally!). Text-based as opposed to image/flash. imHo, I hate the banners, have blocked them for years with Webwasher, but it doesn't block Flash very well. So I've avoided the big-big sites which use Flash.

I don't mind the text. It's not blinking, not brightly colored, and doesn't distract my eye. Kudos to Jason for being an early adopter of this new ad form.
I don't mind tasteful banner ads, like the Spb ones. Admitting that you block them will get you on Jason's bad side (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10175&start=2), though. ;-)

However, people who create those ads that flash "If this banner is flashing, you have won" or have ads that jump around should be shot. :2gunfire:

Steve

Jacob
06-15-2003, 07:05 PM
I've just stopped using Internet Explorer and I haven't seen any flash ads (or ANY pop-up ad whatsoever) yet - plus as opposed to I.E. I haven't had a single crash of the browser.

davidspalding
06-15-2003, 07:24 PM
Admitting that you block them will get you on Jason's bad side, though

Actually, setting IE to bypass Webwasher, thereby displaying banner ads, is easy. I did it after Jason's thread about his banner ad. I do it for a select few other sites that I know <ahem> will not present ugly ads, or place unwanted cookies (now that I'm using IE 6, I'm seeing all kinds of erroneous "marketing" cookies from PPC sites), or generate ad popups. One violation, and they go right back through Webwasher.

FYI, I use Popup Manager (www.endpopups.com) in IE, works really well.

Pony99CA
06-17-2003, 02:46 PM
Jason didn't make the story about the new ad format discussable, so I thought I'd comment here (seeing as I started the thread :-)).

I'm sticking by my promise to avoid pop-up ads, pop-under ads, and recently I've turned down full page ads. These type of ads pay much more, but I personally don't like them, so I know most people won't. I'll do everything I can to avoid running advertising that is intrusive, but I need to keep up with the ad market to some degree. Thanks for understanding!

I don't mind the new format, and certainly understand the need for revenue. I did want to thank Jason for not accepting pop-ups, pop-unders and full page (presumably interstitial) ads. :way to go:

Steve

Crystal Eitle
06-17-2003, 02:54 PM
I did want to thank Jason for not accepting pop-ups, pop-unders and full page (presumably interstitial) ads. :way to go:
Hear, hear!

Tom W.M.
06-20-2003, 01:41 AM
I've just stopped using Internet Explorer and I haven't seen any flash ads (or ANY pop-up ad whatsoever) yet - plus as opposed to I.E. I haven't had a single crash of the browser. What are you using now? Opera, Netscape, or Mozilla/Phoenix?

Jacob
06-20-2003, 03:59 AM
What are you using now? Opera, Netscape, or Mozilla/Phoenix?

Mozilla/Phoenix - it's just called "Mozilla Firebird" now apparently.

I just love the tabs feature - no more having 5+ browser windows open!!! :D

Pony99CA
06-21-2003, 05:26 AM
Mozilla/Phoenix - it's just called "Mozilla Firebird" now apparently.

I just love the tabs feature - no more having 5+ browser windows open!!! :D
I use Mozilla for most things, but it's not perfect. I still haven't got Real Audio working with it (it seems to install into Netscape, not Mozilla). Also, my online banking site doesn't work with Mozilla any more (although it used to).

The tabs are great, but I sometimes find myself going to the Windows program bar trying to get another browser window. :oops:

Steve

Jacob
06-21-2003, 05:30 AM
Which banking sites do you use?

I've used BankOne, ING, and CitiBank and all worked fine for me..

The only one site that didn't work for me was a stupid flash site that I can truly live without.

Pony99CA
06-21-2003, 06:09 AM
Which banking sites do you use?

I've used BankOne, ING, and CitiBank and all worked fine for me..

The one that doesn't work is a credit union you probably don't know of. I've E-mailed them, and they said they support Netscape. I told them that Netscape is basically Mozilla, but I'm not sure they get it.

Steve

Fzara
06-21-2003, 06:24 AM
The day the PPCT crew stops bashing Palm's, and other OS's other than the PPC platform, is the day I will turn my ad-blocker OFF.

I'm so sick and tired of this site trying to slant public opinion and views toward the PPC platform. To me, this is being ignorant and partial toward one platform and one platform only.

Fzara
06-21-2003, 06:27 AM
To be honest, I did not have ads blocked on this site. I simply overlooked all of them, and didn't notice a single ad until today. I guess if I block or even unblock them, it still wouldn't matter.

Kati Compton
06-21-2003, 06:28 AM
The point of the site is not to be impartial. It is not obligated to be.

Fzara
06-21-2003, 06:35 AM
True, but the site is also supposed to have positive views. It is alright to be partial toward the PPC platform, but to praise it like it is Linux compared to Unix, and just ignore the other side completely is also wrong.

As it is, this site is probably the best out there. But you also have to remember, Palm users come here too. After all, I know, the site is PPCT, with news, rants, reviews, raves, etc., but its not a site which should be one which mocks another platform simply because it is the other platform.

Kati Compton
06-21-2003, 06:38 AM
As it is, this site is probably the best out there. But you also have to remember, Palm users come here too. After all, I know, the site is PPCT, with news, rants, reviews, raves, etc., but its not a site which should be one which mocks another platform simply because it is the other platform.
The threads I've seen recently (at least one of these you also commented in) have actually been quite sedate in terms of Palm vs. PPC flamewars. Maybe one "Haha we're better" comment, but nothing serious, and most people being perfectly reasonable. I'd say a good part of what you call "mocking" is good-natured rivalry, and is only human nature.

Pony99CA
06-21-2003, 06:44 AM
True, but the site is also supposed to have positive views.
It does have positive views, but who said it's supposed to have all positive views?

As it is, this site is probably the best out there. But you also have to remember, Palm users come here too. After all, I know, the site is PPCT, with news, rants, reviews, raves, etc., but its not a site which should be one which mocks another platform simply because it is the other platform.
In case you didn't notice it, various board leaders have criticized the Pocket PC, too.

And who cares if Palm users come here? What do they expect at a Pocket PC site? I wouldn't go to a Notre Dame fan site expecting balanced coverage of Michigan (Go Blue!). :roll:

Steve

dh
06-22-2003, 02:36 PM
The day the PPCT crew stops bashing Palm's, and other OS's other than the PPC platform, is the day I will turn my ad-blocker OFF.

I'm so sick and tired of this site trying to slant public opinion and views toward the PPC platform. To me, this is being ignorant and partial toward one platform and one platform only.

I used to come and post here while I was still a Palm user (heck my Avatar was a Palm Vx photo) and I never found any real Palm bashing, other than in jokes. Check out Palm Info Center if you want to see real bashing of of the "non-prefered" operating system.

A lot of the people here are former or current Palm users and if you read the threads you'll see quite a lot are seriously thinking of buying Palms having seen the new products. I haven't noticed anyone here being shy about pointing out the various shortcomings in the PPC devices and software.

The fact is, no-one has yet made the perfect mobile computer so they can all be "bashed" to some extent. On the hardware side, the momentum certainly seems to be with Palm OS right now. I must confess, I like the look of the new Treo 600, it's the best integration of PDA and cellphone I've yet seen.

Wish MS Smartphone could have been more like this.

Jason Dunn
06-24-2003, 07:43 AM
Man, did you ever pick the wrong day to bash this site. :onfire:

I'm so sick and tired of this site trying to slant public opinion and views toward the PPC platform. To me, this is being ignorant and partial toward one platform and one platform only.

See that URL bar? Read the domain name out very s-l-o-w-l-y. Then perhaps it will dawn on you. We're not PDA Buzz. We're not Brighthand. We don't want to be - they do their thing, we do outs. You think we're like a Best Buy that sells everything under the sun. I say we're like a sports bar in the heart of Chicago with Bulls logos and jersey's hanging on the wall, where everyone knows you come to that sports bar to talk about da Bulls, criticize da Bulls, and hoist a few beers to da Bulls. And no matter what team da Bulls are playing, people in that bar cheer for da Bulls - because deep in their hearts, they're Bulls fans. It's not that anyone REALLY hates the opposing teams, but who wants to be an intellectual, evenly nodding your approval for every play the opposing team makes. Hell no! When you like your team you cheer for them, and boo the other guys! It's natural rivalry, and it's FUN!

:drinking:

Can you see the difference between the Best Buy and the sports bar? If you can't see that there's a place for both types of places, because they appeal to different types of people, then you have no business reading this site any further. Our "Palm bashing" has dwindled to almost nothing lately, and I'm ok with that. I'd be surprised if you could find one real instance of honest-to-goodness "bashing" in the past few months. You also say we "should" cover other PDAs. Uh, pardon me, but are you living my life? I wouldn't have time even if I wanted to! If you think you can launch a Web site and cover both Pocket PCs and Palms with equal skill, go for it!

Besides, if you hate the site so much, why the #*$&#$ have you posted 333 times? :agrue:

Sorry, but after busting my ass to post news for 24 hours straight, I really have no patience for someone like yourself that criticizes the completely FREE work that my team does for someone like yourself. I could be in bed right now sleeping, but no, I'm up at 12:45 PM writing an iPAQ review for an ungrateful person like yourself. Thankfully, most people seem to appreciate the work we do, so we'll keep doing it.

If you don't like the site, go find something that is more of what you want - but don't bitch and moan at me about how this site isn't your idea of what a Pocket PC site should be. Oh look, there's that word again, "Pocket PC"...gee, I wonder what it means? :roll:

Fzara
06-24-2003, 10:01 AM
I apologize for some of the comments I made. I was in a pretty bad mood, but I decided to flame PPCT for one reason or another, which I apologize for.

I guess I needed a scapegoat to just scream at, which I guess that didn't get me anywhere.

So again, apologies to the community, apologies to Jason, and apologies to the rest of the PPCT crew for accusing them of something they didn't do.

Ed Hansberry
06-24-2003, 01:18 PM
Man, did you ever pick the wrong day to bash this site. :onfire:
:clap: :werenotworthy:

Jason Dunn
06-24-2003, 05:29 PM
I apologize for some of the comments I made.

Apology accepted. You might want to put some ointment on those burns. :D

Sunnyone
06-24-2003, 05:39 PM
So Jason, have you slept yet? :D

Great coverage yesterday/today (they've run together, haven't they)!

Appreciate all you and your staff do to keep us informed!!

Renee

Fzara
06-24-2003, 06:14 PM
Apology accepted. You might want to put some ointment on those burns. :D

Err. that was kinda weird. :lol:

You didn't message me back on the comment I made after my long PM.

Ed Hansberry
06-24-2003, 06:20 PM
Apology accepted. You might want to put some ointment on those burns. :D

Err. that was kinda weird. :lol:

You didn't message me back on the comment I made after my long PM.
Check his sig. (and mine!) Then see http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4503&highlight=devil :wink: Don't know about Jason, but I personally never check PMs.

Jason Dunn
06-24-2003, 07:00 PM
Apology accepted. You might want to put some ointment on those burns. :D

Err. that was kinda weird. :lol:

You didn't message me back on the comment I made after my long PM.

Sure I did - check your inbox, I responded to both...if they're not there, then, uh, I'm not sure. Log out and log back in?