Admin:Can we have the Ads removed please?

**longshadows** · 24th April 06, 07:26 AM

No, really, I have noticed them for a few weeks, but I don't find them all that distracting. In a perfect world, it would be nice not to have them tarnishing the pristine nature of our forum. I can only assume that Google pays something for this "access" and that helps pay for whatever expenses are necessary to keep this forum running.

I don't have a clue, because no one (that I'm aware of) has ever shared this bit of info with us--at least since I've been a member. Like most of us, I'm a guest here--a free one, at that. In the same way that I don't inquire how much my host at a party spends for the evening's refreshments, I don't need to know the financial arrangments behind XMarks. It might be interesting as an active participant here, but I don't NEED to know, If the advertising get out of control or outside what I consider the bounds of good taste, than I can choose not to visit here anymore. I guess it's sort of like most things today from TV to school book covers. Advertising allows us something for "nothing."

Well, that's my two bits, for what it's worth.

**davedove** · 24th April 06, 07:36 AM

The ads really don't bother me. Would I rather they not be there? Sure, but at least they are fairly non-intrusive. At least they aren't popping up in windows or with graphics moving across the page; those are the ones that annoy me.

**Caradoc** · 24th April 06, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by davedove

At least they aren't popping up in windows or with graphics moving across the page; those are the ones that annoy me.

Or playing music or other sounds. There's a banner ad floating around for "American Haunting" or some such that literally screams any time you mouse over it.

That's a bit much, I think.

I do professional web hosting administration for a living - I don't begrudge any site's operators the opportunity to pay the bills via banner ads. If they were totally unable to recoup any expenditures, the good sites (the ones that end up with high traffic!) would dry up and blow away rather fast.

**Iolaus** · 24th April 06, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by davedove

The ads really don't bother me. Would I rather they not be there? Sure, but at least they are fairly non-intrusive. At least they aren't popping up in windows or with graphics moving across the page; those are the ones that annoy me.

That's just what I was about to say - no pop-ups. I think the ads are almost invisible; most of the time I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure if there had been one in a thread I just finished.

**Kilted Taper** · 24th April 06, 08:01 AM

This was actually discussed several months ago when they first popped up, I'm just having a hard time finding the thread....But it's to pay the bills for the site if I recall correctly. Like others, I just block them out.

**Mike1** · 24th April 06, 08:39 AM

The financial arrangements are simple. Our Admin goes into his pocket to pay the overhead, which consists of the hosting for the site, any excessive data transfer fees that might occur and the renewable license for the forum software.

Is it enough to drive anyone to the poorhouse? No. However, if the addition of advertising will let the forum generate enough revenue to pay for itself, then it eases the out-of-pocket expense.

As for the institution of paid subscriptions, that's an option that some Admins have resorted to using. I'm not a fan of them, myself. Too many problems in the equation. The first being the agony of setting up a payment method. The second being that not everyone can afford to pay or will want to pay. If there is a free section and a paid section, then you have to decide what content needs to go where. Why should I pay to read what someone else reads for free? Can you say Pandora's Box?

It's pretty simple to scroll from the first message to the second without ever seeing the ads. And that prevents all of the pay-per-view hassles that accompany the other option.

**ozmeath** · 24th April 06, 08:40 AM

I hear you fellas. Obviously there are expenses (and very generous of you P1M) to run this here grand site that we are guests of. I'm entirely grateful to our hosts, you guys do a fine job and from me, many thanks. I was just hoping for an alternative to the banners.
I must be a typical male alright. I've only just noticed them this evening for the first time! I think it was actually changing colour or some such and it got my attention.
But I think I'm a little sensitive to ads generally. I don't listen to pop radio or watch them on tv. I'm just offended by (inappropriate) ads. I quite like having the above ^ ads for the great merch supplied, and the good work done by same.
I shouldv'e posted this thread in the Off Topic but I was feeling a bit fired up when I did and wanted the attention!

E.

**sorcererdale** · 24th April 06, 09:33 AM

Most of the ads appear from words typed in the posts. I don't know, but if I talk about wearing a kilt while getting office supplies, we might have ads related to office supplies, but really I don't know because I sort of skip right by them while scrolling to the next message.

DALE.

**bubba** · 24th April 06, 09:41 AM

Sometimes I look at the ad banners, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood. Highland Tide created this little corner of the web for our education, information and entertainment and hosts it for us gratis. I'm pleased he has a fairly nonintrusive method of covering the cost of bandwidth and given the huge number of daily posts it has to be costly.