While I do understand what you're trying to do, I think this might do more harm than good for the advertisers who are paying for these ads. It will probably make it hard for them to track how well their different SEM campaigns are converting and ruin all of the analytics collected by both adwords and programs like google analytics. If the 'google-infested' link (as one person put it) somehow has the campaign tracking query parameters in it (I haven't really looked into it yet) It might be a good idea to keep it as part of the sanitized url so as not to mess with any of the hard work that the advertisers put into their campaigns.
Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
11–20 of 22 posts
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, that's what I'm describing. Here are my steps to repro: 1) Search something on google.com (for example: unc) 2) Mouseover on a link shows actual address (for instance, http://www.unc.edu ); clicking on the link goes directly to page. 3) Right click, copy link location. Paste that link: - Expected result: http://www.unc.edu - My example result: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&... . (clipped fo…
I have added my email address to my profile. Let's take it offline. I have tried to reproduce what you are saying (firefox 3.5.6 on Win 7) and failed. I do not see how what you are saying is possible. If you are going to the actual URL directly, a right click has to result in the same link being copied. That is the behavior I am seeing.
I'm full of fail today -- not seeing your email in your profile (n.b., email field is not public; it must be in your "about" section). Shoot me an email and we'll see if we can figure this out... I don't know why it's happening, I'm just reporting what I'm seeing.
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, that's what I'm describing. Here are my steps to repro: 1) Search something on google.com (for example: unc) 2) Mouseover on a link shows actual address (for instance, http://www.unc.edu ); clicking on the link goes directly to page. 3) Right click, copy link location. Paste that link: - Expected result: http://www.unc.edu - My example result: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&... . (clipped fo…
I have added my email address to my profile. Let's take it offline. I have tried to reproduce what you are saying (firefox 3.5.6 on Win 7) and failed. I do not see how what you are saying is possible. If you are going to the actual URL directly, a right click has to result in the same link being copied. That is the behavior I am seeing.
google doesn't always do this, just sometimes. it's not a browser issue. it could only be if you're logged in to your google account. that's why you're having trouble reproducing it.
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#14Does this then allow you to click on the ads at right without the advertisers paying for the click? If so, advertisers will be pleased, Google will be pissed.
A disadvantage for the advertiser is that Google sees their ad as ineffective (no-one clicks it) and may discontinue it (at least at one point did they drop ineffective ads) — of course this ineffectiveness would apply equally to all ads (assuming everyone was using this plug-in).
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#15Does this then allow you to click on the ads at right without the advertisers paying for the click? If so, advertisers will be pleased, Google will be pissed.
Speaking in magic unicorn fantasy land terms: If this were true and Microsoft made that a default feature on IE, what would happen? Assume that Google does not find a way around the issue (like I said, magic unicorn fantast land scenario).
> If this were true and Microsoft made that a default feature on IE, what would happen?
A lawsuit? Microsoft would be altering Google pages without consent from Google and presumably without the consent of the user.
It's not too different from this: what if IE changed Google search results themselves?
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#16While I do understand what you're trying to do, I think this might do more harm than good for the advertisers who are paying for these ads. It will probably make it hard for them to track how well their different SEM campaigns are converting and ruin all of the analytics collected by both adwords and programs like google analytics. If the 'google-infested' link (as one person put it) somehow has the campaign tracking…
I must have missed where the author mentioned this was intended to do anything in favor of (or harm to) the advertisers who have bought the ads.
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#17While I do understand what you're trying to do, I think this might do more harm than good for the advertisers who are paying for these ads. It will probably make it hard for them to track how well their different SEM campaigns are converting and ruin all of the analytics collected by both adwords and programs like google analytics. If the 'google-infested' link (as one person put it) somehow has the campaign tracking…
Wouldn't it make the click free for the advertiser?
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#18Why not just a greasemonkey plugin?
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#19Does this then allow you to click on the ads at right without the advertisers paying for the click? If so, advertisers will be pleased, Google will be pissed.
On the other hand, if X% of all surfers make such uncharged clicks, then advertisers will be willing to bid about X% more per click that is charged. So it may not make that big of a difference, in the end, to the monies flowing through Google.
Re: Dear HN, I wrote a Firefox extension that strips out google links from adwords
#20As an adwords user, this is crappy. I do not want free untraceable clicks, and I don't think people should screw Google over.
Just like adblock, I believe that if you don't like something, don't use it. Don't hack it around into something else and just leech the stuff you want. That's hypocritical and dishonest.
Does it just take you to the 'display url'? If so, it's also pretty pointless - most people can type.