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Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

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Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#261

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Maybe your standards have changed, but that's still too much for me. I don't mind guest posts or (mentioned) sponsored content, however I will always use ublock to remove ads. It would be different if the typical ad experience were a related, useful product. But it's always unrelated hot garbage - distracting and annoying at any pixel size.

that's still too much for me Reasonable ads don't bother me. I don't long for the day when I can install an ad blocker in my car's windshield so I don't see billboards or the names of car dealerships on the backs of the other cars. Then again, when I drive someplace where there's too many billboards I find it annoying.

There is no such thing as a reasonable ad. "Reasonable ad" is an oxymoron. A car windshield which can block ads (better: a pair of glasses) would be a gift from the quantum field so sweet bees would want to use it to make honey.

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#262

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One of my favorite mobile games (an old Popcap title) used to have a version which cost ~$10 and was just a no-frills port of the original. No ads, no permissions beyond file storage, no issues working offline. But you can't buy that anymore; now the only option is a 'free' version which has ads that you cannot pay away. Fortunately I can still download the old version from the app store; now it is called 'zzSUNSET '…

Your best option by far for mobile gaming (if you're on Android) is to install an emulator for an old console/handheld and download/rip some games. It's unfortunate how bad the state of mobile gaming is, considering how powerful today's phones are.

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Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of my favorite mobile games (an old Popcap title) used to have a version which cost ~$10 and was just a no-frills port of the original. No ads, no permissions beyond file storage, no issues working offline. But you can't buy that anymore; now the only option is a 'free' version which has ads that you cannot pay away. Fortunately I can still download the old version from the app store; now it is called 'zzSUNSET '…

I think it's partly that the kind of person that pays $10 for an app is also the kind of person that advertisers actually want. So even if your average revenue/user for a free app is $10.

The average advertising revenue/user for users who are unwilling to be interrupted by ads is $0.

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#264
post #263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's partly that the kind of person that pays $10 for an app is also the kind of person that advertisers actually want. So even if your average revenue/user for a free app is $10.

The average advertising revenue/user for users who are unwilling to be interrupted by ads is $0.

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Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#265

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I think my conscience would be more satisfied working in porn than mobile gaming.

I worked in mobile gaming and would never work in porn (unless it was like filtering or prosecuting creators). A coworker hard a good point to say what the people who are addicted to mobile games would be addicted/spend money on if they didn't play. It's possible they would be buying meth/booze with it.

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Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#266

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I certainly don't take the medical establishment as infallible, and I can imagine arguing against these recommendations, but FYI the American Association of Pediatricians recommends against allowing a 20mo the sort of screen time necessary to learn ad-skipping through trial and error[0]: >Among the AAP recommendations: >For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents…

Another reason to limit screen time for kids is to prevent developing nearsightedness. Although this is just anecdata, I was talking to my optometrist at my last appointment and he told me he's seen far more kids coming in with myopia than ever in his 30 years of practicing and he attributes it to kids spending too much time on phones and tablets. edit: Here's an article from nature which compiles some research on th…

Do they say the same for people who stare at screens a foot or two away?

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m 24 man I ain’t even thinking about having kids; I’m just putting information out there. Tbf I spent nearly every waking moment of my childhood outside and I’m extremely near sighted. I can’t even see my laptop screen without my glasses.

That’s a bummer. Sounds like you might be one of the few people who would have still developed myopia 200 years ago.

Yeah seems so; it's not too bad though. However, I have high index lenses and they bend red and blue light up or down if I look at the source from the top or bottom edge of my lenses. There's the interesting effect where dark red or blue text on a black background looks like its in 3D. The text even shifts when I move my head around. Honestly, I should really just get lasik; people I know that got it swear by it.

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's similar to how prostitution seems more ethical than telemarketing - one involves voluntary exchange of value between two willing consenting parties, the other involves harassing people and, frequently, trying to scam them.

My understanding is that the people working in that industry prefer to call it "sex work." "Prostitute" has negative historical connotations. For example, we will say that Mitch McConnell has prostituted himself to billionaires, but we would never call him a sex worker. /ducks

anytime you'd like to make a claim or an argument, please put it forth rather than simply eject ad hominems and make snarky vague claims.

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Sex worker" is a broader term than "prostitute". The former covers most every commercial activity whose objective is orgasm, the latter covers only those whose normal job is orgasm via insertion (although they may do it by other means at a client's request.)

McConnell's gig is inserting his clientele's p...olicy into US law / practice for their pleasure....

How is this and like comments within HN's acceptable use policy ? How are they not down voted into Oblivion ? anything that remotely challenges the politicaly correct mindset of silicon valley is shredded.

Re: Gwern's Law: Ads cost you a tenth of your users

#270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact this is almost exactly what happens with many children being prescribed Adderall.

To counteract your bullshit... If someone has ADHD, adderall slows them down so they can concentrate. It reduces mind-fog from too much stimulus. If you don't have ADHD, its like a super cup of coffee, but in pill form. My doctor was trying to figure out my cognitive issue. And for a time, I was on adderall. It was pretty easy to tell that I didn't have ADHD, since I started getting upper'd. Felt nice, don't get me w…

More interesting question: How do we know regular drug users are not self medicating.
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