German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock • Hacker News Board

Re: German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock

#151

Post by nknighthb » Fri, Feb 28, 2014, 5:40 AM UTC

adrianmn wrote: post #72

Amezarak wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am one hundred percent sure I have not ever intentionally clicked on or even looked at an ad, nor do I ever intend to, regardless of how relevant it is. I will never click on it. That's why I use Adblock. It doesn't matter what you're showing me. I don't want it. Ever. This goes for offline, too. I don't watch TV except Netflix, partially because of ads. I don't listen to the radio, just my mp3 player. What are you…

You say you never clicked an ad. If you are visiting sites relevant to your industry you should actually check out the advertisers to keep an eye with what is happening in your industry(new tools, new conferences, new competition...). Most of the big sites have CPM deals so they get paid for every visitor no matter of clicks or not. And yes I hate intrusive ads as well and I don't watch TV channels with ads(I mostly…

> new tools

If I see an ad for a tool relevant to me, the chance that it's just a repackaged version of an open-source tool I'm already familiar with is almost 100%

> new conferences

I would never go to a conference, especially one that needs to run ads.

> new competition

If they're a threat, I'll hear about them through news or word-of-mouth. Otherwise, just another waste of time.

Your industry only exists for purposes of brainwashing. All other purported uses are better and more honestly served through other means.

Re: German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock

#152

Post by jsoffer » Fri, Feb 28, 2014, 7:14 AM UTC

Amezarak wrote: post #67

adrianmn wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a publisher and advertiser problem as they did not create an ad relevant and/or engaging enough. With retargeting ads this days it becomes easier to show relevant and targeted ads. Actually most HN-ers are leaving huge money on the table right now for not using the highest ROI ad channel - retargeting.

I am one hundred percent sure I have not ever intentionally clicked on or even looked at an ad, nor do I ever intend to, regardless of how relevant it is. I will never click on it. That's why I use Adblock. It doesn't matter what you're showing me. I don't want it. Ever. This goes for offline, too. I don't watch TV except Netflix, partially because of ads. I don't listen to the radio, just my mp3 player. What are you…

"...I have not ever intentionally clicked on or even looked at an ad..." "I don't watch TV except Netflix..."

It may be a coincidence, or it may not... but I've done research on ads distribution, and Netflix, by itself, represented over 10% of all "ad impressions". All of them. For every ten eyeballs ogling an ad, at least one of them was that insufferable red rectangle (I'm sick of it by now).

So it may be, or it may be not, but you are a Netflix customer. Maybe you were dragged in by the onslaught of banners. Maybe someone you know was, and convinced you to buy. Hard to say.

Re: German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock

#153

Post by transitionality » Fri, Feb 28, 2014, 7:51 AM UTC

adrianmn wrote: post #86

DanAndersen wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To split hairs, I'd say that's not piracy. To me, piracy would be sharing that software (or receiving that software) to others who haven't paid for it. The security circumvention may be a necessary part of the piracy process, but I don't see that as the issue. Consider the scores of games in the past that have had draconian DRM schemes, which unnecessarily require always-on Internet connections or regular dialing hom…

Actually the correct analogy to ad blockers would be downloading a free trial/demo and cracking it for own use without paying for it - would you consider that piracy?

A blind person using a screen reader cannot see your ads. Is he committing piracy?

Re: German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock

#154

Post by J_Darnley » Fri, Feb 28, 2014, 12:53 PM UTC

adrianmn wrote: post #59

adrianb wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also people shouldn't be allowed to change the channel on tv when the ad breaks begin or even leave to use the toilet! They should be forced to sit and watch everything or else the ratings of the ads will not match the ones for the show. My point it: people mostly hated ads since they were invented. Be it by not looking at them on the street, changing channels on tv or installing AdBlock on your computer, they do the…

The TV ad example is a false analogy. If the page has ads that you don't want to see you can close it(no one forces you to watch it) or go for the toilet break. I agree that people hate ads and people also hate paying for things that can get for free(piracy). You guys are missing my point of ad blockers being borderline piracy and mainly try to justify your reason for using them.

If you, a site owner, wants to try and stop me from viewing your page when I block ads, don't run javascript, don't have flash, whatever it may be, you are free to do so.

Then you will be getting into the DRM war that many others are fighting and are losing.

Re: German freemail sites trick Firefox and Chrome users into removing AdBlock

#155

Post by Amezarak » Fri, Feb 28, 2014, 4:50 PM UTC

jsoffer wrote: post #152

Amezarak wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am one hundred percent sure I have not ever intentionally clicked on or even looked at an ad, nor do I ever intend to, regardless of how relevant it is. I will never click on it. That's why I use Adblock. It doesn't matter what you're showing me. I don't want it. Ever. This goes for offline, too. I don't watch TV except Netflix, partially because of ads. I don't listen to the radio, just my mp3 player. What are you…

"...I have not ever intentionally clicked on or even looked at an ad..." "I don't watch TV except Netflix..." It may be a coincidence, or it may not... but I've done research on ads distribution, and Netflix, by itself, represented over 10% of all "ad impressions". All of them. For every ten eyeballs ogling an ad, at least one of them was that insufferable red rectangle (I'm sick of it by now). So it may be, or it ma…

Possibly. But I'm okay with recommendations by friends - sure they may have been influenced by advertising, but it was good enough for them to recommend it to me. I'm okay with them filtering all the noise out for me.

My argument is not that advertising is all around bad and nobody likes it - in fact I know plenty of people enjoy clever advertising, and probably many people are fine with using advertising as a deciding factor when making purchases.

But I don't. I'd rather no advertising influence me consciously or especially unconsciously. I regard most ads as an attempt by a marketing agent to subvert my rationality when I'm buying a product or service. Of course there's no way to get away from it altogether, and nobody is an entirely rational actor to start with. But I'd like to keep things as best as I can.

Additionally, I find even unobtrusive ads distracting. I've found that even seemingly small changes in day-to-day tasks can have an impact on my ability to sustain concentration, think clearly, and keep going to the end of the day. As another example of this, try going one week without listening to the radio on the way to work. That made a large noticeable difference in my workday. I've also found that watching TV, any TV, tends to disrupt my focus a little even hours after watching. So based on my personal experience, I've come to the conclusion that ads also have an effect on my concentration throughout the day, albeit a relatively smaller one.

Of course YMMV and they really might not influence you at all.