Question on advertising

[Seevee]

When I view TF on Chrome vs Safari, I get at least 10 times the number of ads, many inside of posts, just like the posted included them, making the forum totally unusable.

I thought the forum owner controlled the ads. Does TF put ads WITHIN the messages?

Now on FireFox, it's horribly bad, but not quite as bad as Chrome.

What gives?

 

[rochepoint]

I use AdGuard on Safari and see no ads.........

 

[Civilitas]

I use AdGuard on Safari and see no ads.........

Increasingly, this is the way to go on mobile devices as far as I can tell.

I can't find an adblocker than makes Chrome practical to use on my phone, and it's not Trawler Forum, but most all non-retail web sites. Chrome is jamming down ads to the point the browser functionality is so compromised it's a joke. I am starting to switch to Safari more and more and while that gives up some cross-functionality with other google products, it lets me use a browser effectively.

 

[TowLou]

I used add block when on firefox. Now I always am on here on my phone using the tapatalk app. No adds here. Also no signatures I see on here.

 

[Civilitas]

I used add block when on firefox. Now I always am on here on my phone using the tapatalk app. No adds here. Also no signatures I see on here.

By "no signatures" you mean no add-on notes on the bottom ("sig line") where we put stuff like "Damn the torpedoes, four bells, Captain Drayton!", or do you mean like the ID stuff with state/location and boat?

My objection to even the mobile version of the site is that it hides the ID info. In interest forums like this with technical content, knowing whether a person is in Maine or LA, and driving a Morgan Out Island (they sneak in, and I used to lust after one) vs. a Hatteras 58LRC is valuable information to know when reading their posts and evaluating their perspective. I can't stand the mobile app even as it wipes that info.

 

[refugio]

With the iPhone app, here’s how your post appears

 

[Civilitas]

Ah, perfect example! Yeah, it wipes the useful info, but is screen efficient and dumps the adverts. A reasonable trade off I guess. I will load it and give it a try, maybe Seevee can find it useful, too.

 

[BruceK]

Adblock works for me. Not just for TF but generally. On TF,if I forget to login I see evidence of where the adverts would be if I didn`t have Adblock.
TF presumably makes its $ from advertising revenue. There being no such thing as a "free lunch" I wondered, briefly, about the ethics of rejecting seeing adverts on TF.

 

[Civilitas]

There being no such thing as a "free lunch" I wondered, briefly, about the ethics of rejecting seeing adverts on TF.

Fair question. But it's not the end users who really have to answer that, it's Google.

As Seevee, Im and others experience, we simply can't read the forum effectively (and I mean it's BAD, not just "seeing ads"). Google is choosing to prioritize ad revenue over the basic mission of conveying information.

Also, there IS a standard for internet ads. It is run by the "Acceptable Ads Commitee" and a lot adhere to it.

https://acceptableads.com/en/committee/

So Adblock, for example, would never block ads that adhere to minimum standards like being parallel, not opening pop-ups, not blocking content, etc. Very reasonable stuff.

So, fair question, but we are talking about Google and companies that are working their butt off to avoid responsible ad practices. Nothing to do with TF or the revenue they receive.

 

[bluebyu]

Using PC, Windows 7, Chrome, logged in, see no ads as you reference.

 

[Seevee]

Thx for all the good replies.

I guess I'm going to have to get rid of Google. Have all Google emails and have been getting more of a PITA to deal with. Suggestions for a better email provider? And Chrome is almost unusable. Would like to go back to Safari, but requires the latest software, and I'm worried that my Adobe CS6 will not run on it... Grrrrr

And their ads are getting brutal. The privacy thing is going out the window. I can search for perhaps a generator, and within minutes, I'll see adds for a new generator show up on my browsing!

I'm not against ads OR paying for not having any, however it's just gotten out of hand.

 

[danderer]

I'd be mildly curious to see some screen caps of this -- I've never seen ads inside of posts.

When I view TF on Chrome vs Safari, I get at least 10 times the number of ads, many inside of posts, just like the posted included them, making the forum totally unusable.

 

[Portage_Bay]

PC, Windows 10, Firefox
Android, Firefox

I'm not seeing ads in the postings. I see two on the side and one on top, pic attached. If I've been searching on Google those ads will be tailored to my latest searches.

I let Firefox keep itself up to date with the latest versions. I have content blocking set to standard. When things get out of hand on the PC I add Ghostery. This Win 10 PC is new and I haven't had to add Ghostery yet, I did need it on the old machine.

I routinely clear cookies and history. This does have the side effect of wiping out saved passwords etc.

When I want to search without Google tracking me I use DuckDuckGo

To keep from being tracked and marketed to I had to step back from Google services. I do loose some convenience but I think it's worth it.

 

[leeman]

I use a Mac, so Safari is the browser I use. I stay away from all things Google and added Ghostery and UBlock Origin. No ads at all, but pay for good content.(As in WSJ for example)
I also clear the cache and cookies regularly. This creates extra work re-logging in to some news sites I read daily, but I feel it is necessary.
I also don't own/use a cell phone of any kind. Never found a need for one.

 

[dhays]

By "no signatures" you mean no add-on notes on the bottom ("sig line") where we put stuff like "Damn the torpedoes, four bells, Captain Drayton!", or do you mean like the ID stuff with state/location and boat?



My objection to even the mobile version of the site is that it hides the ID info. In interest forums like this with technical content, knowing whether a person is in Maine or LA, and driving a Morgan Out Island (they sneak in, and I used to lust after one) vs. a Hatteras 58LRC is valuable information to know when reading their posts and evaluating their perspective. I can't stand the mobile app even as it wipes that info.

The personal information about the poster can be seen using the IOS app by clicking on the posters name. It works well and only takes an extra step compared to using a browser.

What is missing is the signature line. That is an annoying omission. There are a number of TF regulars who have blogs that they link to in their signature line. I can’t see those links when using the IOS app, which I use most of the time.

I use a Firefox browser with Adblock. It gets rid of the ads which suck up huge amounts of bandwidth.

 

[TowLou]

By "no signatures" you mean no add-on notes on the bottom ("sig line") where we put stuff like "Damn the torpedoes, four bells, Captain Drayton!", or do you mean like the ID stuff with state/location and boat?



My objection to even the mobile version of the site is that it hides the ID info. In interest forums like this with technical content, knowing whether a person is in Maine or LA, and driving a Morgan Out Island (they sneak in, and I used to lust after one) vs. a Hatteras 58LRC is valuable information to know when reading their posts and evaluating their perspective. I can't stand the mobile app even as it wipes that info.

Here is what I see if you have a signature or what vessel you are on whatever is added to the bottom of the post. I run android and the tapatalk app how I almost always browse this forum.

 

[TowLou]

See if this comes up. Not to proficient in adding pictures here yet.

 

[C lectric]

I too use Adblock. It has been good. If I hadn't found something I would have quit T.F. several years ago.

On my tablet I use another.
The popups and crap ads were so many and pervasive it was almost a disaster using the mouse.

Sure ads give us all these forums and a lot of other benefits but at some point the ads become a serious liability.,

 

[ben2go]

Some browser updates are now coming with built-in adblocking. The reason is supposed to be to cut down on website load times. I installed Adblock plus and Ublock origin to FireFox and WaterFox. I try to stray away from google products as they steal and share your info with ad agencies and other companies to make money and keep their stuff semi-free. If you use Chrome, Google search, or Gmail and get spam emails it's because Google is collecting info on you and directing the spam to your inbox. If it doesn't make google money, you'll never see the spam.

 

[FF]

WOW!


I knew there was a reason I did not need a $1,000 phone and $600 a year phone bill.

 

[Maerin]

PC, Windows 10, Firefox
Android, Firefox

I'm not seeing ads in the postings. I see two on the side and one on top, pic attached. If I've been searching on Google those ads will be tailored to my latest searches.

UBlock Origin with Firefox will remove those ads. Adblock isn't nearly as effective.

For iOS, Weblock and activating VPN blocks a lot of ads, but it's not as effective when connected to LTE. Nothing frosts me more than knowing my data allotment is being used up to display ads.

 

[wkearney99]

+1 on Ublock Origin for desktop ad blocking.

Much like having a DVR... with an ad blocker you forget sometimes how obnoxious some ad quantity can get...

 

[ksanders]

Ok guys...

This site is paid for using advertising revenue.

If you guys all block the advertising, at some point TF will not pay for itself and will be shut down.

Sorry, but that is the simple reality of internet forums.

How about you click on an advertisement once in a while and actually help pay for the site.

 

[ben2go]

Ok guys...

This site is paid for using advertising revenue.

If you guys all block the advertising, at some point TF will not pay for itself and will be shut down.

Sorry, but that is the simple reality of internet forums.

How about you click on an advertisement once in a while and actually help pay for the site.

I understand this and I run a few forums as a hobby. It pays our hosting and other fees. I have my AdBlock software switched off on certain sites. This is one of them. There's a button usually in the browser header that allows access to that function. I have mine set to allow ads on TF. It would be nice if vendors would sponsor this site. On some of the forums, the vendors give a discount or shipping waiver and a small portion to the forum or a flat monthly/yearly pay in. Unfortunately, many people don't patronize the forum vendors and eventually, they leave due to no activity from the forum they are helping support. I don't blame them. When I build my boat, I'll be here looking for vendors. I have a lot bookmarked but I don't have them all. Plus with tech changing so fast, I may need help when it comes time to fit out my boat.


Be aware that some browser updates have integrated ad blockers and some may not be able to be switched off. As mentioned, some phone and tablet software completely ignores ads and will not show them.

 

[BruceK]

Ok guys...

This site is paid for using advertising revenue.

If you guys all block the advertising, at some point TF will not pay for itself and will be shut down.

Sorry, but that is the simple reality of internet forums.

How about you click on an advertisement once in a while and actually help pay for the site.

I thought about the ethics of using Adblock, understanding the site makes money out of advertising clicks. But the drag on internet use was getting ridiculous,and the mass of adverts a PITA. So I decided on Adblock. If the price of that is no TF, so be it.

 

[dhays]

I thought about the ethics of using Adblock, understanding the site makes money out of advertising clicks. But the drag on internet use was getting ridiculous,and the mass of adverts a PITA. So I decided on Adblock. If the price of that is no TF, so be it.

That has been my attitude as well. Not a big deal at home, but it is a big issue when I am accessing TF with my phone as a hotspot. The advertising overhead is ridiculous.

There was a browser that I saw that developed a system that allowed a user to donate a tiny amount of real money every time they accessed the website. The participating websites were coded that when a voluntary contributor accessed the site, all ads were turned off. A system like that is great. There are a number of websites that I would be happy to pay a small amount every time I accessed the site. TF is one, Compass Marine, Seaboard Marine are a couple more. Add Windy, Deep-zoom, and others to the mix.

 

[twistedtree]

I too use Adblock. It has been good. If I hadn't found something I would have quit T.F. several years ago.

On my tablet I use another.
The popups and crap ads were so many and pervasive it was almost a disaster using the mouse.

Sure ads give us all these forums and a lot of other benefits but at some point the ads become a serious liability.,

I feel the same way. There is a balance between being synergistic, and being parasitic.


We all make contributions of content to TF (and other forums). Without our content, there would be no forum. The forum IS the content that we provide, and they we all use and benefit. That's a synergistic relationship.


Throw in some ads on the side to pay the bills is fine. And have a paid membership in lieu of ads would be fine too. I could then choose to suffer through the ads, or pay instead.


But the nature of forum business is to crank up readership, then crank up the ads to crank up revenue. We all like to make money, and forum owners are no exception.


But at some point the balance of give and take between readers and forum owners can tip the wrong way, and it starts to be a parasitic relationship. Many, many forums and web sites have gone too far for my liking, and so I started using Adblock. On occasion I view a site like TF without Adblock, and am horrified by what I see. The same is true for other sites as well. If it weren't for Adblock, I would use way, way fewer sites.


And all this is particularly touchy with forums where WE have provided the content. It's a bit offensive to freely offer up content for the benefit of others, only to have someone else erect a toll booth and collect fees when people want to read it.

 

[twistedtree]

Are you guys saying that Chrome inserts ads on it's own, in addition to the ads that come through as part of the web site content that Chrome is displaying? So Chrome is adding/creating content in addition to what you are browsing on the web site that you are viewing?

 

[ben2go]

Are you guys saying that Chrome inserts ads on it's own, in addition to the ads that come through as part of the web site content that Chrome is displaying? So Chrome is adding/creating content in addition to what you are browsing on the web site that you are viewing?

That depends on how the forum software is set up. If it's set up to show ads specified by the forum owner(s) then no. If it's set up to use targeted ads then yes. Targeted ads use info stored in your browser like search history to send ads the forum ad software decides is relevant to you. Most of that software is either provided by google or uses google to link to the ads. That's about as simple as I can explain it. I don't mind ads as long as they don't overwhelm my browser. I don't like google because they steal sensitive information about you that is used in their browsers, search engine, software, and thier other websites. The info they steal is usually addresses, phone numbers, logins, passwords, and current location if using a mobile device. I wouldn't put it past Google to steal account numbers and pertinent info to spy on people for better targeting of ads.

 

[ksanders]

That has been my attitude as well. Not a big deal at home, but it is a big issue when I am accessing TF with my phone as a hotspot. The advertising overhead is ridiculous.

There was a browser that I saw that developed a system that allowed a user to donate a tiny amount of real money every time they accessed the website. The participating websites were coded that when a voluntary contributor accessed the site, all ads were turned off. A system like that is great. There are a number of websites that I would be happy to pay a small amount every time I accessed the site. TF is one, Compass Marine, Seaboard Marine are a couple more. Add Windy, Deep-zoom, and others to the mix.

On a major boating forum that I run we use a subscription service that is available within the forum software package to allow donations to support the site.

Members that donate do not see any advertising.

That said, I do not see TF’s advertising as a problem at all. The ad’s are only at the top and sides, and never pop up like other sites I have been to. In my opinion they are doing a Very good job of fulfilling the monetary needs while keeping those needs from intruding on the member experience.