# Obnoxious ads



## Elephant (Oct 25, 2007)

In the past, I've avoided blocking Eeee Ennnn World's ad banners because I haven't classified the site in the same despicable category as most Internet advertisers.

This ad banner prompted me to change this policy:

http://shop.enworld.org/images/engs/banners//banner1.gif

Morrus, you do yourself a disservice putting up such abhorrent material.  Flashing backgrounds only serve to demean your site in the eyes of (some of) its fans.

Please turn off the flashies in your ad banners.  If you email me that you've done so, I'll even turn off my ad-blocking for this site again


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## Cheiromancer (Oct 25, 2007)

I ad-blocked that particular ad.  I figure I'm already subscribed to Burning Sky, so why make myself regret it?


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## Umbran (Oct 25, 2007)

Elephant said:
			
		

> Flashing backgrounds only serve to demean your site in the eyes of (some of) its fans.




I am not sure I understand this complaint.  It seems... a bit thin skinned for an elephant 

I can understand you don't like it.  Everyone has their own tastes, in regards to graphic presentations.  But I think of popups as obnoxious.  And those darned not-quite popup animated ads that cover up site content are obnoxious, sure.  But this doesn't actually get in the way of the site content.  It is, at worst, merely unsightly.  And you scroll down so you don't see it in what, two seconds or less?


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## Morrus (Oct 25, 2007)

I'm very sorry you feel that way, Elephant, but we don't remove ads (excepting those that are actually offensive by way of obscenity, pornography or illegality) at the request of members; and we _never_ bow to ultimatums, however mildly phrased.  It is, of course, accepted that people would prefer no or fewer ads, and that individual ads may annoy certain people to varying extents.

It's always appreciated that ads suck, and I'd be the first in line wishing they weren't necessary.  

Think of it like this: by "seeing" the ad you are paying for your use of EN World.  We don't ask you for money to use the site; the only "cost" to you is having ads in your eyeline.  I don't feel that that is too much to ask of you, if I'm honest; we can't give it all to you for free.  You gotta see some ads, and you might not like some of them.*

The good news?  In EN World II, we're considering allowing community supporters to turn off ads.  

*Yes, I appreciate you have the technical means to circumvent that "payment"; I submit that it's not fair that you do so, however.  I can't stop you, of course.


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## RangerWickett (Oct 26, 2007)

On a related note, I think we've been running that ad for 10 months. It was catchy at first, but I think it is time for a change. I'll come up with something.


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## RangerWickett (Oct 26, 2007)

How about this one?









Or I could go for something less animated.


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## Nifft (Oct 26, 2007)

Looping animation is better than flashing animation, but I'd prefer if it played once and then stopped. (Terminal image should contain product name. Nothing annoys me more than looking at an ad trying to figure out what it's for.)

Cheers, -- N


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## Lanefan (Oct 26, 2007)

Morrus said:
			
		

> The good news?  In EN World II, we're considering allowing community supporters to turn off ads.



Yippee!!! 

Lanefan


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## Elephant (Oct 26, 2007)

Morrus said:
			
		

> I'm very sorry you feel that way, Elephant, but we don't remove ads (excepting those that are actually offensive by way of obscenity, pornography or illegality) at the request of members; and we _never_ bow to ultimatums, however mildly phrased.  It is, of course, accepted that people would prefer no or fewer ads, and that individual ads may annoy certain people to varying extents.
> 
> It's always appreciated that ads suck, and I'd be the first in line wishing they weren't necessary.
> 
> ...




Oh, please don't misquote me.  There's no ultimatum involved.  If you wish to serve obnoxious ads, that's your choice, just as it is my choice to block offensive content from sites I visit.

Besides, with all the other Burning Sky links floating around, I would have subscribed long ago if it was something I felt I could use.  Having a flashing banner ad to annoy me won't make me more likely to pick up something I've already decided against getting.

* As to me "circumventing the 'payment'", I submit that it's unreasonable of you to expect free use of my computing resources as part of your business model.  If you were providing the computer I'm using, you might have cause to complain.


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## Elephant (Oct 26, 2007)

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> How about this one?
> 
> (img snipped as it appears further up the thread)
> 
> Or I could go for something less animated.




Eh...I'd prefer something without animation.  It's definitely an improvement over the eyesore I blocked the other day, though.  Nifft's request for something that loops once and then ends on the product name is a good one.

On a related note, I'll change my request since Morrus sounds ill-disposed to it:

Please let me know when you eliminate the flashing annoyance from your banner list.


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## Michael Morris (Oct 26, 2007)

Elephant said:
			
		

> * As to me "circumventing the 'payment'", I submit that it's unreasonable of you to expect free use of my computing resources as part of your business model.  If you were providing the computer I'm using, you might have cause to complain.




There are always two computers involved in the providing of content over the internet - a client and a server. We provide the server. Do you think the server and its connection to the internet is free? These must be paid for in order to provide the content your enjoying here.


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## Elephant (Oct 29, 2007)

Michael Morris said:
			
		

> There are always two computers involved in the providing of content over the internet - a client and a server. We provide the server. Do you think the server and its connection to the internet is free? These must be paid for in order to provide the content your enjoying here.




Well, that's a bit patronizing.  I'm quite well aware of basic Internet architecture, thank you very much.

Getting back to the core issue:  Please take down the excessively obnoxious ads, and please let me know if you ever take the particular ad I've complained about.  As I've said, I'll only keep your ads blocked as long as I believe that you're server offensive ones.


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## Nifft (Oct 29, 2007)

Guys, please read generously! Everyone in this forum is only here because we like EN World.

Group hug? (And maybe less flashy ads?  )

Cheers, -- N


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## Thornir Alekeg (Oct 29, 2007)

In this wonderful world of ads that jump to the front, expand across a screen, make noise and find other ways to be generally annoying, I would rather have a banner ad that is easily ignored.  

EN World II ad blocking for CS accounts?  Sounds like a great idea, with the side effect that should your account lapse, it will be noticable a lot faster than one day realizing that the search option isn't available.


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## Rodrigo Istalindir (Oct 29, 2007)

I'd pay extra for the ad-blocking over and above the CS account.


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## Morrus (Oct 29, 2007)

Elephant said:
			
		

> Well, that's a bit patronizing.  I'm quite well aware of basic Internet architecture, thank you very much.
> 
> Getting back to the core issue:  Please take down the excessively obnoxious ads, and please let me know if you ever take the particular ad I've complained about.  As I've said, I'll only keep your ads blocked as long as I believe that you're server offensive ones.




As previously advised, this is not going to happen.



> I'd pay extra for the ad-blocking over and above the CS account.




You won't need to - we plan to include it.  I don't think it'll be a launch feature, though - but it'll come.


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