I don;t see any of the ones that come from doubleclick. The problem with services like that is, as rightly pointed out, they seem to not both to vet who they sell ads to and they are often loaded with malicious content, usually the sort that pops up a full page inescapable warning that your computer is infected and that you should click on the button to fix it. NEVER EVER DO THAT - until you actually click, you still have not received malware. But click on that link and you absolytely will.
This is an issue for EVERY ad-supported web service. The people providing these ad services need to do a far better job of vetting their clients and blocking this garbage. The thing is, they have little reason to care, as long as they get their money.
This popup doesn't really cause any problems - I stay logged in all the time here anyway. It's not like if someone breaks into my house is going to hop on the forums and post trash messages from me.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Steven Otte All I can do is to point out that to offer you the use of this Forum, free of charge, costs Kalmbach money and resources. The ads you see allow us to recoup a portion of those expenses. If you don't like the ads, perhaps you can suggest a less obtrusive way we can pay for the servers, bandwidth, and I.T. staff that keep these Forums running.
All I can do is to point out that to offer you the use of this Forum, free of charge, costs Kalmbach money and resources. The ads you see allow us to recoup a portion of those expenses. If you don't like the ads, perhaps you can suggest a less obtrusive way we can pay for the servers, bandwidth, and I.T. staff that keep these Forums running.
I'm 100% on board with having the ad's to offset your cost. My complaint isn't that there are ad's, but that the ad company is placing ad's which hijack your site and redirect you off MR/Kalmbach altogether.
There are placed ad's coming through that automatically redirect you from the forum entirely. The "Amazon Gift Card" and "You have won!" are two of such ad's. The remainder of your (Kalmbach, not pointed at you Mr. Otte) ad's aren't nearly as malicious as the two "hijackers".
I would gladly pay for a subscription to the forum (in addition to the mag) to remove the ad's entirely. Based on the average price per 1k placement of ad's, Id gladly pay 9.99 a year or so to offset the ad revenue, which is likely a higher dollar figure than the ad revenue generates based on my own (known) browsing habits here.
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
Steven Otteperhaps you can suggest a less obtrusive way we can pay for the servers, bandwidth, and I.T. staff that keep these Forums running.
Limit access to magazine subscribers only and build the cost of the forum into the subscription cost.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Ed, all ads are irritating, whether it is a pop up on a web site or a billboard by the side of the interstate.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
I think the complaints about the ads aren't so much that they are ads (which Steve says are needed) but irritating ads.
There's a point where irritating ads drive customers for ads away. And damage the reputation of the supporter of those ads.
I started seeing the pop-ups recently, and clicked on the X. It's "sorta" OK. If it becomes NOT sorta OK, I can always put the computer to sleep and work on my trains. Which would be more productive (so much to do!!)
I don't HAVE to be here.
Ed
I for one am not surpised by your response, Steve. It is the business model of more than just Kalmbach. And I, for one, accept the reality.
This one doesn't bother me. It's not that much more of a bother than the banner and the right column ads. As Steve alluded to, it's the cost of using the forum. A few extra mouse clicks for the privilege is a bargain.
Sometimes I glance at the ad before clicking the "X" and other times I just do as some others and click the "X". Depends on how fast it catches my eye.
I do have a suggestion for defraying some of the forum costs, Steve - offer a paid subsctiption to the forum, wherein anyone paying a monthly fee no longer sees all the ads. The cost of setting that up may make it a non-starter, but it's an idea...
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Like Bear, I click on the X and move on. I don't know what the adds are for.
What is really becoming irritating, is the video ads in the right column. They are hard to stop, drag the site down to a crawl, and in some cases lock up the website/browser. I have been leaving the site when they start. It's less aggravating that way.
I don't see any pop up ad's. I use Adblock Plus for IE (32 bit & 64 bit).
Bernd
New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds
protolancer(at)kingstonemodelworks(dot)com
I have become innured to pop up ads on this site or any other web site that I frequent. I click on the X in the upper right hand corner without reading them, the ad goes away and I go about my business.
Interesting, I haven't seen those ads? I wish they'd fix the Classic Trains website. When you click on a thread and then want to go back to the main page for the Classic Trains forum, it's almost impossible because it creates a pop-up for buying Kalmbach books and such. Often wonder if that problem is why the Classic Trains website gets so few entries compared to the others.
The "new" ad's are devious and a pain. Many of the ad's in the rotation are hijacking browsers with endless redirects to "You have won" type scams.
I actually had to go in to my router and block traffic from some of the ad providers due to this. Kalmbach still gets the ad "referal" for their click/view stats, but my router dumps their traffic once it's received.
Some of the ad's that are in the rotation from DoubleClick (one of the biggest ad placement companies) are downright malicious.
Yep, I've been dealing with them for a while now. just never said anything about it. They also come up when you've left the page to go to a link, and then come back.
One thing I will say, I never have any ads, what so ever, on the right hand column. Nothing but my information block, who's on line, and community search.
Mike.
My You Tube
MR has apparently discovered a new way to get 'pop up' ads past my Ad Block. Recently when I go to sign in to the forums the sign in procedure has been interrupted by a pop up ad. I am so annoyed by it that I have deliberately refused to read the ad so don't ask me what it's all about. My point is that this is one more example of MR doing something that I'm not happy with.
At the risk of offending the powers that be, please share your feelings about this new affront to our sensibilities. I would ask that the forum members restrict their comments to this particular 'pop up' issue. Please do not turn this into a female dog session about every perceived fault that you can find with MR!
Steven, please understand that I am just trying to communicate to you the forum members feelings about this new annoyance. You can delete the thread if you wish, but that won't change the way I feel. I suspect that many others will share my opinion.
Respectfully,
Dave Warnica
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!