(AAARRRGGGHHH!!! I *hate* that X-Loop-to: header!!!)
John
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Subject: Blocking Banner ads (Was - Re: Why reply to list and Cc author?)
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 10:46:35 -0400
From: John Aldrich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
On Sun, 29 Aug 1999, Mail Lists wrote:
>
> In terms of the banner blocking software, all I can say is that I'm glad it's
> not a widespread problem (yes, even though less than 1% of the internet uses it,
> it is still a problem). People wanting less loading time to avoid that "hefty"
> 10k banner at the top of each page are simply ripping off the web site publisher
>
Well, it has been MY experience that often it's NOT just a "10k
banner" it's that blasted ANIMATED banner that keeps reloading or
frequent reloading of the ads by the web site publishers that are the
problem. They reload so often that they have reloaded about 25 or 30
times by the time that an average page loads! Sheesh! Can you REALLY
say that's good for business or good for the average consumer??? I
support banner-blocking software!!!
>
> (if they've got ads on the site, they're there for a
> purpose, and they don't want their business to suffer because
> someone isn't patient enough to let a banner load). And yet, some
> of these same people who refuse to let banner ads load (because
> they "take too long") are no doubt downloading huge files from
> these sites with no concern to bandwidth or expenses...
>
OK...my 2 cents' worth -- I work for an ISP so I have some idea of
how expensive commercial web space is. HOWEVER, as I pointed out
above, many of these "banner ads" have become so persistent that they
reload a dozen or more times before the page finishes loading, all of
which reduces bandwidth available for downloading the page. Now, I
wouldn't mind so much if it were just a static, single-image banner
ad. However, it's these animated, multi-reloading banner ads (or
those that alternate a dozen DIFFERENT banner ads in the space of 5
minutes) that really bug me and make me WANT to block their ads! To
me, that's "Excessively Annoying Behavior" as we used to say back in
the days of FidoNet (I used to be a Fido Sysop <G>)
>
> I've noticed that some people really don't know how important banner ads can be
> in the past (and having consumers who are uninformed is a great way for the
> company you mentioned to do business), but the release of software to block
> banner ads is a completely despicable act that I wouldn't want to be associated
> with. (It's also good to see you didn't mention the name or the url.)
>
Well, you can do it with ipchains, which comes built into Linux. Just
block "doubleclick.net" and that other site <G>
Seriously, though....you probably haven't been to those sites that
have multiple, alternating banner ads, or worse, those <ahem> "adult"
sites that are almost nothing BUT banner ads!
