Do You Have An Ad Blocker Installed?

[crokett]

on your web browser? I do. I stumbled across this older article from a web developer who thinks that blocking ads is the same thing as stealing. According to him, websites get their revenue from people viewing the ads and if you can browse the site without viewing ads you are stealing. I would like to ask him well who is paying for my bandwidth to download the ads? Aren't you stealing my bandwidth by forcing me to look at unwanted ads?

http://www.infoworld.com/t/applicati...uses-angst-900

[gary]

I turned on Ad Blocking after a cell phone company recently came out with a flash ad that totally locks up my browser during the 20 to 30 seconds the ad was playing. I could not click or close the browser until the ad was complete.

They don't have the right to take control of my machine and they only thing that worked effectively was blocking them all.

[Mr__Bill]

I use Adblock Plus, however, I turn it off for sites that I frequent who use the banner ads for survival. As long as they do not blink, flash or move a lot. Those I find too distracting. I see the Woodcraft and Rockler ads on BT3 but skip all of the ads on sites like ABC and CBS. I also find that there are sites where the banner ads are of a NSFW nature while the site it's self is not, those ads get blocked. Then there are those Flash ads, they all get blocked!

On those sites that I patronize who rely on banner ads I will make it a point to click through, that gives a bit more to the site and sometimes I find things of interest, Today's BT3 Amazon ad was a bust, but often the Woodcraft one is at least interesting.

Is it stealing? You and I may be paying for the bandwidth to DL from the site but the site operator is paying for the bandwidth to upload it to us and the ads are covering that expense. I'll have to think about this some more.

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[radhak]

Dunno who that chap is, but he's a nut for cutting off his nose to spite his face...he seems to be running a blog, and he's deliberately turning away audience! And does he know now the other browsers have similar blockers too?

But anyway, I do have Ad-blocker and would not go anywhere without it. Certain sites, I like to disable it just to see some ads. I like Bill's slant : disable it to help out sites I want to; shall try that now on.

But on side-note - how come I am not seeing any ads on BT3C nowadays? Did I inadvertantly block them, or is Ad-block working by default? How do I fix it? I searched in Ad-blocker's filter set and do not find BT3Central...

[crokett]

How do I fix it? I searched in Ad-blocker's filter set and do not find BT3Central...

The easiest way is in the upper right corner of your browser window there should be an 'ABP' with a drop down arrow next to it. Click the drop down and you will see an option to disable Ad Blocker on BT3Central.

[Hoover]

I have a pop up blocker, which asks to allow pop ups for certain sites. I block first, ask questions later.

[Uncle Cracker]

I use blocker features, and don't feel that I'm stealing from anybody. Whether or not I want that crap intruding on my screen is nobody else's affair but my own.

[sparkeyjames]

I have three. I use Firefox and have 'adblock plus', 'noscript' and 'Flashblock' installed. Sometimes they can be a pain but rather that than all the irritation that is caused without them. I rarely see the blinking flashing irritating flash ads or other stuff unless I turn off the filters for a certain site. I don't consider it stealing. I consider them anti irritation measures installed so that I can have a peaceful happy web experience. If I'm looking for something I'll google it. Random ads hold as much of my attention as a TV commercial ie NONE.

[LinuxRandal]

There are multiple browsers, as well as ad blockers. How are the ads written? What do they use?

For example, if they use flash, which isn't available, OR supported on my os, am I stealing?

What if my browser just see's HTML, or better yet, what if I am using the text based Lynx browser, on a low power system, am I stealing?

Now for another question. What if I am in another country, and your ad, violates some local law. Who is the criminal?

There is a lot on multiple sides of this argument, and people a lot smarter then me, will probably be arguing it, after I am gone.

[gary]

If you change channels on your TV when a show goes to commercial, are you stealing? Same thing here.

[crokett]

If you change channels on your TV when a show goes to commercial, are you stealing? Same thing here.

That depends. Over the air TV it would be, but not cable that you have to pay for. That being said, the TV broadcaster gets paid to broadcast the ads, they probably don't care whether you are watching them. That being said, the cable companies themselves offer DVR and other technologies so you can avoid watching commercials.

A better parallel might be you are given a free newspaper but you cut all the ads out before you read it.

[vaking]

I have pop-up blocker and flash disabled rather than adblocker. I can tolerate a small ad in the corner of some site as long as it cannot open new windows, take over my browser or play anything on my screen without my permission.

[Mr__Bill]

The problem here is the contract. Is there an agreement between you and the source of web content? Or TV for that matter? Did you agree to view the ads in return for viewing the content? Is there an EULA for the web site where you agree by default?

I am thinking of putting an EULA in my front yard for people who walk their dogs.

As for TV commercials I am sure if there was legal grounds, the broadcasters would file suit against the makers of digital recorders that can skip commercials.

Some sites state that you must watch a commercial prior to gaining access to the site. Salon.com was once like this. In that case you do have an obligation to let the commercial stream into your computer and on screen, perhaps even a moral obligation to view it.

It often helps to put the issue in a different perspective. Lets say there is a very pretty girl you would like to spend time with. The cost is listening to her constant mindless babble. Do you have to pay attention? As long as you don't marry her, lack of contract, the only thing that happens is you loose her company when she decides it's not worth it for her. The same with web content, when it's not worth it for the provider the content goes away.

Bill, now getting off of his soap box