Slashdot Mirror
Why Do You Block Ads?
flyingember asks: "With ad blocking becoming ever more popular among users, why do you block ads? And with what? Do you view internet ads as different from say, TV ads? What about in a magazine? Do you not buy a magazine because it has too many? I'm specifically talking about the ads in a webpage, but even popup blockers can cause problems with me using a site."
I block them for a number of reasons:
- They interfere with my browser, causing it to malfunction in some way. It may crash, it may eat up memory and/or CPU cycles, in the end it simply malfs when presented with the ad.
- The ad interferes with the page I'm trying to look at. This is a cardinal sin. I went to the page to see the page. An ad considering itself more important than the page it's on is the height of arrogance and I'm not inclined to put up with it. And as it turns out, I don't have to.
- It interferes with my system in some way, eg. opening additional windows (esp. full-screen ones that cover up everything else on my desktop), moving windows from where I put them or resizing them to sizes I didn't set them to.
- The ad attempts to do something anti-social, eg. downloading executable code. Sorry, not happening, and anyone who does it doesn't get a second chance.
- The ad is from someone with an established history of abusing information, eg. DoubleClick. I don't give proven problems even a first chance. I learn from other people's mistakes, thank you very much.
If advertisers don't like this, well, personal problems are down the hall, third door on the left.Here's another terrible punshment:
1. Strip advertiser naked.
2. Put his penis in a vice.
3. Tighten.
4. Show him gay porn.
5. Goto step 1.
" 1) Don't watch TV because of ads"
sex, death we don't mind. What you want to sell me something? that's it, I'm out of here.
"6) Never buy anything I've seen advertised as a matter of policy because I saw it advertised"
are you lying, or just unbelievably stupid?
So tell me where you go to buy good that doesn't have the manufactures name on the container? thats advertising.
I mean, wow hard core. Sorry kids, no peanuts butter for you they dared to advertise there product to ME! Thats right kids, it's a plot to get ME to know
about their stuff so I might spend money, out to get MY money. If I wasn't so weak minded that I buy everything anyone says is good. it owuld be a problem, but THEY have made me weak minded!
"7) Never buy my kid anything she's seen on TV because she saw it there"
yes dear, you USED to be able to have the nice educational toy, but I ahve to take it away because those awfull peopletried to tell people about there product on TV. So out it goes.
I mean, wow you being at home, hand making all the toys and clothes. Nice.
ACtually watching too much tv does seem to inhibit the desire to learn. Almost as if it fills up a learning quatiants. Which is why we don't watch TV.
"I do all this because I find mass advertising offensive."
it is.
"Makes me angry as hell. "
the fact that it gets that kind or emotional response means you should speak to a professional about it. Seriously, it's just advertising, don't let it control your life.
Before we ahd kids, I watched a lot of TV, but my general response to commercials was to do soemthing else, or pick them aprt. Or mute them and make up dialog with my friends. Anyone who takes commercials as the 'Whole Truth' has issues. which brings me to my next, point.
I ask this as a parent who is curious. WHat are you doing to prepare your child for a world full of advertising?
If she isn't exposed to it, what is going to happen when she enters the world? Will she be more likly to believe them becasue whe has only been told there bad?
WHen we did have TV with our children, I always talked about the ads with them. What they thought, how big thy think the toy is, how much it costs, why do they think they suddenly want it, etc. Pretty much anything to get them tomthink about the ad and how it applies to them.
Finally,
Seriously, you post makes you sound a little unstable.
seek help.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on