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YouTube Will Kill Unskippable 30-Second Ads Next Year (theverge.com)

YouTube is planning to do away with the non-skippable 30-second ads that appear before a YouTube video. From a report: In a statement first given to Campaign then confirmed by The Verge, a Google spokesperson said the company will focus on commercial formats that are more engaging for both advertisers and viewers. "We're committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we've decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers," Google said.

168 comments

  1. ads on youtube by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wait, there are adverts on youtube?

    1. Re:ads on youtube by ckatko · · Score: 2

      I know you're kidding but adblock doesn't always work on embedded videos. Facebook videos still show, and some (all?) embedded ads on other websites.

      But man, trying to use YouTube on my phone for music when I'm driving? GOOD LORD there's a ton of ads. They're so annoying (1 minute ad after a 45 second YouTube video? Suck my balls.) that I go out of my way to mentally make a note to think less of whatever company is advertised. Like that stupid mobile game that looks like a cartoon age of mythology. I'll never buy that just because I saw those damn ads so many times inbetween what I actually wanted to watch.

      SUPER BONUS POINTS are applied to any ad that is:

        - Played WAY too many times in a row.

        - Uses LOUD NOISES or other distracting sounds.

    2. Re:ads on youtube by peragrin · · Score: 1

      Wait until android ads come to YouTube. You know the ones that pretend they are a game for you to play and want you to play but are just an ad to download the game? The ones where they put the close button on a 15-40 second delay and can appear in any corner at random?

      Those ads are almost enough to get me to buy an iPad mini to replace my google nexus 7. The other factor is a lack of good 7-8" android tablets that are not a kindle.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    3. Re:ads on youtube by lgw · · Score: 1

      I mostly get videos (on YouTube directly) that refuse to play if any adblocker is enabled. Just the "static" screen. What do you use that works?

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    4. Re:ads on youtube by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I started using ublock origin when reports came out that AdBlock was sucking up to certain advertisers. I never see ads on Youtube or get videos that refuse to play with an ad-blocker enabled.

    5. Re:ads on youtube by harperska · · Score: 1

      iOS apps are full of those dumb fake game ads too. Ads suck in general, and are pretty much unavoidable wherever you go. But they will never go away as long as people in general are not willing to pay for content. A couple of bucks for a game is really not unreasonable at all in the grand scheme of things, but people are conditioned to think that everything should be free so charging $5 for an app is considered an extreme expense by most consumers.

    6. Re:ads on youtube by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1
      I mostly get videos (on YouTube directly) that refuse to play if any adblocker is enabled. Just the "static" screen. What do you use that works?

      Their competitors videos.

      Do you want fries with that?

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    7. Re:ads on youtube by x_t0ken_407 · · Score: 1

      A combo of uBlock Origin and uMatrix works phenomenally for me...NEVER see a YouTube add (on desktop/laptop).

    8. Re: ads on youtube by corychristison · · Score: 1

      uBlock Origin on Firefox and Chromium works for me.

    9. Re:ads on youtube by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh come on now. Like you've never had your blacklist get stale.

    10. Re:ads on youtube by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >A couple of bucks for a game is really not unreasonable at all

      It's not. True.

      But neither is TRICKING PEOPLE into downloading your game, or some manipulation of common [x] button themes to not appear, delay appearing, or do something other than X'ing out the ad. That's straight up slimy.

      Imagine this: I have something I want to sell you. You are not interested. I now trick you into holding it in your hands, possessing it, and after a free trial I now ask you to pay for extras. Now remember you told me 'no' earlier. Are you happy that I put this in your life? And all the other sellers doing the same, are you overwhelmed & distrustful yet?

      Do you understand this kind of 'advertising' is not a passive billboard but a technique that forces you into their world, to make you pay?

    11. Re:ads on youtube by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      Who the fuck uses YouTube on their phone for music while driving?

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    12. Re:ads on youtube by newcastlejon · · Score: 1

      The ones that really get me are the Tyler Oakley ones with that irritating chirpy voice and oh-so-punchable face. I only seem to get them when I'm using 3G/4G but happily enough when I use the skip button on my car's steering wheel I can skip them entirely.

      If that guy is the face of new media I want no part of it. He has the bearing of a children's TV presenter, which must explain why Disney are so keen.

      --
      If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    13. Re:ads on youtube by newcastlejon · · Score: 1

      I do. I don't use it enough to get anywhere near my data cap and I'm not going to pay for Spotify, Apple Music etc.. Plus, I can listen to things besides music.

      --
      If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    14. Re:ads on youtube by zennyboy · · Score: 1

      A plugin called "Adblock for YouTube". I use it on Chrome; unsure if available for FF etc

    15. Re:ads on youtube by scatbomb · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but for some reason ads never come up when I'm using a chromecast on my TV. Is that a bug or a feature?

    16. Re:ads on youtube by gweihir · · Score: 1

      Indeed. I just recently found out as well. Now I am disabling the ad-blocker for YouTubers I want to support, but only if they chose to go with low-annoyance ads.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    17. Re:ads on youtube by BlacKSacrificE · · Score: 1

      Why the fuck are you dicking around on Youtube when you're "allegedly controlling" a tonne and a half of metal with 50 odd liters of volatile liquid in it?

      Ever heard of Spotify, Panrora, or ya know, good old MP3s, you dangerous fuck?

      --
      [Sorry, this signature is unavailable in your country/region]
    18. Re:ads on youtube by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      Wait, there are adverts on youtube?

      Bingo. Since installing Adblock I haven't seen a single one. Particularly nice on those 20- or 30-minute videos where they cram an ad in every 2 or 3 minutes. I used to HATE that, now I just laugh as the progress button just moves right past the little yellow "here's an ad" line without a hiccup.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    19. Re:ads on youtube by sudon't · · Score: 1

      I know you're kidding but adblock doesn't always work on embedded videos.

      That's why there's Ad Block for YouTube. I think the buried lede of this story is: There Are Still Some People Who Don't Use Ad Blockers

      --
      -- sudon't

      Air-ride Equipped

    20. Re:ads on youtube by sudon't · · Score: 1

      I never see ads on Youtube or get videos that refuse to play with an ad-blocker enabled.

      Haven't seen that problem either, (I'm using Ad Block for YouTube, amongst other plug-ins), but I often come across sites that beg me to disable my ad blocking software. Sometimes I do, but more often that not, the site then doesn't seem to recognize that I've disabled ad blocking. That's ok, though. I can live without most of these commercial web sites.
      I realize we'll never have the internet of 1998 again, but perhaps if everybody used ad blockers, we'd see some improvement? Of course, it's always amazed me that people will sit and watch television, with its endless commercials, and pay good money for the privilege. So, perhaps there are people who aren't bothered much by commercials? Is that possible?

      --
      -- sudon't

      Air-ride Equipped

    21. Re:ads on youtube by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Wait, there are adverts on youtube?

      Yeah. I watch TV on YouTube live on the laptop, and while I'm watching a show, an ad interrupts in b/w, and 5 seconds pass before I have the option to skip it. I then have to move the slider back, setting myself back. I try to satisfy the ad deities by refreshing the page when regular ads on the TV channel start, so that the ads are overlaid and that I do not have to watch them during the show. But 5 minutes into the main show, and they're back, much to my chagrin.

      I welcome the end of unskippable ads next year, but more than that, I'd like them to set things so that ads only pop up on live shows when there are ads in the main show, and not elsewhere

    22. Re:ads on youtube by syntotic · · Score: 1

      Why! I started liking them precisely! When I care to F12 go into IE8 emulation mode to watch a youtube video.

    23. Re:ads on youtube by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      I have no issue with Adblock +, but some have issues with their acceptable ad program.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  2. Never seen them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've never seen an ad on YouTube. I figure they were just floated by Google. ??

  3. Had Adblock installed for so long... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...forgot it even has them.

  4. More "engaging" to viewers? by bjwest · · Score: 1

    Sorry, I don't watch Youtube for advertisements. The only way an advertisement will engage me is if it's off to the side, not flashing, loud or even video at all, and lets me watch the video I'm there to watch in peace.

    --

    --- Keep the choice with the user..
    1. Re:More "engaging" to viewers? by Sumus+Semper+Una · · Score: 1

      I'm actually kind of curious about this. I've never once clicked a sidebar ad or an ad before a youtube video (at least not on purpose). Are there people who really do that consistently enough to justify the cost? Or is the goal more of a brand or product recognition/refreshment from people even glancing at the advertisement? Or something else I'm just not thinking of?

      Anyone have experience in creating/publishing online advertising who can comment on this?

    2. Re:More "engaging" to viewers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Really stupid at the ads that turn out to be longer than the damn video itself. There are some sites I don't bother to visit anymore thanks to that stupidity.

    3. Re:More "engaging" to viewers? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      The actual question is, are there people who actually notice that ad?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Coming soon! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Engaging" TV-Like Ads. You know the ones, where they cram the show you were watching into a corner and show ads on the other 3/4th of the screen, sometimes even talking over the show.

    1. Re:Coming soon! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      If you want the last people who do anything online without adblocker finally cave in and find out how to use it, that's the way to do it.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  6. Introducing...25 and 45-second unskippable ads by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    >> YouTube is planning to do away with the non-skippable 30-second ads

    And, in the next room: "Today, we are introducing 25 and 45-second unskippable ads!"

    If anything, this is the continuing use case for multiple browser tabs, each with their own volume/mute button.

  7. May be good or bad news... by ctilsie242 · · Score: 2

    I always get a bit nervous when ad formats change. Things like ads which have to be interacted with, every 5-10 minutes (thankfully uBlock Origin + Tampermonkey take care of those.) I'm just waiting for ads which require software to download and run with root/admin rights in order to be able to view a website, similar to the "pr0n viewer codecs" of yesteryear.

    As for YouTube, between the Red subscription (which is nice for saving lots of stuff offline), and ad blockers, it hasn't been a problem, but I wonder what the 30 second ads will be replaced by.

    1. Re:May be good or bad news... by CaptnCrud · · Score: 1

      I originally thought the red account was supposed to be add free...but it's not. It's not too bad, but if you supplement youtube for tv like I do, it can get a little annoying....it's like hulu making you pay an extra 4 bucks on top of the 8 for ad free viewing.

      I get it and understand everyone wants their due, and I personally would rather just cough up a few extra coin than watching any ads period. That said....it still irks me that they are now starting tiered pricing rather than just free and paid. Like now you have to pay for the extra special premium account to not have to deal with stupid ads.

    2. Re:May be good or bad news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I wonder what the 30 second ads will be replaced by.

      29 second ads.

    3. Re:May be good or bad news... by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      YouTube will start splicing ads right into the video and not allow fast forwarding at those points.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    4. Re:May be good or bad news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      at which point I'll stop watching youtube just like I stopped watching regular TV

  8. Timing! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We're gonna wait 11 months just to make sure everybody is really sure this is what they want....

    1. Re:Timing! by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

      We're gonna wait 11 months just to make sure everybody is really sure this is what they want....

      I suspect that nearly 1 year wait before implementing this is likely due to contract reasons with with the ad agencies. They are probably required to continue having unskippable ads on some videos until the contracts with the entities that show those types are up for renegotiation/renewal.

      --
      This space unintentionally left blank.
  9. TANSTAAFL by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Video hosting costs money. Micropayments don't work. Nobody's signing up with a million different video hosts.

    The solution was, is, and always will be for the foreseeable future... advertising.

    All it'll take to make it work is to find a way to extract the evil from advertising people so they stop continually escalating from 'find where potential customers are and put information in front of them for our clients' to 'skull fuck the entire public to get an extra purchase, regardless of how much trouble it causes'.

    1. Re:TANSTAAFL by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Advertising outlived its welcome, though.

      First and foremost, people have been treated like cattle by the ad industry for way too long. Knowing that people can't do anything but grin and bear it, they became more and more obnoxious, and now that people can actually go and give them the finger, they come whining. Sorry, but fuck you. Even IF you treat me with respect now, it's too late to apologize. Dear advertising industry, please go and die. I'd love if you did it slowly and in agony, but for practicality reasons, just make it quick.

      Aside of this, they're doing it wrong. This could be the most topical ad in the world they're showing, the ad that could change my life to the better, provide me with more money than I could want, make me rich and famous, unite me with the perfect partner that I will love for all eternity, and still I would not want anything but to get rid of that ad. Why? Because it gets into the way of what I wanted to do.

      How does the average YouTube experience look like? At least to me, this looks like this: I think "hey, that's a song I want to hear" or "hey, that's a documentary I'd like to see", I go on YouTube, I find it, I click start and ... an ad. That is not what I want. That is by no means what I want. I'm neither interested in this ad nor am I actually even noticing what it is for, all I do is search the "skip it" button, or if there isn't one, reload the page until you finally get an ad that is either 5 seconds long or does have a "skip it" button.

      This is why the whole thing doesn't work.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:TANSTAAFL by galabar · · Score: 1

      Start your own video service without ads?

    3. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      YES. EXACTLY THIS.

      I bet that 8 times out of 10 you could ask me what ad just popped up and I couldn't give you an answer... I was looking for the skip button, or immediately reloaded or just plain closed the window. In other events where I actually watched the video, I was so pre-occupied with waiting for the video to start that I didn't pay any attention to the ad at all... WASTED EFFORTS.

      the same thing of those distracting fucking ads that pop up in the middle of a video I'm watching. I can recall exactly 0 out of 10 because I'm trying to retain focus on the actual video so I hit the X so fast I didn't even notice what the ad was for. FUCK IT.

      If the ad was off to the side so that my video experience was not delayed or interrupted at all, then there's a good chance that I'd even check out the ad off to the side while I'm watching the video...

      Advertising is more effective on just about every other site EXCEPT Youtube... Youtube ads are just annoying and have no effect on me except that they have just guaranteed themselves that I WILL NOT buy their product since I was annoyed and will avoid them out of spite.

      So fuck you TIDE, ADIDAS, NIKE, FORD, SUBWAY. Fuck each of you in the ass. Long and Hard. I will never buy your shit so long as you fuck with my viewing experience.

    4. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The alternative solution is using a distributed computing application (a la seti or folding), and 'selling' your unused cpu cycles or a chunk of empty drive space to a cloud computing company. You indirectly pay with a slightly higher power bill, and donate/pay whatever credits you accumulate toward a site/subscription or similar.

      There could be an entire section of the online economy running on this concept assuming any loophole and exploits could be patched reliably.
      It would also be less wasteful than bitcoin mining, which essentially just generates heat in order to keep the ledger running.

    5. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So like, I like some advertising in the middle of TV shows and movies, its usually my queue to get off the couch and goto the toilet, make a snack or make a cup of tea, or do something for 5 minutes that needs doing, then come back to the TV.

      The Ads on YT were rather invasive and too often, it gets pretty annoying.

      Ads on US cable tv are much the same, same shit over and over again. I get it Ford, no one buys your shitty EcoBoost V6 F150 trucks, they all want the V8 trucks, now you got a ton to sell off. VW is the next most obnoxious, again no one wants to buy your Dieselgate cars that you repowered with Turbo gasoline engines.

    6. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Video hosting costs money
      *snip*
      The solution was, is, and always will be for the foreseeable future... advertising.

      Then they shouldn't give the service away for free if they expect continuing payments for a service that has continuing costs.

      It wasn't I that decided youtube would have no monthly costs, it was youtube.

      And you know what? After 10+ years, youtube has clearly demonstrated understanding of that by finally accepting monthly payments with youtube red. Which I am subscribed to.
      But they never would have done that if ad revenue would cover their reoccurring costs instead.

      So even youtube is saying your claim is wrong.

    7. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Video hosting costs money. Micropayments don't work."

      Hogwash. Nobody is even trying actual micropayments. Micropayments do work for the right values of "micro" and the right model.

      Youtube is charging $10/month flat fee for Red. That's not a micropayment, that's the hated, tired, old, and failing cable-TV model.

      They haven't even tried a system like Google Voice, where you have $10 in your account and you only pay something like $0.05 per minute watched. That would work.

    8. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Video hosting costs money *snip* The solution was, is, and always will be for the foreseeable future... advertising.

      Then they shouldn't give the service away for free if they expect continuing payments for a service that has continuing costs.

      It's free because of the ads

    9. Re:TANSTAAFL by Merk42 · · Score: 0

      "Video hosting costs money. Micropayments don't work."

      Hogwash. Nobody is even trying actual micropayments. Micropayments do work for the right values of "micro" and the right model.

      Can you name one? I'm curious.
      The only kind I can think of is mobile IAP, and lol at that model being used for YouTube. You can't watch any more videos for today, watch 5 more for $.99!

    10. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      but but.. I deserve entertainment for free! Gimme gimme!

    11. Re:TANSTAAFL by CaptnCrud · · Score: 1

      I completely agree, the whole industry is horrible and has in many ways (whether intentionally or not) altered even society standards and customs to the detriment of everyone.

      I would go so far to say that state surveillance/black ops stuff and the advertising industry share more or less the same code, methods, apps, tools and ethos...so what does that tell you?

    12. Re:TANSTAAFL by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Why would I try something I know I cannot do?

      Unfortunately I do not have the ties necessary to sell user profiles and profiling data.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    13. Re:TANSTAAFL by gweihir · · Score: 1

      I disagree. Micropayments work well if done right and greed is kept in check. Just look at Patreon, for example.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    14. Re:TANSTAAFL by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1

      To be honest I personally don't see a problem with the long ads in front of what I watch. I prefer them instead of the video being chopped up by a bunch of pop up ads that drive me crazy. They block out images that I'm trying to see. It's like a movie theatre equivalent of someone in the row in front of you getting up every 6 minutes to block your view. For example, some of the new video game commercial previews are pretty good,

    15. Re:TANSTAAFL by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Video hosting costs money. Micropayments don't work. Nobody's signing up with a million different video hosts.

      The solution was, is, and always will be for the foreseeable future... advertising.

      All it'll take to make it work is to find a way to extract the evil from advertising people so they stop continually escalating from 'find where potential customers are and put information in front of them for our clients' to 'skull fuck the entire public to get an extra purchase, regardless of how much trouble it causes'.

      I am fine w/ advertizing. Only issue here: I watch TV on youtube live, and every few minutes, an ad pops up, and 5 seconds pass before I can skip it. Now, the channel that I watch does have commercial breaks, so if the ad has to run, then run during those breaks. It's really annoying to have an ad interrupt me while I'm watching the show. Also, if an ad starts during a commercial break, I let it run. Problem is - I've seen ads as long as 4 minutes, and I try to let it run so that it's a while before the next ad.

    16. Re:TANSTAAFL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      micro is 0.000001
      5 for .99 = 1 for 0.198
      => that's not even close to micro

    17. Re:TANSTAAFL by Merk42 · · Score: 1

      I don't think the 'micro' in micropayments is literally 'micro'.

      Point is, can you, or GP (if you're not the same person) name an example where Micropayments do work?

  10. Turn off AdBlock Plus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You will see them if you turn off Adblock Plus.

    1. Re:Turn off AdBlock Plus by InfiniteBlaze · · Score: 1

      HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No.

  11. Why not right away? by bogaboga · · Score: 1

    "We're committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we've decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers,"

    I'd like to know why they do not implement this right away. It cannot be because they do not know what works well well for both users and advertisers now.

    1. Re:Why not right away? by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Informative

      "We're committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we've decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers,"

      I'd like to know why they do not implement this right away. It cannot be because they do not know what works well well for both users and advertisers now.

      Because of contractual obligations.

      People have already bought the ad time and if they haven't shown yet, may still be in production. Should YouTube feel like getting rid of the ad spots, the advertisers might pack up and leave especially if they cannot get compensation for the money spent producting the ad that would not show.

      So Google simply looked at the calendar and either no one's bought any ad space for 2018, or it's sufficiently far out that cancelling is not a big deal since the ads would likely only be in the concept stages and thus cheap to adapt to their new advertising format.

    2. Re:Why not right away? by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

      "We're committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we've decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers,"

      I'd like to know why they do not implement this right away. It cannot be because they do not know what works well well for both users and advertisers now.

      Likely contract reasons for this. If that is the case, then they have to wait until those contracts with the affected advertisers and advertising agents are up for renegotiation and renewal. That seems like the simplest explanation.

      --
      This space unintentionally left blank.
  12. So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by elrous0 · · Score: 2

    Getting rid of those annoying ads are the only reason I have it. Don't give a fuck about their original programming. HBO they're not.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Not sure about you, but I do the family plan Google Music which gets me Red on top of music for my family. I'm interested to see what the logged out experience is from a curiosity standpoint.I don't want to see ads. Ever. And I cope with skipping ahead when shows drop in those damned ads for Audible, Nature Box, Squarepace, etc. Yes. I know your product. No, I don't need that now. No, I don't need to hear about it again.

      I also agree with you on the original programming. I'm glad it's there for it's audience, but I just don't care about it. I'm just in it for not seeing ads.

    2. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Getting rid of those annoying ads are the only reason I have it.

      Maybe I'm not watching the right kind of videos, but if you use Firefox and uBlock... no ads. Ever.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    3. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you succumbed to their mafia extortion tactics? Tisk-tisk, there were better ways my friend. Better ways.
      Unless you're a mafia, err I mean, advertising member too and perhaps you feel like you're participating in a noble venture?

    4. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe, adblockers on PC browsers keep the ads away. I have never seen a YT ad while watching videos on my PC. On my smartphone, a lot including unskippable ones..

    5. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by elrous0 · · Score: 1

      I watch most of my Youtube on a Roku, so Red is a must-have.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    6. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by Woldscum · · Score: 1

      Love my Rokus. But Youtube ads pissed me off enough to spend $1000 and build 2 HTPC just to run an ad blocker. Also the ads on the Twitch app totally breaks the Roku OS. I need to unplug the Roku to reset it.

    7. Re:So why would I keep paying for Youtube Red? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Out of curiosity, what kind of videos are there in Youtube that you are willing to pay for? Or even watch by some media player?

  13. Since nobody else has discussed it yet... by ckatko · · Score: 2

    .. If I were to take a gander. I would say that 30 second unskippable ads and the like were HarassWare/AnnoyWare. Basically, they wanted non-YouTube Red to progressively become more and more intolerable thanks to the ads, so people would be encouraged just to get them away.

    The problem is, we've been using YouTube for YEARS with almost no ads, so we're not going to just magically take a "worse" version of a service and PAY to get it back to normal. And even then YouTube Red doesn't remove ALL ads.

    And that doesn't even begin to address the worst feature. YouTube Red costs a ridiculous price while having BARELY any content. Yes, yes, there's tons of content but it's not curated. You have to SEARCH for it and keep sifting through the crap. Netflix came to the game so much later and blew YouTube out of the water.

    Netflix's price feels like a steal. A no-brainer.

    YouTube Red's price feels like a rip-off.

    Supply and demand. "The consumer is never wrong." (If you want to make money, and you're not making money, it's YOUR fault as a business--not the consumers.)

    So back to the topic at hand. With these supremely annoying ads (which I would simply hit the mute button on my car and enjoy 30+ seconds of silence, because "screw you"), either accomplished their target to gain more Red exposure into the common place, or they completely failed.

    Maybe I'm far out in left field and missing another key aspect. It's possible. It's possible advertisers thought the option was good at first, but thanks to people like me (and everyone else!) hating them so much (causing NEGATIVE brand reception), they're removing them. That is, they're removing them simply because it doesn't help advertisers or YouTube, compared to the cost YouTube is charging to run those ads. Someone else will have to chime in on that aspect.

    1. Re:Since nobody else has discussed it yet... by djinn6 · · Score: 3, Informative

      YouTube Red's price feels like a rip-off.

      It's $10 a month and it includes Google Play Music. Comparable music services like Spotify also costs $10 / mo., so you are getting a better deal.

  14. MY guess is... by JustNiz · · Score: 1

    MY guess is the only reason for this is that almost no-one actually sits through them.
    Anymore than 5 seconds wait before they actually get what they clicked on, and most people have already closed the tab and moved onto something else.

    1. Re:MY guess is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From a "moral" perspective I never sat through a 30-second YouTube ad in my life. It was for this exact reason - I knew they were monitoring this shit and I knew that the only way to get change is to give them a reason to change. No matter how bad I wanted to see the video on the other end I would always close the app or window if it required sitting through a 30 second ad. I also skip all YouTube ads because - fuck YouTube. It is the worst company on earth. Just look at the PewDiePie incident for why they deserve nothing.

      Anti-competitive behavior is the only reason they exist so while I may be "freeloading" it is because you have to fight fire with fire.

  15. They were not at all unskippable by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The window close button worked just fine...

    Which is probably why they are going away.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  16. Youtube's plan was... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    ... to make watching Free videos so unbearable that you'd subscribe to Redtube...I mean You Tube Red.

    I think we know what You Tube Marketing people watch.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    1. Re:Youtube's plan was... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their plan was retarded. They pissed off "customers", they pissed off musicians and content producers, and generally made themselves the laughing stock of the world. They probably also pissed off advertisers as they found out no one watches the really expensive 30 second ads. If an ad actually does get played all the way through its because no one was in the room to turn it off (think auto-play music).

      I'm willing to bet 50%+ of YouTube ads are played in an empty room. Advertisers may not be really sophisticated but it doesn't take long to realize sales aren't picking up at a pace that justifies a large YouTube ad budget.

    2. Re: Youtube's plan was... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And that differs with cable tv ads exactly how?

  17. Here's my suggestion, if YT happens to see it by fyngyrz · · Score: 2

    1: Never, ever, allow or in any way provide for "autoplay" on any individual youtube video, embedded or on-site. It's 100% user-hostile. No youtube video should ever, ever play in any wise unless the user actively clicks that triangle icon. No autostart, no hover-start, no timing start. Only if the user specifically says start, or, in the case of a playlist, if the user clearly and unequivocally and in a fully informed manner says to play the playlist.

    2: If the user hits that "play" icon, put up a yes / no dialog that says "Would you like to view an ad on [insert concise description of ad's nature here]

    3a: If user indicates yes, play the ad, still allowing for cancel, then play the video

    3b: If user indicates no, just play the video.

    4: Never EVER cover any part of the actual video with advertising interference such as banners, pop-ups, and so on.

    I give Google / Youtube my permission to describe my plan, which I gift to them without reservation of any rights to income, as both "theirs" and "not being evil."

    Thank you.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:Here's my suggestion, if YT happens to see it by sudon't · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it's really annoying to always have to remember to turn off Autoplay and Annotations for every video you watch. But, as far as I can tell, it seems most web sites enjoy annoying the shit out of their users. Most web sites are unusable on my phone, with all this crap popping out of top and bottom, leaving you a tiny window to read through. And in my browser, I fucking hate all the shit popping out from all sides, the overlays begging for my email address, as if I need more junk in my inbox, and all the other crap you get which is every bit as annoying as ads. Visiting a modern web site, even with ad-blocking enabled, is like trying to read a book while a bunch of little kids are all taking turns trying to get your attention.

      --
      -- sudon't

      Air-ride Equipped

  18. It's the right choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    30 second ads are a holdover from the days of non-dvr TV. I honestly love the 5 second ads that they are using now. It's enough time to show your product and your brand.

    I have high hopes that the "irritate the viewer into submission" approach to advertising is slowly on the way out. Especially on a platform like YouTube, you aren't even competing for the user's attention. You don't need to grab attention, you already have it. If you irritate the viewer, you get :
    1) actual negative reactions to your brand instead of positive
    2) ad blockers which damage the viability of the entire platform
    3) users muting the audio or putting the phone down until the ad is over in case they are using a platform where there is no viable ad blocker
    4) users abandoning the video instead of suffering through the ad

    Bottom line is that long, annoying, unskippable ads are counterproductive, but I think #2 is why they are being done away with. I would be amazed if Google isn't tracking and very aware of the damage caused by user reactions #2 and #4.

    Just as a personal anecdote, I can remember the names of every brand that shows me a 5 second ad, a few that show skippable long ads, and absolutely zero that show annoying unskippable ones (because I always put the phone down as soon as I see that one is starting). A five second ad isn't long enough to be worth muting or putting the phone down. Crucially, I don't hate the brands in question - but only because the short ads are generally not very annoying. Even in the cases when I don't want the product, I still remember the ad in a more or less positive way.

    1. Re:It's the right choice by scatbomb · · Score: 1

      Good god I hate the ads so much. Are they intentionally made with the goal of being as annoying and cringey as possible? I'm especially talking about that one with the mom that bribes her kid, through a lawyer, to do his chores with a granola bar. *shudder*

    2. Re:It's the right choice by wvmarle · · Score: 1

      You got one thing terribly wrong in your argumentation. Ad blockers are NOT the fault of YouTube per se.

      I don't see ads on YouTube because of my ABP, but I didn't install it to block ads on YouTube, that was just a nice side effect or collateral damage or however you want to call it. I installed it to block ads on other sites that were irritating me, the risk of drive-by malware infections, and the general lack of interest in whatever they were trying to sell. It is the whole of the Internet that made me install an ad blocker.

      Maybe a few people installed ABP or equivalent specifically because of YouTube, for most I think it's not like that. By now I install ABP on a new system as a matter of course. Even if the Internet at large would do away with ads suddenly, I wouldn't notice the difference, and I would still keep ABP running. Same for the pop-up blocker of Firefox. For years I haven't seen pop-ups or pop-unders (except that really persistent one from TripAdvisor), I don't know if they're still being used, and I'm not about to try it out either as the blocker doesn't seem to be getting in the way of anything.

      Now only if there were a proper ad blocker for Android phones (haven't found one)... I rarely use my phone for browsing but there are some really really annoying ads going around apps (black/white flashing and so). It's those that drive me into spending the time and effort of installing blockers.

  19. Oh joy by Zerbey · · Score: 1

    Let's just hope they don't replace it with something even more annoying.

    1. Re:Oh joy by gweihir · · Score: 1

      Not a problem. Just put those YouTubers that think they can to it to you on a "Do now watch, ever" list.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  20. Ads? Anywhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I never get ads.

    A uBlock origin with a healthy configuration tends to work miracles in regards to the ads.

  21. I don't mind ads. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But the fact that Youtube doesn't even pay attention to likes, shows me ads I've specifically thumbed down, as well as shown me ads in LANGUAGES I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, it gets pretty stupid.

    I don't mind ads at all, I generally just ban abusive ads, abusive clickbait sites and any plugin ads.
    I don't mind video ads on a video site, for example. Or audio ads on an audio site.
    In fact, I even watched a 30 minute ad, that Youkai show from Nintendo, just to see what the show was like.
    Also found a few cool channels, like Mark Wiens travelling around the world sampling food from places people suggest, and recently Simone Giertz who I totally never heard about until that day and fell in love with the stuff she does.

    I'm glad they are getting rid of this because it seems pretty annoying. I've never actually seen an unskippable ad weirdly.
    I know that some times a bunch of us are on our Mumble chat, and we usually watch some videos together in sync.
    Having an unskippable ad there would be really annoying.

  22. Let's welcome our new overlords by Nogrial · · Score: 0

    They have to keep up with the going trend. FB is doing a damn good job of keeping people's attention. YT probably has a 50% or less retention rate on their 30 ads or a forced refresh.

  23. It's all wasted time and money for almost everyone by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They spy on our browsing habits. They spy on our communications. They're forcing us to watch things most of us don't care about and waste our time and bandwidth in the process.

    All of this, on platforms where we can communicate directly with them and give them feedback on what we actually want and like.

    First, give us the option to watch the ads if we want to. That's your first easy-to-get metric. Are people interesting in whatever you're advertising? Second, after the ad, give us options to give our opinion about the product. They have to be clear options that enable us to express our like or dislike about the product, not simple politically-correct bullshit replies.

    Trying to force-feed me a 30-seconds ad about a non-vegan meal is offensive to me. Showing me ads for quadcopters is pointless because I have zero interest in these things. Trying to sell me a Mazda CX-5 is useless because I don't have they money, the need or the desire to buy one. Hell I have zero interest in purchasing a SUV, ever. All those ads about commercial-grade networking hardware fall on deaf ears because I'm not in charge of anything even remotely close nor do I work with someone who is.

    Instead of letting us build a profile of our own, they try to guess what we want and then complain that "ads are not working".

    Idiots.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  24. Block by jason777 · · Score: 1

    Better headline: All users are now installing youtube ad block

    1. Re:Block by gweihir · · Score: 1

      Very likely this. Overdo it with advertising - lose it completely. Greed is not a good strategy when people do not need your product. (It is not a good one when they do either.)

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  25. another fish in the sea by epine · · Score: 1

    In a dozen lifetimes I could hardly scratch all the great content on the internet that's available for free, or with barely any strings attached.

    The best defense against the dark arts of advertising is a curiosity streak that's a mile wide.

    Two words: substitute good.

    At the first sign of trouble, I open alternate tabs like a cowboy after a bar brawl.

  26. Ads on Chromecast by edbob · · Score: 1

    I often watch YouTube through Chromecast on my TV. The ads are not skippable and cause all sorts of problems for the video that plays afterward (out-of-sync and stuttering). A few months ago, they put up a 30-MINUTE ad. If they think I am going to suffer through a 30-minute ad before watching a 7-minute video, well they would best think again. I wound up shutting the whole thing down and starting over and researching ways to block ads on Chromecast.

    1. Re:Ads on Chromecast by scatbomb · · Score: 1

      Weird. I see ads on my TV's native youtube player but have never seen a single one when using the youtube app on my phone with the chromecast on my TV.

  27. Re:UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by r1348 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, I guess we had it coming...

  28. Re:It's all wasted time and money for almost every by zr · · Score: 1

    > Instead of letting us build a profile of our own

    unfortunately thats simply not possible. what we want vs what we think we want are very different things.

    on some level its always going to be about observation (well, spying).

    best we can (and should) expect is transparency and a degree of control of our own profile.

    its a brave new world folks.

  29. Next year? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You mean after the end of the world?

  30. Re:UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by lgw · · Score: 1

    But the question is: does YouTube work normally (except without ads in from of the videos)? Or does it hang, and refuse to play some videos?

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  31. Re:It's all wasted time and money for almost every by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    You need to get out of mom's basement, your life sounds depressing.

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  32. To be replaced - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    with 5-minute unskippable ads ! AWESOME.

  33. Re: Best hosts file creator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    What the fuck. Kill yourself.

  34. Because it is a model is does not work anymore... by ruir · · Score: 1

    Most users use adblockers in browsers or the iPhone....They now the current models does not work anymore, and have hinted for a while of putting the adverts in the same stream as the video, and not as a separate video...good luck with adblocking then.

  35. Age limit that shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why don't they tie ad metrics to our viewing age?
    3-12 shit loads of ads
    13-19 even moar targeted adeses!!!!!!
    20+ jack shit for ads
    Honestly, I haven't paid attention to ads unless my kids bring it up to me.

  36. YouTube RED = No adds, plus other goodies by WilliamGeorge · · Score: 1

    Didn't figure it was worthwhile at first, but tried it on a 3-month free trial... and now I love it. Well worth the money, just like Netflix. No ads, some additional video content not otherwise available, and being able to play (audio only of course) in the background while using other apps on Android - or even with the screen off to save power!

    --
    William George
  37. Can it block repetitive, spammy ads? by raymorris · · Score: 1

    Can it block repetitive, spammy ads posted on Slashdot by APK?

    Mentioning your software once in response to this story is acceptable, if the post is short and tries to be informative.

    Posting about it twice per story is annoying.

    Six or seven long posts full of bold text is spam. I may need to dig out my old APK spam blocker again.

    1. Re:Can it block repetitive, spammy ads? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Can it block repetitive, spammy ads posted on Slashdot by APK?

      No, it can't. You'll have to use something like Greasemonkey for that.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  38. But why!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know all the ads by the first 5 seconds anyway!

    Sometimes I've seen an ad on accident and then see the first 5 seconds like 26627184 times in a week. I get it, you want me to buy your thing. You have pushed yourself to the front of my memory, isn't that what you want?

    Get rid of the 30 second ads or cut the pricing. Holding us captive will just encourage resentment.

  39. $10 times how many accounts? by tepples · · Score: 1

    They haven't even tried a system like Google Voice, where you have $10 in your account

    But if the videos you want to watch are scattered across 12 different sites, you need to have $10 in each of 12 accounts.

  40. "Extracting evil from advertisers" leaves nothing. by ffkom · · Score: 1

    Except for some clothing suddenly falling to the ground on an empty pair of shoes with socks in them.

  41. Re:Best hosts file creator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    > APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-7 32/64-bit

    No need for your software. DNS RPZ gives you whole LAN protection and beyond. You can even automate block list updates (think SPAMHAUS) or simply delegate RPZ checks to save the trouble.

    More info at https://dnsrpz.info/

    Most resolvers get bogged down on multi-megabyte HOSTS files. DNS handles hundreds of millions of names without breaking a sweat.

    Getting back NXDOMAIN from DNS is faster than attempting a TCP connection at 0 or 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1.

    Use software designed for the task at hand, not something that manages a pre-DNS relic from the 1970's.

  42. Instead by GrumpyNope · · Score: 1

    Instead they'll just make it more annoying to skip ads by hiding the "Skip Ad" button behind a thumbnail of the video you are watching requiring two taps/clicks to skip it.

  43. I don't even mind those unskippable 30 second ads by Pezbian · · Score: 1

    But I sure as shit hate when they play before (and even after) a video that's less than a minute long.

    If I'm about to watch Louis Rossmann repair a logic board or dish about business for half an hour, that's fine.
    If I'm about to watch Vanoss, Delirious, et al get up to their gaming shenanigans for half an hour, that's also fine.
    But if I'm watching a cat video a few seconds long or checking to see if the remix video I found is the one I'm after, my patience wears thin in short order.

    The number of ads that are showing up as commercial breaks within longer videos is getting ridiculous, too, for that matter.
    And the goddamn suggested viewing popup ads "You're watching a BlueStahli/Anthrax/(any metal) lyric video! Might we suggest the new Justin Bieber video?"

    --
    In a world of the blind, the one-eyed man is king--and the two-eyed man is a heretic.
  44. Re: Take your own advice inferior competitor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That was just mental. Next time try sprinkling your texts with a "smelly indo-chimp" and "sand n1gger". That will get some attention.

  45. That is a loss by gweihir · · Score: 1

    These were pretty good to weed out part of the crappy content. Have one of these in front of your video? Do _not_ get my view let alone subscription, ever!

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  46. Re:It's all wasted time and money for almost every by gweihir · · Score: 1

    I have to disagree on "force us to watch". If they try to force me to watch 30 seconds of advertising, they lose me as a viewer at around 5 seconds, likely permanently. As I believe it is the YouTubers decision what ADs to allow, this is as it should work.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  47. Re:It's all wasted time and money for almost every by swillden · · Score: 1

    Instead of letting us build a profile of our own, they try to guess what we want and then complain that "ads are not working".

    Here you go: https://www.google.com/ads/pre...

    --
    Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  48. Re:It's all wasted time and money for almost every by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

    That link never worked for me, I get redirected a few times until I get a "failed to open page".

    Besides, when it was working, they kept adding shit automatically that I had to remove.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  49. Part of the problem by kilodelta · · Score: 1

    That I have with online video ads is that they widely miss the mark with me. Which is interesting because other sites like Facebook, Amazon etc. all pretty much know what I like. And you would think being it's owned Google this wouldn't be the case.

  50. Re:UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't care what the benefits are; Ublock can go fuck itself if it wants to have access to write /etc/hosts on my machine.

  51. Re: Best hosts file creator by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    He's already brain-dead, if it counts.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  52. LOL - DNS is LOADED w/ security issues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See my subject: DNS = loaded w/ security & inefficiency problems (only some enumerated here by 100's) https://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9007355&threshold=-1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&pid=51969075/

    Getting back NXDOMAIN from DNS is faster than attempting a TCP connection at 0 or 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1

    Holy shit - either you're STUPID or a damn liar - Hosts resolve FASTER than remote DNS (by far) & ven on a LAN w/ a local DNS

    How?

    Local system RAM access to hosts cached there is FAR more immediate (no questions asked) & moreso by my program placing favorites you spend MOST TIME at online @ TOP of hosts!

    APK

    P.S.=> ONLY thing I've ever seen have hassles w/ hosts = USERMODE SLOW dnscache service in Windows (Linux has no such issue) w/ large hosts files - cut that off? Cache using kernelmode-to-kernelmode via TCP-> Diskcache instead (faster, no context-switch, & saves CPU cycles/RAM + other I/O wasted on that broken junk)... apk

  53. UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    UBlock can't do these as well as (or @ all) hosts do 4 speed, security, & reliability:

    Protection vs.:

    1.) Bad sites (past ads)
    2.) Fastflux botnet C&C's
    3.) Dyndns botnet C&C's
    4.) DGA botnet C&C's
    5.) Downed DNS (reliability)
    6.) DNS redirect poisoned dns
    7.) DNSChangers in IP stack OR routers
    8.) DNS requestlog trackers
    9.) Spam payloads
    10.) Phish payloads
    11.) Bandwidth caps

    Additionally:

    12.) Get past dns blocks
    13.) Speed up 2 ways (adblocks/hardcodes)
    14.) Work on anything webbound multiplatform.
    15.) Ez data edit
    16.) Block ads more efficiently in cpu/ram/I-O use

    * UBlock now uses hosts (no DNS benefits vs. dns issues) - poor imitation = "sincerest form of flattery"

    Hosts = native vs. illogically "Bolting on 'MoAr'" & not ClarityRay blockable like addons.

    APK

    P.S.=> Hosts (1st resolver) do MORE w/ less in fast kernelmode & before slow usermode addons

    Hosts ~3mb vs. UBlock = 64MB -> http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-conte...

  54. Best custom hosts file creator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    NEW APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-7 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=%22APK+Hosts+File+Engine%22+and+%22start64%22&btnG=Google+Search&gbv=1/

    Ads & malware rob speed/security/privacy

    Hosts add speed (via hardcodes/adblocks), security (vs. bad sites/malware/poisoned dns), reliability (vs. dns down), & anonymity (vs. dns requestlogs/trackers).

    Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus + less security bugs/complexity & faster vs. addons/routers/remote dns!

    Avoids DNSChangers in routers/IP settings & dns redirects (99.999% of ISP DNS != patched vs. it) + lightens DNS load & resolves faster from local system RAM!

    * Via what you NATIVELY have built into the TCP/IP stack in FASTER kernelmode!

    APK

    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/e01211ca36aa02e923f20adee0a3c4f5d5187dc65bdf1c997b3da3c2b0745425/analysis/1433430542/

  55. AdBlock = inferior + 'souled-out' vs. hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Adblock can't do (or do as well) 16 things hosts do 4 speed, security & reliability:

    1.) Protect vs. bad sites (past ads)
    2.) Protect vs. fastflux botnet C&C servers
    3.) Protect vs. dynamic dns botnet C&C servers
    4.) Protect vs. DGA botnet C&C servers
    5.) Protect vs. downed DNS (reliability)
    6.) Protect vs. DNS redirect poisoned/downed dns
    7.) Protect vs. trackers
    8.) Protect vs. spam payloads
    9.) Protect vs. phish payloads
    10.) Protect vs. caps
    11.) Get past dns blocks
    12.) Keep off dns request logs
    13.) Speed up 2 ways (adblocks & hardcodes)
    14.) Work on anything webbound multiplatform.
    15.) Ez data edit
    16.) Block ads more efficiently in cpu/ram/I-O use

    APK

    P.S.=> Ab+ does less vs. hosts less efficiently (a 128-151mb memory hog http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-conte...)

    ClarityRay defeats it

    Ab+'s bribed not to work by default http://www.businessinsider.com...

    AdBlock's SLOWER: http://superuser.com/questions...

  56. Best custom hosts file creator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    NEW APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-7 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=%22APK+Hosts+File+Engine%22+and+%22start64%22&btnG=Google+Search&gbv=1/

    Ads & malware rob speed/security/privacy

    Hosts add speed (via hardcodes/adblocks), security (vs. bad sites/malware/poisoned dns), reliability (vs. dns down), & anonymity (vs. dns requestlogs/trackers).

    Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus + less security bugs/complexity & faster vs. addons/routers/remote dns!

    Avoids DNSChangers in routers/IP settings & dns redirects (99.999% of ISP DNS != patched vs. it) + lightens DNS load & resolves faster from local system RAM!

    * Via what you NATIVELY have built into the TCP/IP stack in FASTER kernelmode!

    APK

    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/e01211ca36aa02e923f20adee0a3c4f5d5187dc65bdf1c997b3da3c2b0745425/analysis/1433430542/

  57. Re:It's "refactoring ray" the wannabe! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    APK is obviously clinically insane and should seek professional help. APK shows very clear signs of mental illness. APK is also an annoying, small-minded insignificant little twat, whose main joy in life appears to be to pester everyone else at any opportunity. APK is, to be blunt, a festering wound upon the world, one which everyone would be better off without existing.

    In short: APK, fuck off, you little fuckwit.

  58. YouTube has ads? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe it doesn't if uBlock them...

  59. Poisoning the well by CptLoRes · · Score: 1

    The overly aggressive advertising strategies have been very successful at generating short term cash-flow, but also negativity again advertisement even in the general population. And now that more and people are opting out of ads, the companies are starting to backtrack. But I thinks it is a case of to little much to late, and that the well has already been poisoned. At least for me it has already resulted in a zero tolerance for ads.

  60. I never see ads on YouTube: How/Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Prevention = best medicine (& what you can't touch can't hurt you) via NEW APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-7 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=%22APK+Hosts+File+Engine%22+and+%22start64%22&btnG=Google+Search&gbv=1/

    Ads & malware rob speed/security/privacy

    Hosts add speed (via hardcodes/adblocks), security (vs. bad sites/malware/poisoned dns), reliability (vs. dns down), & anonymity (vs. dns requestlogs/trackers).

    Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus + less security bugs/complexity & faster vs. addons/routers/remote dns!

    Avoids DNSChangers in routers/IP settings & dns redirects (99.999% of ISP DNS != patched vs. it) + lightens DNS load & resolves faster from local system RAM!

    * Via what you NATIVELY have built into the TCP/IP stack in FASTER kernelmode!

    APK

    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/e01211ca36aa02e923f20adee0a3c4f5d5187dc65bdf1c997b3da3c2b0745425/analysis/1433430542/

  61. "Refactoring ray" the wannabe! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The software janitor who creates nothing of his own! Ray tries to play smart & I expose his bs easily https://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10168471&cid=53779911/ & what you do is CHUMP WORK in coding!

    * CLUE: Refactoring is EASY, using bound variables to stored procs = EZ, & so is checking keypress events filtering inputs on entry fields, noob!

    (No, you may "fool the noob rubes" but a wannabe like YOU can't fool ME)

    YOU'VE DONE BETTER THAN MY PROGRAM YOURSELF, SOFTWARE JANITOR WITH A PUNY PATCH TO SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK BITCH?

    Hell no.

    APK

    P.S.=> You even TALKING to me is an affront, wannabe - go away, & try "play smart" somewhere else, moron - you don't OWN this place bitch & you do NOT run me - get it? Good - now go fuck yourself pisspot wannabe... apk

    1. Re:"Refactoring ray" the wannabe! by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Even while being a "software janitor", he still contributes more to the world than you do. Why do you feel the need to attack every person that points out how much of a nuisance you are?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  62. They'll be replaced by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    with unskippable 29 second ads.

  63. Re:I play them just fine, no hang by Pikoro · · Score: 1

    Wow, APK is bad enough online. Could you imagine _living_ with that?

    --
    "Freedom in the USA is not the ability to do what you want. It is the ability to stop others from doing what THEY want"
  64. Re:UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by OffTheWallSoccer · · Score: 1

    UBlock works on my Android tablet and Android phone. Does your SW work on Android? If not, then it's ridiculous for you to say your SW is superior to UBlock.

  65. "Quality" of Advertising has deteriorated by emaname · · Score: 1

    I'm not sure one can even use the word "quality" with re to advertising. I guess what I'm trying to say is "the efficacy of advertising has deteriorated."

    My impression of what has happened in the advertising industry is that it's reminiscent of the early WWW days when the "blink" tag was still available. Can anyone recall opening a web page and seeing 20 or 30 words blinking on the page? This is what today's advertising has become.

    I think most ads today are very guilty of the "blink tag" mentality. I've been seeing more and more ads on TV where they show a different image every half second or every second. Most of the images probably have NO meaningful content with re to the intended product/service message. The ad is simply meant to pummel your visual cortex. It's like getting beat up by the school bully. You'll remember that moment for quite a while.

    As far as I'm concerned, as soon as I see a lot of image changes, I change channels until the ad is over. I already mute the TV whenever an ad comes on so changing up or down one channel is no big deal. And I've gotten fairly good at timing it to return when the ad is over.

    The other thing they're doing is "flashing" or "strobing" the screen. They're inserting a bright white flash when switching between the segments that make up the ad. And I mean these flashes are incredibly bright.

    I was drawn into our sun room one night because I saw flashing in there. When I entered the sun room, I became aware of our neighbors to the north and slightly west. They live on the other side of our block. They're backyard is against the backyard of a neighbor who lives two houses north from us. Their TV screen is positioned so that it is visible through one of their windows. Now this is easily more than 200 feet away. The flashing I was seeing was from their TV while a commercial was on. It literally lit up the entire inside of our sun room with each burst of light.

    I think the current generation of people who do all the special effects used in ads are suffering from the not unusual behavior of "gee, this effect is cool... I'm going to use it every chance I get."

    This is one of the reasons I've been watching more PBS lately. I abhor commercial TV. It's like sticking one's head into a sewer hoping to retrieve a lost item.

    If the advertising business is REALLY sincere about making quality ads, then go back to your lessons from advertising and marketing 101. The single most important feature in ANY advertising is "message" (aka, content). If you have a product/service you're trying to promote, then develop a message that speaks _clearly_ to the target audience. (eg, Our product is better because...) Oh yeah, and one more very important feature; ie, truth. If you have to manipulate or deceive people into becoming your customers, you don't have a product/service to sell. You belong in a midway at a county fair.

    --
    An effective "democracy" creates the illusion the people have a say in their government.
  66. My daughter will be happy about this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    She goes in a crying fit when the non skippable ads come in the middle of her watching mother goose club, yo gabba gabba and winnie the pooh - for some reason they seem to play ads for crap like john wick II and the walking dead which she has no interest in as a 2 year old

  67. Why wait? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's wrong with 2017?

  68. YouTube Will Kill Unskippable 30-Second Ads Next Y by b783719 · · Score: 1

    just to replace it with an Unskippable 60-Second Ads instead. Oh wait...

  69. Re:I play them just fine, no hang by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    I cannot conceive of the hell that would be. He keeps begging me for my real name, maybe so he can torment me IRL like he tries to do here?

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  70. Re:LOL - DNS is LOADED w/ security issues by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    Considering you are responding to someone suggesting a local DNS resolver, what does that have to do with a remote DNS resolver? Face it, your software is an archaic relic of a bygone era of computing. DNS is by far the better option in all situations.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  71. Re:UBlock = inferior + inefficient vs. hosts by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    Technically, it does, but it is so painfully slow to use hosts files in his way that it isn't worth even trying to do it.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  72. Re:It's "refactoring ray" the wannabe! by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    His vitamin B-12 levels might be low according to an earlier Slashdot article to this one.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  73. You Will Be Able To Skip This 30 Second Ad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You will be able to skip this 30 second ad in 30 seconds!

    30...
    29...
    28...
    27...
    26...

  74. Coren22 the hypocrite liar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Apk doesn't think DNS servers are worth running & believes Microsoft Active Directory can run w/out DNS." - by Coren22 (1625475) on Tuesday October 27, 2015

    Prove your quoted words above Coren22: Where'd I say it? Show us. I say AD needs internal DNS far back as 2007 http://forums.tweaktown.com/windows/25596-how-secure-windows-2000-xp-server-2003-vista-fully-per-cis-tool-scoring-3.html?s=0ae07d5b5389e06fd6bcfd05bc2d2cc0/

    See "To warn users who have ActiveDirectory/AD LAN-WAN setups to NOT use external DNS servers" there on OpenDNS free (I use it) + AD in my security guide.

    APK

    P.S.=> Coren22, you contribute ZERO & raymorris attacked me 1st as have you hypocrite! You're the LOWEST of the LOW in this field menial with no skills, lol & you KNOW it... apk

    1. Re:Coren22 the hypocrite liar by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Thank you for proving the point, attack attack attack. Keep it up, it just makes you look worse every time.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  75. What /.ers say this about raymorris' work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    he still contributes more to the world than you do - by Coren22 (1625475)

    I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine. Your software is well written, functional. The Host File Engine performs exactly as promised by mmell

    his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant

    I've never tried to belittle (APK's) work, I've flat out said it's good by BronsCon

    APK is kinda right. I've tried his hosts file generating software. It works by bmo

    I like your host file system by Karmashock

    I find your hosts file admirable by vel-ex-tech

    his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg

    * Recommended & hosted by Malwarebytes' hpHosts!

    APK

    P.S.=> Back up your bullshit LIES https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10260979&cid=53954889/ you NOBODY MENIAL Coren22... apk

  76. Re:It's "refactoring ray" the wannabe! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are obviously suffering from delusions of grandeur thinking you're a trained licensed practicing legitimate psychiatric pro. Fuck off loony.

  77. Coren22 you & raymorris attacked me 1st by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: No denying it. I only defend myself from facially deformed mutant ray & mentally disturbed whacko you assburger brain. You run from backing up your lies about me too https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10260979&cid=53954889/ so why don't we meet in person so I can fix your problem?

    APK

    P.S.=> You're BOTH severely damaged inferior good & you both know it... apk

    1. Re:Coren22 you & raymorris attacked me 1st by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      I have never lied about you APK. You just convieniently forget previous conversations, where I have proven my assertions, and I don't have the time or inclination to correct you repeatedly. Perhaps you should stop making shit up and pretending you "won" the argument when you are clearly wrong.

      Lol, you think I want to face you? Why would I, when you are clearly a disturbed individual?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  78. Bullshit liar - do it now then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bullshit liar - do it now then. You can't because you can't backup your lies. You're mentally disturbed assburger brain defective.

    APK

    P.S.=> You're a lying little defective loser that is ashamed of his real name (you have something to hide obviously) that has no real accomplishments of his own so you use a FAKE NAME ONLINE for YOUR FAKE LIFE, loser dying the 1,000 deaths of a coward every single day of the rest of your WASTED life... apk

    1. Re:Bullshit liar - do it now then by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      I'm doing it, I'm doing it!

      Now, since you failed to actually ask for anything in your message there, I would like to know what exactly you think I need to justify yet again, and explain to you.

      Do you need the birds and the bees explained to you yet again? Did you forget the mechanics of "it"?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  79. Back up your quoted lies here Coren22 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Apk doesn't think DNS servers are worth running & believes Microsoft Active Directory can run w/out DNS." - by Coren22 (1625475) on Tuesday October 27, 2015

    Prove your quoted words above Coren22: Where'd I say it? Show us. I say AD needs internal DNS far back as 2007 http://forums.tweaktown.com/windows/25596-how-secure-windows-2000-xp-server-2003-vista-fully-per-cis-tool-scoring-3.html?s=0ae07d5b5389e06fd6bcfd05bc2d2cc0/

    See "To warn users who have ActiveDirectory/AD LAN-WAN setups to NOT use external DNS servers" there on OpenDNS free (I use it) + AD in my security guide.

    APK

    P.S.=> Let's meet in person so I can fix your lying little bitch mouth you chickenshit little fucking punk... apk