There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change that

[kenny]

I know some people don't, but I hate ads.
There are just too many, everywhere. GRRR!
Even in restaurants we men have to look at ads when we stand at a urinal.
At some gas stations there is a TV at every pump with audio blaring ads to listen to while you pump gas.
On the floor of the supermarket if you look down while standing in line you may see ads.
At my SO's house I muted the TV audio during commercials and everyone complained.

Remember when Youtube had no ads?

Today every time you click Play for a little 30-second news story video on Internet CNN or BBC you have to sit through a 30-second ad.
Watching a 1 hour TV show you might get 15 minutes of ads.
Wasting 25% of your time looking at non-content is bad enough.
But CNN or BBC on the Internet force you to look at non-content that is 100% of the content time.

AdTrap is a new $139 gizmo that eliminates pop up ads, side bar ads, video ads that play before a news video or Youtube video.
Without the data of the ads, your desired content loads much faster.
It works on all your platforms, computer, laptop, smartphone, iPad etc.

I'd love to buy it, but I suspect it may be outlawed or cause content providers to go bankrupt.

The creators claim to be just bringing back the Internet's early days.
I think that mentality of, "Dude! We have a right to free downloads of music and video" may be behind this.
Content providers do it for money, not charity or altruism.
We don't have a right to free content, but I'd happily be a hypocrite and pay $139 to get it.

This topic, public fighting back against Internet ads, will be interesting to watch, as in follow the money.
Perhaps providers will get the message and cool it with the excessive advertising, but I'm not holding my breath.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/28/tech/ad-trap-internet-ad-blocker/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

And don't even get me started on how much non-content time NPR shoves down our throats today.
It has to be nearly 40% of the hour.
They should cut non-content time in half but double the price.
Same revenue, half the annoyance.

 

[TooPatient]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I HATE ads.

Supermarkets, signs on buses, everywhere!

We have been using the DVR to record anything we want to watch so we can fast forward through all commercials and got so used to that we just couldn't stand watching anything live. 20+ minutes for every hour!

I just canceled our Dish service. No more television in our home!

Same frustration on internet sites. I don't mind stuff like the ad sections here on PS. If it is something that actually relates to the content that I chose to view that is very different from the random garbage they toss on other sites. I also very much dislike the "personalized" ads that use my internet history to show me ads I may be interested in. That is creepy!

I'd pay extra to a grocery store without ads or magazines or newspapers!
I'd pay extra for my internet service if it meant not getting stuck with ads all over!

 

[skibbz]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Dude, no... Don't give some company $139 for something that is free.

Install the AdBlock plug-in for Firefox, Chrome, etc. to do the same thing for free. It's used by millions of people already. I can't imagine browsing the internet without it.

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

So it really works, Skibbz? I HATE ads passionately. Agree w/Kenny a million percent, but I don't feel any moral responsibility to watch them, just because some idiot at an agency can force them on me when I try to read or watch video. Let people who like them watch.

There are some pop-ups that take you to the ad anyway when you click "Close," then you click to close that one & yet another pops up. I'm ready to eat my monitor by then. Will NEVER buy a product pushed on me like that.

Kenny, I don't give business to gas stations that blare stuff at me; my brain buzzes enough with pitches! A couple yrs ago agencies floated the idea of putting ads on eggshells, for pete's sake. "They'll never be able to escape us," said the adman. Like a power thing -- who cares if they buy the product, we'll MAKE 'em see us! Yuck.

--- Laurie

P.S. Kenny --- they really got mad when you muted the commercials??? Wow, programmed folks! I record everything & watch later too so I can skip the garbage.

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Dude, no... Don't give some company $139 for something that is free.

Install the AdBlock plug-in for Firefox, Chrome, etc. to do the same thing for free. It's used by millions of people already. I can't imagine browsing the internet without it.

Thanks.
I had no idea this existed.
I'll look into it.

There must be a reason the AdTrap was created.
There must be more to this story.

 

[smitcompton]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Hi,

I'm with you. My internet is so much slower because of ads loading. I have just considered lately if I could do without the internet.
I call ads pollution of the mind. It may sound silly, but I think its a symptom of the downward spiral of the society. Its gone rogue, mindless senseless ads for anything. I can't even stand when I have James Allen following me all around. I just look at what is on PS.

I have a tantrum over this. I am beginning to believe the internet will not end up as a forward push for our society. I hate facebook, linkedin and any other devise that appears to make people stupider. We are not getting smarter. on here.

I would be so happy if we could remove all ads, except newspaper ads. I never minded those.


Annette

 

[skibbz]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Dude, no... Don't give some company $139 for something that is free.

Install the AdBlock plug-in for Firefox, Chrome, etc. to do the same thing for free. It's used by millions of people already. I can't imagine browsing the internet without it.

Thanks.
I had no idea this existed.
I'll look into it.

There must be a reason the AdTrap was created.
There must be more to this story.

AdBlock is really awesome and I think will do exactly what you need. It has been downloaded over 200 million times and has plug-ins for all the major browsers. It is the #1 plug-in for every browser, pretty much.

http://adblockplus.org/

It will remove all YouTube ads so videos play immediately, no more pop up ads browsing the web, etc.

It's totally 100% free too, they ask for donations but you're not obligated to give them anything.

Enjoy

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Thank you, Skibbz -- I'm on it asap!

Annette, I agree with your theory completely. I dump cookies a few times per day to minimize shills following me around -- though then I get as many ads, just not aimed directly at my interests. When I click on a Youtube vid & an ad starts loading, I just close it & go on to something else. Ticks me off no end.

--- Laurie

 

[smitcompton]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Hi,

A big thanks to Skibbz for mentioning this. just downloaded it.


Around 1980 cable licenses were up for grabs in my area. I knew someone who was putting together a group of investors to try to secure one. The big enphasis was on cable having no ads. This was the way it was sold to the public. You would have to pay for it but no--ads. So we all pay for it now, but ads galore. The licenses were supposed to be given to new broadcast owners, not the CBS's, NBC's or mainstream station holders. I do think Comcast's Brian Roberts was a new holder of a license, but somehow the main reg. TV holders got a hold of cable and we are almost back to where we were when programs were free. So many repeats. How do these things happen. We aren't watchdogs. Most people have enough to worry about. We just pay. Awful stuff! Yes, I do have cable and wouldn't mind paying if I didn't have all these ads.


I'm almost irrational about this stuff.

Annette

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

+1.

And I forgot about the line of bull they gave us when cable first came around -- yeah, there weren't supposed to be ads!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Satellite radio is another thing! The point of PAYING for radio is there wouldn't be any ads. I got a free subscription when I bought my car and then didn't renew it because of the ads. The poor kid from India who kept calling me to sign up (before I blocked the Sirius number on my phone) didn't understand my issue. Oh well. Now I either play CDs or plug in my ipod.

 

[AN0NYM0US]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I have used AdBlock for years and love it. I have noticed that a couple footer/header ads are starting to show up now. I haven't done an update in a while though.

I've heard of these 30 second commercials on youtube. I wouldn't use youtube if I had to watch a commercial that may be longer than the actual video. Crazy.

 

[Circe]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I loathe the ads, but even more do I loathe the TARGETED ads ... a random website that I visit should not be able to magically interlock with Google or FaceBook or the NSA or my cookie cache or god only knows what to immediately start showing me jewelry ads! I actually miss the days when advertisers had to think about their demographic and decide where to place their ads ... "Hm, golfers probably drink scotch, right? Let's get a full page in Golf Weekly!" Instead now we apparently do their jobs for them (thus automating more labor and eliminating another profession, great). Eventually, I think we WILL all learn to code, either as a part of whatever our job might be - professor? code a forum! jeweler? code a system to calculate and project how any given stone will look on any given finger!, etc. - or in self-defense to make our own firewalls and adblockers!

P.S. - They have them in ladies rooms, too. I cannot help but find it jarring, and ever after associate whatever it is that they're trying to sell to me with the less-than-delightful atmosphere. Why on earth does anybody want their product associated with literal crap?

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Here's an interesting thing from a person who objects to adblock.
If you want to skim it read his last paragraph.

I loved some of the comments that follow it.

http://www.andrewt.net/blog/adblock-is-a-bad-thing/

 

[Dee*Jay]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Never mind -- I see the link now!

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Dude, no... Don't give some company $139 for something that is free.

Install the AdBlock plug-in for Firefox, Chrome, etc. to do the same thing for free. It's used by millions of people already. I can't imagine browsing the internet without it.

I just tried getting AdBlock here: https://getadblock.com
I got this link from a NY Times article about Ad Block.
Maybe it was free when you signed up, but it's not free now.

The minimum "donation" is $5.
I don't mind giving them $5 and would gladly hand over a paper $5 bill, or more, in person to a real human ... but alas I'm an old crusty man.
I don't want to give my CC info to these people.
There are very few I trust on the Internet with any of my personal info, it all connects together and identifies me and where I live.

Again it's not that I'm too cheap, it's that I don't give out my personal info on the Internet very easily.

Maybe the link above is a scam and not the real company.
The Internet is a creepy place.

I wish it was free, like you said.
If it is and I have the wrong link please inform me.
Thanks.

 

[monarch64]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Kenny, adblockplus.org is free.

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Kenny, adblockplus.org is free.

AdBlockPlus is a totally separate business than AdBlock.
I have only looked into the one mentioned by skibbz, AdBlock.

But, thank you.
I'll check out AdBlockPlus.

Do you use it?
How long have you used it?
Is it 100% effective as in ZERO ads of all kinds always?
95%?
90%?

Have you experienced any downsides of using it?
Do you ever feel guilty of a moral offense, as in getting content without 'paying' for it via suffering through all the ads?
Seriously, some people claim this moral argument, also that free content will eventually vanish if every blocks ads.

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I downloaded from Adblockplus.org, Kenny, this afternoon & it was free. The other is either a scam or a 3rd party getting a fee for providing it. Btw, it WORKS! Thanks, Skibbz. I spent a happy half hour on Youtube looking at jewelry without a single ad! Another news site I read -- should say try to read -- blocks your view of the copy with one ad after another. Today, it was heaven.

I don't care about revenue streams. Not if they mean I have to sit through silly stupidity -- and I do not buy products whose ad agencies think hitting me with a 2x4 will sell me. So, no, I feel no moral need to spend hours of my day looking at moronic stuff.

--- Laurie

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I downloaded from Adblockplus.org, Kenny, this afternoon & it was free. The other is either a scam or a 3rd party getting a fee for providing it. Btw, it WORKS! Thanks, Skibbz. I spent a happy half hour on Youtube looking at jewelry without a single ad! Another news site I read -- should say try to read -- blocks your view of the copy with one ad after another. Today, it was heaven.

I don't care about revenue streams. Not if they mean I have to sit through silly stupidity -- and I do not buy products whose ad agencies think hitting me with a 2x4 will sell me.

--- Laurie

Well, I don't care about the companies who advertise either.
I DO care if the content I seek eventually vanishes because content providers go bankrupt because their sponsors can't reach eyeballs, so they stop buying ads.

Hmm.
Decisions, decisions.

Bottom line is blocking ads is damaging to the capitalist system we have and arguably unethical.
So the question is, do I want to be selfish and not see ads, or do I want to do my duty and suffer through ads so the Internet does not blow up?.

I think I'm going to be selfish and shortsighted and get the ad blocking software.
Me first, screw the system.
DF will be proud; This liberal is turning into a conservative.

 

[monarch64]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

It works. I just downloaded it today when I read your thread here. I had been meaning to do it for the past few months but never got around to it. It's pretty awesome!

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

It works. I just downloaded it today when I read your thread here. I had been meaning to do it for the past few months but never got around to it. It's pretty awesome!

I'm glad I have improved someone's life.

 

[skibbz]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I have used AdBlock for years and love it. I have noticed that a couple footer/header ads are starting to show up now. I haven't done an update in a while though.

I've heard of these 30 second commercials on youtube. I wouldn't use youtube if I had to watch a commercial that may be longer than the actual video. Crazy.

AdBlock unfortunately made a deal with certain companies to allow a small nimber of ads through, though still very few, which is what you may be seeing.

There is a branch of the AdBlock project called AdBlock Edge that filters every ad - no exceptions. You might want to look to see if AdBlock Edge offers a plug-in for your browser. Most people, including myself, seem to be happy with any of the popular AdBlock variants though I use AdBlock Edge sometimes but normal AdBlock most of the time. I haven't noticed much of a difference.

I'm glad people are enjoying an ad-free internet!

 

[justginger]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I downloaded from Adblockplus.org, Kenny, this afternoon & it was free. The other is either a scam or a 3rd party getting a fee for providing it. Btw, it WORKS! Thanks, Skibbz. I spent a happy half hour on Youtube looking at jewelry without a single ad! Another news site I read -- should say try to read -- blocks your view of the copy with one ad after another. Today, it was heaven.

I don't care about revenue streams. Not if they mean I have to sit through silly stupidity -- and I do not buy products whose ad agencies think hitting me with a 2x4 will sell me.

--- Laurie

Well, I don't care about the companies who advertise either.
I DO care if the content I seek eventually vanishes because content providers go bankrupt because their sponsors can't reach eyeballs, so they stop buying ads.

Hmm.
Decisions, decisions.

Bottom line is blocking ads is damaging to the capitalist system we have and arguably unethical.
So the question is, do I want to be selfish and not see ads, or do I want to do my duty and suffer through ads so the Internet does not blow up?.

I think I'm going to be selfish and shortsighted and get the ad blocking software.
Me first, screw the system.
DF will be proud; This liberal is turning into a conservative.

Don't fear - I'll continue slugging through the internet ads for the good of the whole.

(Reality: I'm too lazy to go to that website and download the ad blocker - I just mute the ad and work in another tab until it's over)

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I DO care if the content I seek eventually vanishes because content providers go bankrupt because their sponsors can't reach eyeballs, so they stop buying ads.

Bottom line is blocking ads is damaging to the capitalist system we have and arguably unethical.

You don't understand capitalism, obviously. It's based on the freedom to satisfy your customers better than the other guy does; he then figures out a way to improve on what you do, and the ball is back in your court if you want to grow your business. Customers win with each step. So, ads become so ubiquitous, so long, and SO annoying, somebody invents a way to avoid them. Soon along comes software that bypasses ad blockers & all advertisers use it & the developer makes a mint. Better ad blockers result, the cycle continues.

For you worry warts, from the plethora of advertising everywhere we go, with everything we do, there seems to be little panic about the industry disappearing due to lack of exposure to end-users.

--- Laurie

 

[ChristineRose]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

I use Adblock.

I appreciate the people who provide services and use the ads to supplement their income and will turn the blocker off on many sites. But I feel like the advertisers have abused their position to the point where it passes common decency and I no longer have to pay attention to them. When I turn off ads on Yahoo I see animated gifs of shaking breasts along with mortgage refinance scams. There's that game that only wants male players--that one's being pushed everywhere right now. There's hundreds of sites for weight-loss miracles, and if you click through you get a cookie cutter site set up by some naive person who has fallen into a pyramid scam. Oh, and a product that has been clinically proven NOT to work as well. By the way, if you give these creeps your credit card they will charge you every month until you call your card company and get them blocked.

Why should I support sites that feel they have a right to push criminal scams? At this point in Internet history, you have to earn the right to show me ads.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

It works. I just downloaded it today when I read your thread here. I had been meaning to do it for the past few months but never got around to it. It's pretty awesome!

I'm glad I have improved someone's life.

Make that having improved TWO people's lives! I put off installing this because I have software on my computer to study for the CPA exam and I was afraid of somehow screwing it up (I know, I'm a technological moron... but I was scared nonetheless!). I got so torqued off this morning I said screw it and installed. FABULOUS!!! There were sites I had just abandoned (like my own local newspaper site, LOL) but now: FABULOUS! Did I say, FABULOUS?!?

Kenny, I could kiss you for this! (Don't tell your SO I said that! )

 

[smitcompton]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Hi,

I apologize to Kenny for not given him credit for the Adblock info. So thanks Kenny, my blood pressure has been lowered.


Annette

 

[kenny]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Kenny, I could kiss you for this!

Pucker up, Baby!

 

[skibbz]

Re: There are too many Internet ads! ... AdTrap may change t

Hi,

I apologize to Kenny for not given him credit for the Adblock info. So thanks Kenny, my blood pressure has been lowered.


Annette

<scratches head>

I shared AdBlock with this thread, not Kenny...

All good, I'm just happy that more people are using it. It's my favorite browser plug-in.

Here's to ad-free internet browsing for all!