Jimquisition: The Adblock Episode

[Originality]

When I first started using adblock, it was to reduce content loaded on my slow internet connection, making the stuff I want to see load faster.
When my internet became broadband, I tried going without it for a while. That didn't last long, with all the "bad ads" in the internet (intrusive, loud, offensive, etc). I went back to adblocking everything.
Now when I see my most visited sites requesting me to remove adblock, I tend to do so but mentally add a condition: if I don't like the method of advertisement (popups, etc), I put the site straight back on adblock.
Others have already mentioned, silent banners are ok, little (as in, skippable or short) advertisements before videos loading are ok (although I don't see them because Pub Club), but when an ad gets in the way and prevents us from accessing the media we're looking for... there is a line, and that is it being crossed.

So, in response to this episode, I've whitelisted Escapist again. I'll let the ads load. But if those ads annoy me in any way, then adblock will return. I don't hold it against Escapist, just the ad companies who don't show restraint.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

not sure how much better a work around it is.

But I disabled the flashplayer plugin, for all of the internet and turn it back on when needed. Some sites have it running full time. but not this one. This one I have to manually turn it back on to watch the things I like.

Why would I do something like this? the fucking adds that expand when you so much as glance at them, the ones that are basically running full audio and video on their own. that's why.

this doesn't stop all the adds, but it does cull the ones that make me want to stop coming to the site all together, and there is the minor inconvenience of having to turn it back on to watch anything. But it's worth it to me.

Not trying to be a shill here, just trying to point out the benefits of the alternatives... The Pub Club gives you access to HTML5 versions of all of their videos, which means that you can have the flashplayer plugin turned off all you want and still be able to watch their content. Again, that's why I like the service is because it actually offers all sorts of extra things to make the experience better besides just disabling the ads.

 

[tric565]

I'm not someone who really makes comments here or anywhere really for that matter but I've been on the escapist for years, watched every zero punctuation, LRR, Feeddump, every episode of the Jimquisition and watch Jims youtube videos.

As usual a lot of fair points have been made. But I wont be turning my adblock off for some of the very reasons Jim himself brought up in this video.

I think though, that after coming here 3 or 4 times a week, every week for the past I dont know how many years, that it is time I subscribed to the publishers club. I hope this makes things a little more even.

 

[erbkaiser]

The ads on this site are some of the worst on the web IMO, so I fully understand why people want to block them -- however I personally am a member of the Publisher's Club, which allows me to turn off the ads (and it's a major reason I joined that program, along with the HD videos).
I'd only see them here if for some reason I'm not logged in AND the extension hasn't loaded in my browser... the few times that happened made me rush to log in ASAP as the site is unbrowseable with the click-highjacking sidebanners, the loud flash ads, and the rollovers that block videos and articles.

 

[Enizer]

I used to allow every kind of content, but eventually, the ads and spywere got to me
first, years ago there were blinking ads, and I made a mental note to never buy anything those ads sell
then there were pop ups
then came malwere traps
then I ran into sites where an ad changed my desktop backround to an ad site
then there were fake antivirus programs that installed themselves, that i had to remove from MANY relatives computers,
then came ads with sound, like that annoying as **** smiley that yells "OH MY GOD!"
then came ads from a local company, notifying me(with REALLY GROSS pictures), that "genital pain is common for women"(i'm a guy)
and the last straw, my android phone, had parts of its interface covered with an ad(not a banner to the top/bottom/side, actually COVERED a part of the interface, so I couldnt use some programs.

Now, I try to whitelist ads for companies I try to support, but that's not easy,
and almost nothing gets to run scripts, scripts are whitelisted on a VERY short whitelist
I have gotten way too much nonsence auto-installing itself, FROM WEBSITES I TRUSTED.

I sympathise with content creators that depend on ads, but in far too many areas, the ads are just too much to handle.
The internet just becomes so MUCH more... FUNCTIONAL, not to mention SAFER, if you block all the scripts and all the ads...

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I seriously don't mind ads, until they play obnoxious noise at an unholy sound level without provocation. The other thing is they can drastically reduce your computers performance.

Adblock is off for things like YouTube because I get a 5 20 or 30 second ad (sometimes) and then that's pretty much it, and you can very easily mute them/turn them down whilst you look at another tab/window.

People that flaunt the fact that they use adblock need to seriously consider growing up though.

 

[cth]

"Allowed all this page" in noscript just now. Not because I like you that much, but I think you (and all the other guys on here) should be supported nonetheless. Don't get me wrong, you are hilarious and all that, but most of your topics are too console / call of duty community related for my taste. I'm simply too old for that. Though when I choose to watch you, I'm always highly entertained and usually agreeing with your reasoning, so thanks for that, and thank god for you.

 

[The Grim Ace]

The most I can guarantee, Jim, is for videos on the escapist I'll make a point to whitelist the video page of each video I end up watching and allowing the ads to flow through. I'd love it if the escapist could cut down on the ads, though, so much of the page is ads AND then there is an ad at the beginning of each video. That's as annoying as it is also, usually, browser crashing.

I may even end up using that amazon wishlist of yours, since thank God for Jim (and a hopeful moderator armistice for this thread).

Edit: scrolling through this thread, I see a lack of armistice. A lot of these flagged posts have valid points about the state of ads. Oh well.

 

[Redd the Sock]

I'll admit, I turned on the adblock a few months ago. I'd lived with the video ads, but when they ended by opening a tab asking me to update my updated browser (an obvious maleware scam), I said enough is enough. Since then, my computer has been running more smoothly without java, flash, shockwave, whatever things eating up resources. I no longer hit an ad that suddenly popped over the link I was trying to click, and I feel less subject to invasive attempts to look into my surfing history to bring up an appropriate ad (which also keeps things running smoothly).

My guilt over this depends on where I'm visiting. I want to support things I like, but an ad based model leads to support of things I might (in hindsight) not think were worth supporting. Poor work, certain political opinions, or just any attempt to drive clicks through a flame war, all things I don't want to support. Please me and I'll use your tip jar and buy your merchandise. I'll fully admit that it's about me selfishly wanting things made with the intent to please me, not just get me on the web page or refreshing the forums.

 

[DeaDRabbiT]

My extremely brief two coppers.

I NEVER buy the stuff that is advertised to me. I think (even if its working right now) the idea that a company can afford to pay really popular streamers/content creators whatever it is that they pay them per view, and have most of us just stare at the ads blankly, or tab out while they are playing is rather disingenuous.

It's like the folks that used to roll ads after their stream was complete, and people would just stay logged on and go to bed. They've stopped that practice in most places, but just as some streamers would call adblocking their stuff "stealing" running ads just so nobody can buy your stuff is "stealing" in my mind. Even if all parties agree, I adblock simply because I don't feel like engaging in this monetary scheme where a company is willing to pay someone for the opportunity to show me something that might entice me to buy it.

I just don't play that game. It's nothing personal.

 

[spartandude]

Im generally ok with ads.... however its actually this site that made me use adblock. Ok so you have these little ads in the bottom corner of the screen, ok fair enough. Most usually have auto play audio that can be muted which is fine. BUT usually when the the escapist switch to new sets of ads or different types im not able to mute them for about a week and they keep replaying. This happened to me a few weeks ago on here and thats when i started to use adblock because coming on these forums was getting so annoying. And thats not the first time its happened to me on this site, same problem a few months ago but it got so bad i had to block.

 

[Lunar Templar]

not sure how much better a work around it is.

But I disabled the flashplayer plugin, for all of the internet and turn it back on when needed. Some sites have it running full time. but not this one. This one I have to manually turn it back on to watch the things I like.

Why would I do something like this? the fucking adds that expand when you so much as glance at them, the ones that are basically running full audio and video on their own. that's why.

this doesn't stop all the adds, but it does cull the ones that make me want to stop coming to the site all together, and there is the minor inconvenience of having to turn it back on to watch anything. But it's worth it to me.

Not trying to be a shill here, just trying to point out the benefits of the alternatives... The Pub Club gives you access to HTML5 versions of all of their videos, which means that you can have the flashplayer plugin turned off all you want and still be able to watch their content. Again, that's why I like the service is because it actually offers all sorts of extra things to make the experience better besides just disabling the ads.

o.o!!

holy crap!! a quote got through!!

anyway.

It's a pretty endemic problem across the net, so just signing up for the pub club here (and I've though about it mind you), wouldn't say, fix the issue of the site I go to weekly for my Manga fix running an add for the 'new chevy Volt' or w/e with full audio while I'm trying to focus on that thing I'm actually there for.

It sucks, but I don't feel to bad about it, if for no other reason then here at least every one still gets the add revenue from the videos I watch.

 

[Furrama]

I guess Jim is better than me, because I will point fingers. Stealing is stealing. You have people like me who don't turn on adblock because I get how the money flows. The people who are using adblock, you are the guys that are making the ads more intrusive for ME. They're getting worse and more interruptive as time goes on because I'm one of the few "paying my dues". And I do remember back when they weren't nearly so bad, especially on higher end sites that weren't what you call "shady" to begin with.

I'm sorry the trashcan is so far away that you don't feel like walking over there. I'm sorry it inconveniences you. It smells and who knows if a raccoon is going to jump out of there when you open the lid. But the ground is now covered in trash and you are actively making the world a worse place. I have no sympathy. I owe you none.

 

[Glodenox]

I've never used AdBlock in my life. That said, I've pretty much always used NoScript, which disables all JavaScript and plugins unless I allow the domain hosting the content. I've got that to protect my computer from the filth on the internet, but it has the side-effect to usually block all ads as well.

I didn't pay for most stuff I see online while I didn't have an income. Once I started working full-time though, I started paying whenever there's a site I frequently visit, hence my PubClub subscription. Therefore, I can fully agree with the contents of this episode: if you don't pay, don't complain.

 

[IceForce]

The ads on this site are some of the most obnoxious ads I've ever had the displeasure of seeing/hearing/etc.

With so many people in this thread having similar complaints, here's hoping something will (finally) be done about it.

Anyway Jim, I don't use any piece of software to block such things. (How would I know how bad the ads are here if I did?)

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I am well aware of how important ads are for websites. Which is why I make it a point to turn it off on websites that I frequent on. Regardless of how shitty they may be. But I never had a problem with crashing.

 

[deth2munkies]

I accidentally fell into adblock when my more computer savvy friend installed Ghostery on my computer after I got a malicious plugin installed. I've started whitelisting sites, but there are two that somewhat pain me not to unblock because I like the content producers, but I can't actually watch the fucking things properly without doing it: The Escapist and Twitch.

The site skins on The Escapist are incredibly annoying when attempting to navigate. I've accidently clicked on them dozens of times and found my way into a random site I didn't want to see. Combined with the "scroll over for sound" ads and that goddamned banner ad that moves with you on the bottom of the screen but sometimes gets caught in the middle and blocks everything till you close it, it's just infinitely easier to just run it on the site. Add to it that videos fail to load somewhat frequently, but the ads load no matter what. So on occasion I'll find myself watching an ad 3-4 times to get the video to run properly. This hasn't happened much lately, but it was a pain when it did.

The same thing happened with Twitch.tv: the ads would often break the stream and make me reload, watch another ad, then maybe get back to the stream I was watching. Add to it the fact that Twitch has been running into a ton of stream lag issues for no reason lately and it makes it virtually impossible to watch content I want to watch without adblock running.

That said, I realize how important it is and have whitelisted Youtube, Teamliquid, and other sites that I frequent to attempt to show my support. But if the ads prevent me from watching what I want to watch, it's a safe bet adblock is coming on.

 

[ryo02]

wall of text with bad grammar follows I am sorry feel free to just read the stuff under the "..." for my issues put more briefly and a couple of suggestions.

(oh wow 4 pages of posts in the time it took me to write this well this isn't likely to be read HAHA)

one problem I have with ads is when they are in your face and distracting I've seen ads on sites (most often wiki's) that actually cover up what your trying to read rendering it impossible and you cant get rid of them either.
some even follow you when you try to scroll down.

as for the escapist specifically one time (and I'm sure I mentioned this on a now long dead thread) there was a banner ad on the front page and another as the border for a trailer I wanted to watch and a video ad before the trailer all of which were for Brink and the trailer I was trying to watch was for Brink.

I'm no expert in ads but I'm pretty sure some of those were redundant if anything it made me not want to buy the game and I didn't and from what I hear I dodged a bullet.

...

in short don't have them covering things up don't have them in the way or being obnoxious and just let me watch the video and Ill keep ad blocker off from now on.

here's a thought take it as you will why not have the ad play after the show so people who want to watch the show and not have to sit through an ad can do so and those that want to show support can stick around after for the ad.

another suggestion would be to not put ads on trailers lets be honest here trailers are all ready ads in of them self don't make me watch an ad so I can watch an ad.

"skip ad" options are all ways nice if you have no interest in the product

 

[Glaice]

I'm fine with ads as long as they are non-intrusive on bottom/top/side but what I cannot tolerate are full screen ads, irritating flash ads with sound, false claims on adverts (I'm looking at you, Weather Channel!) and ads within videos.

This is not an admittance, these are my thoughts on what I will not deal with when it comes to advertisements on the internet.

 

[Moth_Monk]

My god this was an awkward video to watch. It felt like that scene from The Office where David Brent begs not to be fired from his job. Truly made me cringe >.<


There was no need to make this one Jim, I don't think. Especially just because of some troll in the forums. I'm kind of embarrassed for you, man. :/