Expanding Banner Ads must Die!

[dogfriend]

The banner ads for Sharp and Odwalla are getting out of hand. I have nothing against either company (yet) and I understand that the site needs advertising to be able to run, but these ads are screwing up the ability to post and use the search functions.

The new Odwalla ad is particularly egregious because even when it is not expanded, it stays on top of the Search pulldown menu, preventing you from selecting the Advanced Search option. It also interferes with a New Post, blocking the Subject box.

I tried to take a screen shot of this, but the Odwalla banner does not show up in the screen shot.

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

The banner ads for Sharp and Odwalla are getting out of hand. I have nothing against either company (yet) and I understand that the site needs advertising to be able to run, but these ads are screwing up the ability to post and use the search functions.

The new Odwalla ad is particularly egregious because even when it is not expanded, it stays on top of the Search pulldown menu, preventing you from selecting the Advanced Search option. It also interferes with a New Post, blocking the Subject box.

I tried to take a screen shot of this, but the Odwalla banner does not show up in the screen shot.

I'm glad you said something about it because I thought it was just me. I've been attacked by that evil Odwalla ad twice! The stupid thing WILL NOT go away when you click collapse. The only way I could get rid of it was to refresh the page. I agree with dogfriend, the Odwalla demon-ad has to go!

[efusco]

I agree...Danny, I've turned off Ad Block plus for this site b/c I want you to get the sponsor money and all that, but if these expanding ads continue I'm gonna turn it back on to be free of the annoyance.

[markderail]

Geez.

Install AdBlock add-on easily with Firefox 3. Click Tools, Addons, Get Add-Ons, Search All Add-ons, enter Adblock, install it.
After the firefox restart, chose USA Adblock Filterset.

Next step - even more agressive anti-ads, is to replace your "Hosts" file.
It's here:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

It has no extension. Google "hosts block ads" - I use www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Your anti-virus or whatever might complain - say "Allow" to the "Hosts file - possible trojan attack". It's just detecting that the file has changed.

Even if I use Internet Explorer I just see two tiny ads - because PriusChat.com is storing / displaying the ad - not some third party.

[markderail]

When using the hosts file, sometimes you'll get an error (not on this site) because of what is called a click-through.

looks like http: / / media.fastclick.net/something.php?sponsor=123~http: / / the_site_you_really_want.com

Just delete from the first to the next HTTP and hit enter.
Firefox has another plug-in called "Redirect Remover" that cleans this.

[efusco]

Yes Mark, ABP works well. But this site costs money to run and Danny's profit comes, in part, from those ads. He makes no money on them if you use ABP. For most sites I don't really care...but for my favorite sites...those I want to support...I keep ABP turned off. Danny has asked if people would please turn off ABP in the past.

In general the ads here have not been intrusive and only with the Sony one and now this fruit drink one have the become so. Hopefully we can get the ad place to remove them...if not, I'm with you and will use ABP.

[Rangerdavid]

Evan,

I think this is something all of us have noticed. And while I'm really glad this community continues to grow, and Danny is hopefully doing well with this venture, some of the ads are a bit annoying. We appreciate you keeping your finger on the pulse of this thing!

RD

[wchardin]

Are the expanding ads more profitable than regular ads? I agree they are annoying, but I understand they help the site out.

[daniel]

I agree that the expanding ads are very annoying. One of them collapses again as soon as the mouse moves off it, but another remains expanded after the mouse moves away, meaning that you have to be very careful not to let the mouse move across it or you'll be unable to read a portion of the page.

Both are annoying. The latter is much more annoying.

[markderail]

I went into ADBLOCK in the bottom right, click, then at the top of the new window, WHITELIST.

When you whitelist, you can choose PAGE or WHOLE SITE.

I put Whole Site, and I see a tiny amount of publicity - meaning a very well behaved site - I'll leave as is.

However, I'm still blocking publicity CNN.com !!!!