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Expanding Banner Ads must Die!

Discussion in 'PriusChat Website Questions' started by dogfriend, Sep 16, 2008.

  1. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    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.
     
  2. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    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!:mad::angry: 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!:mad::frusty:
     
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    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.
     
  4. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    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.
     
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  5. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    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.
     
  6. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    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.
     
  7. Rangerdavid

    Rangerdavid Senior Member

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    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
     
  8. wchardin

    wchardin Senior Member

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

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    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.
     
  10. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    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 !!!!
     
  11. Silver bullit

    Silver bullit Right Lane Cruiser

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    I understand the need for ads. However, the clear edge ads block the search function. It is frustrating to not be able to search for something. This could also cause duplication of threads because you can't see if your question has already been answered.
     
  12. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    Even though I have priuschat.com whitelisted in Adblock, I still don't see the ads because I have Quantserve, Doubleclick, and the rest of those blocked with Noscript.

    Is there any way to say "show ads from doubleclick on Priuschat without showing them anywhere else"?
     
  13. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Oh, you mean like this....

    [​IMG]

    YES, P.I.A.!!!

    I do not mind the static ads, but these active SOB's gotta go!!!
     
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  14. FxsX24

    FxsX24 V8 Powered Chevy S10

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    get firefox and get the add on called FOOF
     
  15. ibmindless

    ibmindless Member

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    Thanks for the tip. I also find these Clear Edge ads extremely annoying. The ads block me from private messages, search functions and even postings near the top of the page.

    I do hereby pledge I will never buy anything from a company that chooses to annoy innocent viewers in such a manner. It is no different than scourge cast by spammers and telemarketers.
     
  16. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

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    Noscript lets you allow a page temporarily or permenently irrc. I haven't used Quantserve and Doubleclick. I thought doubleclick was an ad promoter not blocker?
     
  17. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    I meant I have them blocked. Quantserve and Doubleclick only exist to shove ads in your face, so they're the first sites I blocked with Noscript (Adblock blocks them automatically by default).
     
  18. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    May they burn in hell...or at least be redirected to the bit bucket.

    Tom
     
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  19. Jim05

    Jim05 Occasional Quasi-Hypermiler

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    I'm getting tired of not being able to use my Back function. I hate to leave a great site, but am really getting tired of having to go out of my way to go back a page and monkey around finding where I was. As much as I understand the income coming from the ads, picking the most annoying, pervasive that I've seen in a long time torques me past wanting to come back.
     
  20. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Dude, I owe you a beer!!!!

    This also works really well on some of the even more
    Obnoxious over popped up, and Ad ridden websites I visit.....

    I like Fiefox, good find!

    Thanks