Banner Ads and Ad Blocker

I don't use any ad blocking software so I have a question, do those of you that use it still see the banner ads at the top of the pages for rocketry vendors? I'm just wondering if it's worth keeping the ad here.

SecretSquirrel said:

I don't use any ad blocking software so I have a question, do those of you that use it still see the banner ads at the top of the pages for rocketry vendors? I'm just wondering if it's worth keeping the ad here.

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Sadly I don't. I wish there was a way to be a bit more discriminant about which ads I see or don't see with it.

Nate

...I USED to...been running the latest versions of AdBlocker for years and up till now I saw the ad on top but unless it isn't running one right now I'm at a loss.

blank , this is what I see with ad blocker

The ad's that have been opening up lately are sketchy at best. What I mean is there are ad's that now show up in Chinese words and other questionable sites. They show up in the body of messages as well as the top and bottom of the site. As an IT admin I am afraid to even come to this site anymore due to this but with one exception, an ad blocker.

I would be willing to pay for the site, but I am afraid these types of ad's will still be here and it will make me even more less want to use it.

But this is just my opinion.

I get a rocketry related ad at thh very top, in the blue border. "Never fly naked!" right now..

then, just under that, I get a generic ad (in this particular case, "Manulife insurance). And, between this 'reply box' & the last post I get another ad.. ("bad idea" t-shirts).

Yes, I do mind, but it is what it is.. At least it's not a blaring video ad like the local online papers are doing, with their ads shoved in the middle of the column, only to blast their piece when you scroll to it. Can't shut it off, nor 'mute' it..

and this is my work machine. not about to install stuff I'm not allowed to..

SecretSquirrel said:

I don't use any ad blocking software so I have a question, do those of you that use it still see the banner ads at the top of the pages for rocketry vendors? I'm just wondering if it's worth keeping the ad here.

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I finally loaded Ad Blocker on my LT and as a result, no more ads... Haven't loaded it on my HP Beats desk-top yet and still see all the garbage ads... I will take care of the HP latter...

It's interesting. With AdBlockPlus, in IE11, I USED to see just the rocketry related banner ad at the top. Didn't mind it at all. But now, it's not there. I wonder what changed?

SecretSquirrel said:

I don't use any ad blocking software so I have a question, do those of you that use it still see the banner ads at the top of the pages for rocketry vendors? I'm just wondering if it's worth keeping the ad here.

Click to expand...

I don't see any ads at the top and I miss them. They were rocket related and I used them... I use Safari on an iPad.

If you are using the latest version of Explorer and Windows 8, just open RF in "Private Browsing" and the ads will appear...Ad Blocker does not function in "Private Browsing".

Running AdBlock Plus here. Not that I don't want to support the site, it's more that ads are now pushing malware out via the ad channels and that's now a common vector for virus infections.

I'm practicing safe browsing and have done so for years.

I highly recommend the Security Now podcast (Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson) for those with similar tastes.

AcidPaintball said:

The ad's that have been opening up lately are sketchy at best. What I mean is there are ad's that now show up in Chinese words and other questionable sites. They show up in the body of messages as well as the top and bottom of the site. As an IT admin I am afraid to even come to this site anymore due to this but with one exception, an ad blocker.

I would be willing to pay for the site, but I am afraid these types of ad's will still be here and it will make me even more less want to use it.

But this is just my opinion.

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TRF only has three ads. The rocketry related ad at the very top, another general one immediately below that, and one at the very bottom of the page. If you are seeing any more than that *especially* if you are seeing them inside the body of the forum, you have a VIRUS or adware on your machine and you need to run scans with something like Ad-Aware. We only have three. If you have more than three, it's onyour machine.

Peartree said:

TRF only has three ads. The rocketry related ad at the very top, another general one immediately below that, and one at the very bottom of the page. If you are seeing any more than that *especially* if you are seeing them inside the body of the forum, you have a VIRUS or adware on your machine and you need to run scans with something like Ad-Aware. We only have three. If you have more than three, it's onyour machine.

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If so, it's very specific adware. I disable ABP entirely, check a couple of other sites which I view regularly, and no ads appear there. TRF, on the other hand, is infested with the three ads you mention plus a couple more embedded into posts and several words within posts turned into "infolinks". Apparently I have adware which only reads TRF. :lol:

Peartree said:

TRF only has three ads. The rocketry related ad at the very top, another general one immediately below that, and one at the very bottom of the page. If you are seeing any more than that *especially* if you are seeing them inside the body of the forum, you have a VIRUS or adware on your machine and you need to run scans with something like Ad-Aware. We only have three. If you have more than three, it's onyour machine.

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John, though I usually visit via IE11/AdBlockPlus and I'm a paid member, so I don't usually see any ads, once in a while I do happen to hit the TRF button over on my Chrome browser. It doesn't have my login info, and I don't have any ad blockers set up for Chrome. So I see everything there. Here are some pictures:



In addition to the rocketry banner ad, there are general ads at the top and bottom and right side, and within posts ads frequently crop up, in fact my second picture shows an ad for a google service for using ads... Ack!

There has been a steady progression of ads on the site, but mostly it affects non-members, or at least non-logged-in visits. IT's Austin's decision, but I worry that it will increasingly turn off new visitors who come here and get instantly barraged.

But, as a paid member who is usually logged in and runs ABP, I don't usually see any ads at all, not even the rocketry one that used to be there.

Thank you for all you do in moderating the forum!

Marc

And here's that "infolinks" drek:

View attachment 256584

(again showed as a non-logged in visitor, with no ad blockers, as rendered by Chrome)

I find it interesting that all of this happened since the site went commercial.

Sorry, I can't speak for what the site looks like to non-logged in, non-members. I have pretty much been logged in ever since I became a member many years ago and especially since I became a mod. Since the first place I check for messages is the moderator forum, and since it is not visible if I am not logged in, all of my machines, and my phone, are all set up to log me in automatically as soon as I come here. I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that most members did that.

But that begs the question, I suppose, if you are a member and you get less adds when you are logged in, and you don't like ads, why not just log in? I don't get it.

Second, I'm sure i don't understand the tech, but yes, TRF does not have in-line ads to logged in members. The only time I have ever had them, was when I picked up some kind of adware. I downloaded Ad-Aware, ran a scan, and it was gone. Logged in members should ONLY see three ads. Period.

[edit: I also occasionally use Mal-ware Bytes. Both are free]

When I turn off ABP, I only see the 3 ads, but it shows up as blocking 6. Weird. I'm doing a scan for adware now.

Nate

Use Opera.

FC

Peartree said:

...
But that begs the question, I suppose, if you are a member and you get less adds when you are logged in, and you don't like ads, why not just log in? I don't get it.

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Agreed, and I'm essentially always logged in, so the ads aren't visible to me. My sole concern is that they may be off-putting to potential new members, discouraging them from continuing to use and eventually join the site.