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#1 2017-11-17 18:13:18 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere (1252)
Member
From: Decatur, GA
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 8,746

Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

I was playing around with CSNBBS and I noticed that the ads obstruct site content pretty quickly as the browser window is made narrower (picture below). This is not a good thing, for Jeremy or his advertisers; there is a lot of stuff behind that ad that's supposed to be clickable!

obstruct.png

This site is a much better example of how the user experience should degrade gracefully when the viewport is narrower than an ad:

obstruct2.png


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#2 2017-11-22 13:53:52 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

he's not obstructing content with ads, he's stealing ad clicks.

here's what he's doing.  those links that he's occluding with the ads are the navigation links for the site;  the most frequently clicked links on any site.  The ads load last (in fact, there seems to be an intentional load delay), so that you can see the nav links, but as you go to click on them, and ad show suddenly pops up on top of them.  next thing you know, your legitimate click to move about the site turns into an unintentional click for an ad for dodge pickup trucks.  every one of those ad clicks are money in his pocket.  covering navigation links with ads is cheesy anyway, but the delay just makes the whole thing look intentionally dishonest.

this scam is virtually impossible to avoid on mobile devices, which is probably the majority of his traffic.  the combination of the imprecision of the touch screen and the more narrow 4g bandwidth makes his entire site one big factory for illegitimate ad clicks.

the giveaway is that the ads would easily fit between his logo and the right edge, but he's intentionally occluding his nav links.  what he's doing is pretty brazen.  his ad publisher would frown on this practice if they were aware of it.

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#3 2017-11-22 13:57:27 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere (1252)
Member
From: Decatur, GA
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 8,746

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:

he's not obstructing content with ads, he's stealing ad clicks.

here's what he's doing.  those links that he's occluding with the ads are the navigation links for the site;  the most frequently clicked links on any site.  The ads load last (in fact, there seems to be an intentional load delay), so that you can see the nav links, but as you go to click on them, and ad show suddenly pops up on top of them.  next thing you know, your legitimate click to move about the site turns into an unintentional click for an ad for dodge pickup trucks.  every one of those ad clicks are money in his pocket.  covering navigation links with ads is cheesy anyway, but the delay just makes the whole thing look intentionally dishonest.

this scam is virtually impossible to avoid on mobile devices, which is probably the majority of his traffic.  the combination of the imprecision of the touch screen and the more narrow 4g bandwidth makes his entire site one big factory for illegitimate ad clicks.

the giveaway is that the ads would easily fit between his logo and the right edge, but he's intentionally occluding his nav links.  what he's doing is pretty brazen.  his ad publisher would frown on this practice if they were aware of it.

You can report that. You have to click the little "X" icon that closes the ad. Then you'll get the option to explain why you closed it. "Obstructs site content" is an option.

Welcome to the board.

Last edited by AndreWhere (2017-11-22 13:57:46)


Bring back Reed V. "Pie" TurkPalmer Eustachy.

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#4 2017-11-22 14:31:29 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:

he's not obstructing content with ads, he's stealing ad clicks.

here's what he's doing.  those links that he's occluding with the ads are the navigation links for the site;  the most frequently clicked links on any site.  The ads load last (in fact, there seems to be an intentional load delay), so that you can see the nav links, but as you go to click on them, and ad show suddenly pops up on top of them.  next thing you know, your legitimate click to move about the site turns into an unintentional click for an ad for dodge pickup trucks.  every one of those ad clicks are money in his pocket.  covering navigation links with ads is cheesy anyway, but the delay just makes the whole thing look intentionally dishonest.

this scam is virtually impossible to avoid on mobile devices, which is probably the majority of his traffic.  the combination of the imprecision of the touch screen and the more narrow 4g bandwidth makes his entire site one big factory for illegitimate ad clicks.

the giveaway is that the ads would easily fit between his logo and the right edge, but he's intentionally occluding his nav links.  what he's doing is pretty brazen.  his ad publisher would frown on this practice if they were aware of it.

Thanks, that's interesting. It had not even occurred to me that this might be intentional.

If this problem happened here, my reaction would be "oh shit," and I'd hammer away at the site code until I'd achieved a more acceptable layout. I gave the guy who runs that board the benefit of the doubt, but in hindsight that's definitely naive.

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#5 2017-11-22 17:24:36 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

it's absolutely intentional.  it appears that he's actually targeting mobile devices.  I know that droidOS and iOS behave differently than normal desktop browsers, and they render the late-appearing ads that occlude the navigation links.

it's a scam.  and it's intentional.

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#6 2017-11-22 17:38:34 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

southern miss slacker (304)
Member
Registered: 2017-08-28
Posts: 1,455

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:

it's absolutely intentional.  it appears that he's actually targeting mobile devices.  I know that droidOS and iOS behave differently than normal desktop browsers, and they render the late-appearing ads that occlude the navigation links.

it's a scam.  and it's intentional.

I don't see shit. I have adblocker engaged on my windows platform and on my android phone I use the adblocker browser instead of chrome.

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#7 2017-11-22 19:18:15 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

southern miss slacker wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

it's absolutely intentional.  it appears that he's actually targeting mobile devices.  I know that droidOS and iOS behave differently than normal desktop browsers, and they render the late-appearing ads that occlude the navigation links.

it's a scam.  and it's intentional.

I don't see shit. I have adblocker engaged on my windows platform and on my android phone I use the adblocker browser instead of chrome.

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

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#8 2017-11-22 19:28:29 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere (1252)
Member
From: Decatur, GA
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 8,746

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:
southern miss slacker wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

it's absolutely intentional.  it appears that he's actually targeting mobile devices.  I know that droidOS and iOS behave differently than normal desktop browsers, and they render the late-appearing ads that occlude the navigation links.

it's a scam.  and it's intentional.

I don't see shit. I have adblocker engaged on my windows platform and on my android phone I use the adblocker browser instead of chrome.

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.


Bring back Reed V. "Pie" TurkPalmer Eustachy.

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#9 2017-11-22 19:36:11 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:
southern miss slacker wrote:

I don't see shit. I have adblocker engaged on my windows platform and on my android phone I use the adblocker browser instead of chrome.

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.


he also sends all of his traffic through viglink, which is just another way to molest his users.

for an alleged libertarian, he sure doesn't mind exploiting his devoted users.

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#10 2017-11-22 19:46:10 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:
AndreWhere wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.


he also sends all of his traffic through viglink, which is just another way to molest his users.

for an alleged libertarian, he sure doesn't mind exploiting his devoted users.

Is Viglink really pretty bad? I had it installed here but I throttled it back to the minimum and eventually commented it out completely. The links it makes are stupid and it doesn't seem to even pay that much. Never really noticed it at CSNBBS so I guess he has it throttled back too.

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#11 2017-11-22 19:57:44 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:
AndreWhere wrote:

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.


he also sends all of his traffic through viglink, which is just another way to molest his users.

for an alleged libertarian, he sure doesn't mind exploiting his devoted users.

Is Viglink really pretty bad? I had it installed here but I throttled it back to the minimum and eventually commented it out completely. The links it makes are stupid and it doesn't seem to even pay that much. Never really noticed it at CSNBBS so I guess he has it throttled back too.

profiling your users to a third party without their knowledge is inherently unethical.

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#12 2017-11-22 20:15:53 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:
southern miss slacker wrote:

I don't see shit. I have adblocker engaged on my windows platform and on my android phone I use the adblocker browser instead of chrome.

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.

power hungry mods work multiple ways.  I suspect that there are users a BGN that hate the fact that they can't criticize the team without Lanny dropping the hammer.

perhaps you should expand your target area.

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#13 2017-11-22 20:22:49 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:
admin wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

he also sends all of his traffic through viglink, which is just another way to molest his users.

for an alleged libertarian, he sure doesn't mind exploiting his devoted users.

Is Viglink really pretty bad? I had it installed here but I throttled it back to the minimum and eventually commented it out completely. The links it makes are stupid and it doesn't seem to even pay that much. Never really noticed it at CSNBBS so I guess he has it throttled back too.

profiling your users to a third party without their knowledge is inherently unethical.

Well, there is a disclosure. But my main objection to it is that it tries to trick less savvy users. Ads are ads, bu monkeying around with peoples' posts is something else. I was surprised to see that CSNBBS did that... is it a new thing? I'd never noticed it there, then I did notice it there a couple of days ago so I figured out what it was and how to add it. It's definitely not a core technology here and it remains commented out.

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#14 2017-11-22 20:24:24 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:
AndreWhere wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

I wouldn't have noticed it either, and for the same reason.  but I recently upgraded to the new samsung note when it came out (the one that hopefully won't burn my house down), and my chrome config didn't come over properly.  So, I trashed it, and started from scratch.

That's when I noticed the creepy thing with the ads.

additional creepiness:  on windows platforms, he is pushing out ads between the posts in threads, not the banner ads that I suspect are designed to manufacture ad clicks.

that guy is fooling his users into milking his advertisers.

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.

power hungry mods work multiple ways.  I suspect that there are users a BGN that hate the fact that they can't criticize the team without Lanny dropping the hammer.

perhaps you should expand your target area.


If BGN has that problem, then that's a problem I can solve.

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#15 2017-11-22 22:08:42 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

AndreWhere (1252)
Member
From: Decatur, GA
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 8,746

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:

it's absolutely intentional.  it appears that he's actually targeting mobile devices.  I know that droidOS and iOS behave differently than normal desktop browsers, and they render the late-appearing ads that occlude the navigation links.

it's a scam.  and it's intentional.

I was browing CSNBBS and I actually had that shit happen to me. I'm a pretty savvy user but I accidentally ended up at the site of some mail order college that buys ads from him. It was because I was trying to click on something legit but his ads got in the way!


Bring back Reed V. "Pie" TurkPalmer Eustachy.

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#16 2017-11-23 17:13:04 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

southern miss slacker (304)
Member
Registered: 2017-08-28
Posts: 1,455

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:
AndreWhere wrote:

How does this site poach more users from him? He just gave away this board... I keep lurking over there trying to find another disaffected board to steal. The Rice board has a lot of traffic there, but it seems like they're mostly content to dine at Chez Jeremy.

power hungry mods work multiple ways.  I suspect that there are users a BGN that hate the fact that they can't criticize the team without Lanny dropping the hammer.

perhaps you should expand your target area.


If BGN has that problem, then that's a problem I can solve.

go get em! sign up for the 7 day free trial and pm all of them. or make a post on the board to rile Mixon up. tell them all the stuff you have over here that Mixon doesn't provide, and you do all of this and more for no charge.

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#17 2017-11-23 17:27:47 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

southern miss slacker wrote:
admin wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

power hungry mods work multiple ways.  I suspect that there are users a BGN that hate the fact that they can't criticize the team without Lanny dropping the hammer.

perhaps you should expand your target area.


If BGN has that problem, then that's a problem I can solve.

go get em! sign up for the 7 day free trial and pm all of them. or make a post on the board to rile Mixon up. tell them all the stuff you have over here that Mixon doesn't provide, and you do all of this and more for no charge.

I was just there and I didn't see a free option. I guess paying for a single month would be OK. I'll mull that one over.

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#18 2017-11-23 21:06:25 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect (72)
Member
Registered: 2017-11-22
Posts: 256

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

they've complained about this in the tech support forum.  he feigned ignorance.  someone posted a screen grab.  he acted surprised.  then he tossed some word salad and ran away. 

that was well over a month ago.

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#19 2017-11-23 21:14:17 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin (289)
Administrator
Registered: 2017-08-24
Posts: 2,244

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

Ford Prefect wrote:

they've complained about this in the tech support forum.  he feigned ignorance.  someone posted a screen grab.  he acted surprised.  then he tossed some word salad and ran away. 

that was well over a month ago.

Wow. He must not be a very good programmer if he's been throwing smoke and mirrors / hand-waving at that problem for over a month. Either that, or he really is a fraudster. Could be both, I guess.

I'll say this: he does depend personally on ad revenue more than I do, and I don't think I've seen anything resembling an enhancement or bug fix on that site, ever.

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#20 2017-11-23 21:19:07 - Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

stinkfist (764)
Member
Registered: 2017-08-29
Posts: 3,533

Re: Ads on CSNBBS obstruct site content

admin wrote:
Ford Prefect wrote:

they've complained about this in the tech support forum.  he feigned ignorance.  someone posted a screen grab.  he acted surprised.  then he tossed some word salad and ran away. 

that was well over a month ago.

Wow. He must not be a very good programmer if he's been throwing smoke and mirrors / hand-waving at that problem for over a month. Either that, or he really is a fraudster. Could be both, I guess.

I'll say this: he does depend personally on ad revenue more than I do, and I don't think I've seen anything resembling an enhancement or bug fix on that site, ever.


dude.....I pointed it out to him immediately.....

it's a simple screen resizing issue.......I have mine set to +125%....reduce below that, and it's a non-issue......he even pm'd me to send a screen shot.....I simply told him to fuck off by not responding.....

I really don't give a fuck......it's strange that anyone else does IMO....

I remember a thread about 'fixes' on this site......I quit being the hamster here too.....

figure it out or fuck off.....


95368035975122i7o8%5B1%5D.jpg493758851198d75b9e7118c23f42f2ad02c1efee979.gif

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