Forestry Forum Website

cblewis · April 13, 2024, 07:00:51 AM

Is it just me or are the "pop-up ads" on the site over the top? Every time I go to a new page, another pop-up shows.

Haven't been on the site in a while but it almost makes it unusable. Don't remember it being this bad.

On a mobile device. Does that make a difference?

thecfarm · April 13, 2024, 07:05:51 AM

It's kinda like watching TV.
Without them you would not be here.
There would be no TV or FF.

doc henderson · April 13, 2024, 07:09:18 AM

most have been ok, but the past 2 days, I am getting "featured video" stuff at the top. no audio but as I scroll down past, it pops up over the text of the thread and I have to hit the X, takes a few steps for each thread. more intrusive than before, I agree. past 2 days. it says powered by primis. I am on a laptop

cblewis · April 13, 2024, 07:15:18 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on April 13, 2024, 07:05:51 AMIt's kinda like watching TV.
Without them you would not be here.
There would be no TV or FF.

I completely get that. We have a website and I understand the ad revenue but it looks like a setting has been changed to include more ads than in the past. It's just really annoying. Revenue generating but annoying.

The "sponsors" should be getting a break in rates. Their banners are being covered by the pop-ups.

doc henderson · April 13, 2024, 07:19:01 AM

It is mostly Bloomberg and European news one after the other, like the ads on a plane screen on the seat in front of you. not really adds. the sponsors links are still scrolling at the bottom.

B.C.C. Lapp · April 13, 2024, 07:31:56 AM

Doc I'm getting the same thing. Never had that before, just started lately. Its not like a standard ad. It moves to the right of my screen and plays itself. I just keep xing it out.

Jeff · April 13, 2024, 07:35:12 AM

The changes were made by the ad company. I've put in a complaint.

Now for my complaint. I dont appreciate the sponsor comment one little bit. The desertion of sponsors is what has forced this.

You dont want any ads? Ill set you up. 10 bucks a month, no ads. Sorry for my website causing yall such trauma.

Oth · April 13, 2024, 07:38:33 AM

It's 2024, if you're not using a browser with a popup blocker you're about 20 years behind.

Magicman · April 13, 2024, 08:34:57 AM

AdBlock, etc. defeats the purpose of Jeff attempting to keep the Forestry Forum "fee free" to the members.

My AdBlock Plus is selective and I have it turned off on this site.

fluidpowerpro · April 13, 2024, 09:47:06 AM

I understand the reason for adds but I agree. Something has changed in the past few days and the number of pop ups has increased greatly. It really changes the feel of the experience. It doesn't have that down home, welcoming feel anymore.

CCCLLC · April 13, 2024, 09:56:21 AM

So much distraction to eye focus when reading a post. Constant movement.

Jeff · April 13, 2024, 10:35:17 AM

Do I need to quote myself? The ad company made a change. They do that. I have made a complaint to them. I think I know how to run this place and I can guarantee I am the first to be concerned when made aware something is up. It is the weekend. I suspect my complaint will not be addressed until Monday afternoon as the company is in Utah.

Now, go ahead and tell me some more how aggravating it is, I can take it. Can you?

rusticretreater · April 13, 2024, 12:18:38 PM

The ad company does this every now and then to get more "views" for a particular client. They play a constant game with their site customers while trying to meet contractural agreements with their ad clients.

They don't have the clout of FB or google, so they have to force it upon you to get the views and revenue they need to give the revenue website customers want. A vicious circle.

Or they could simply be knuckleheads who can't provide consistently good service, unlike an overworked, aggravated, harried and beset upon site owner we all know.

doc henderson · April 13, 2024, 01:11:56 PM

It is a reflex now to just hit the X. We will survive and glad we have no fee to pay as that would limit some from use of the site. At first, I think we were not sure if it was a "my computer thing" or a site thing. That has been established. I think we should all know that the concern is in Jeffs hands and will be addressed. thanks Jeff.

Southside · April 13, 2024, 01:16:18 PM

On most sites I do everything I can to block ads, close ads, etc - but here I know why they are here and how important they are, so I let it be. It's not free to run this place and those big companies have changed the rules so the spandex sawyers and some who don't know which end of a saw cuts get the sponsors. Unfortunately it's not about knowledge on the web too often these days, it's just numbers.

Tell me another site, in any industry, where you can find world class knowledge, ask a question, and pretty much end up with a phone number to talk to whomever by just asking, all for nothing. The ads are really not a big deal.

melezefarmer · April 13, 2024, 04:41:49 PM

Quote from: Jeff on April 13, 2024, 07:35:12 AM(...)

You dont want any ads? Ill set you up. 10 bucks a month, no ads. Sorry for my website causing yall such trauma.

This is a pretty good idea actually. Many freemium sites and apps use this model. Don't want to pay, you get ads. Don't want ads, you can pay x$ per month.

moodnacreek · April 13, 2024, 08:40:45 PM

Quote from: Oth on April 13, 2024, 07:38:33 AMIt's 2024, if you're not using a browser with a popup blocker you're about 20 years behind.

What is a browser?

Dave Shepard · April 13, 2024, 08:49:01 PM

Deer are browsers, cows are grazers.

47sawdust · April 17, 2024, 06:30:12 AM

I mostly use my laptop to view the forum.No ads

Just curious why the ads show up on the phone.

21incher · April 17, 2024, 11:28:33 AM

I got a message on my android tablet right after the full screen videos started that Java is trying to redirect something do you want to disable it? I said yes and now no adds but all the notification and text features no longer work after it changed something. Seems like the add server got too intrusive for my system monitor. My win 11 PC still is pounded with stupid video adds though I just x out.

rusticretreater · April 17, 2024, 12:01:33 PM

Vendors have gotten really creative in the way they get the ads in front of you. Almost to the level of folks who create viruses and trojans. There is the conventional way which is you load a page and the code in the page pulls the ads down. Once the connection is made it is then usually a push method where the ad servers keep pushing the ads downstream.

Then there is the more insidious way of storing the code in the website cookies that are downloaded. This method caused a lot of furor and its now why you have those annoying cookies being downloaded warnings. Those messages are actually a form of security. Some websites will download multiple cookies and these things do all sorts of reporting. Its another way of tracking your interests. All this info is sold and the vendors then know what ads to throw up on the screen. I routinely go through and delete the whole pile of them when my browser starts acting funky.

The last method is quite curious. Apparently, they can send some ad info along in video streams which then acts like one of the former methods once processed. I may have some of this wrong, but its what my computer experience and observations are telling me.

21incher · April 17, 2024, 01:04:01 PM

Yea, I was getting a lot of strange cookies I had to clear on the tablet. I just went into the Crome settings on my pc and found a switch to turn off Java. No more pop-up videos or adds on any sites anymore. From a search I just did it seems to be a backdoor into your privacy that can be exploited. Some sites don't function properly now but I will use Vivaldi for them. It just started getting so annoying the last week everywhere.

Andries · April 17, 2024, 01:57:32 PM

Well, somethings changed this morning. The ad flow has increased in a big way. There are two or three ads floating across the screen at any given time. Some even disappear when I go to X them out, only to re-appear at the bottom of the screen.
I completely agree with Jeff's initiative to keep the cash flow going, to support the forum. And also with Southside's comment about the Spandex Sawyers luring away our sponsors to fluff sites, is at the heart of it. Welcome to business competition in the digital age.
Thank you Jeff for all you do. I also hope your complaint to the ad company in Utah makes a difference soon.
You're at the Project this weekend, you should have a great time - you deserve it.

SawyerTed · April 17, 2024, 03:35:27 PM

It is a catch 22 and I understand the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. Without the ads the forum struggles to exist or ceases to do so.

With that said, the ads are interfering with the usability of the forum. That's tragic because decreased usability will decrease use.

The ads are cookie driven. I blocked all cookies on my iPad - NO ADS. BUT, I can't log in to the forum without cookies enabled.

That's too bad.