weird message when browsing OC3D

[S_I_N]

ok so I got on to check out wazzup here and I get this message saying to consider whitelisting us to keep us from asking for donations (paraphased) anyway I did some looking within my adblock plus and found a script the basically said /fuckadblock I disabled it and everything is as it was before. Is this something that was put in on the forum??

edit btw this message appeared everytime I clicked on a forum thread not just upon first entering the site.

 

[Excalabur50]

Yes had to disable adblock for OC3D myself S_I_N otherwise I couldn't browse the forums either

 

[SPS]

The ads are not intrusive on here regardless so the other option is to whitelist the site.

 

[Feronix]

Not sure if this 'feature' is good for the site either though. I tried it by enabling adblock but it really does show up every time you refresh or go to a different page. It's too aggressive.

This combined with the issue that the recent threads list doesn't even jump to the latest post, but to the OP, thus having to go through two pages (Or is that issue an elaborate scheme to double the pageviews? ) I can imagine a lot of new visitors cannot be bothered with this and just go to a different site where they run adblocker and aren't greeted with an error message on every page.

The error message itself is also very aggressive, okay it blocks the content on OC3D until they disable the adblocker or click 'Okay' every time, but it also stops the entire browser and other tabs from functioning until the pop-up is closed.

If you can fix these things:
- Make the pop-up less aggressive, have the rest of the browser work but just the content of OC3D invisible until the pop-up is closed.
- Have it show up like every 10 refreshes, or just on the Index so that new users can have a look around and decide they want to see this content and disable adblock, before they go "Ah I can't be bothered with this site" and leave after clicking 2 links.
- Pllleeeeaassseee fix the Recent Threads menu issue



PS: Not sure if it's related at all, or just really proves the theory (it was a Saturday night after all so most people will have been out), but I went to sleep at 2:30 and woke up at around 10:30. Overnight only 2 posts had been updated and yesterday had been a very slow day on the forums too. I guess time will tell, but while I agree the ads on this site are alright and you can easily and safely run it with ads enabled, I'm afraid having even more aggressive anti-adblock protection than the ads itself is just going to make people not visit the site rather than turn adblock off.

Also, there used to be an option on this forum to disable background advertisements. They'd still be visible, just become unclickable which is really handy if you switch windows by clicking on a random position on the browser a lot. Where's that gone?

 

[Warchild]

Due to severe restrictions in work, we cannot disable adblock as i have no control over the browser settings. Sadly this popup makes my reading during workhours a grievance.

I think it will deter newcomers too. At home its no problem but it was nice to read OC3D at work during breaks.

 

[4wd]

just grab the ghostery plugin for whichever browser you got and these adds go 'poof' blocks 95% of adds, the occasional get rich quick pop up tends to slip through once in a while, though other than that its solid. ^_^

 

[WYP]

Just to be clear her I am writing this post as a forum member and a writer, not as a representative of OC3D. I did not know about any of these changed before now, I do not code the site or make any changes, I just product news content for the website.

What need to be understood here is that the Ad supported model for the internet is the best solution, as it keeps everything free for the end users and means that communities like this can run without asking for handouts or requiring a subscription.

The add supported model for the internet may seen horrible to some, but like democracy as a form of government it is the worst idea until you consider the other options.

We must remember here that unlike other websites, OC3D curates their ads, meaning that none or our ads produce sounds or take over the web page and all of the ads are suitable for our content and are not google banner adds which steal information and use your search history to find ads.

I personally do not like ad block, as I do not find this "guantanamo bay" ,all ads are evil, approach to things as being very helpful. Yes video ads, audio ads and takeover ads are really annoying, but blocking all ads indescriminately simply kills the ability for websites to make money without sponsored content, crowdfunding support or subscription based premium site features and other things that take away from what that particular website is about.

Ad blocking does not fix anything, as it encourages business driven websites to use ads which give them more money per click to compensate, which means that takeover ads and animated ads are becoming more common. It is a fact that sites make more money with these ads, so if ad blocker wasn't so widespread many sites would not need to resort to such things.

What is required is an independent standards authority which can define how ads need to be and unblock sites using good ads. Sites using suitable ads should rewarded instead of being harmed indiscriminately by adblocking applications, as right now the only people making decent money out of ads are the websites which sell takeover and audio/video ads.

I installed adblock to see the message and swiftly uninstalled it, I'm not sure what I think of the change TBH. I do think people should be informed on the issue but I do not think it should be forced. This is a very complex issue, one that I am sure that TTL is placing a considerable amount of though into.

 

[Dicehunter]

If you have chrome it works a treat

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ghostery/mlomiejdfkolichcflejclcbmpeaniij?hl=en

 

[S_I_N]

My main issue is I could not figure out how to whitelist oc3d as I was very tired from working a 14 hour shift. I was able to find the script / fuckadblock and stop it thereby moving around the blockade. But truth be told some kind of heads up would of been appreciated prior to launching such a script which could of given us time to do the said whitelisting and not be left wondering wtf is up with my rig lol. As WYP said the ads here aren't intrusive and I don't mind supporting this forum by seeing them, I did take offense slightly to having my experience here hindered by the message every thread I clicked on.

 

[Kilbane]

My main issue is I could not figure out how to whitelist oc3d as I was very tired from working a 14 hour shift. I was able to find the script / fuckadblock and stop it thereby moving around the blockade. But truth be told some kind of heads up would of been appreciated prior to launching such a script which could of given us time to do the said whitelisting and not be left wondering wtf is up with my rig lol. As WYP said the ads here aren't intrusive and I don't mind supporting this forum by seeing them, I did take offense slightly to having my experience here hindered by the message every thread I clicked on.

Just click on your adblock icon on your browser, then choose to make the site exempt/ allow adds on this domain. Unfortunately Ads are what fund this forum, I have yet to see a "in your face" ad that distracts from the site so your pretty safe allowing ads on OC3D.NET.

 

[S_I_N]

Will check it again when on the pc thanks for that but didn't see it last night. I agree the ads here aren't like on some other sites

 

[AlienALX]

I wish there was a way to make a website think you have looked at the ad whilst keeping it hidden.

I abhor capitalism and adverts are the worst part of it.

 

[WYP]

I wish there was a way to make a website think you have looked at the ad whilst keeping it hidden.

I abhor capitalism and adverts are the worst part of it.

That is illegal on so many levels. To say the least it is fraud.

 

[SuB]

I'll comment as I think Tom is busy, we've done this as a bit of an experiment, and it's iteration 1.

I realise it's a little aggressive, but it was a quick fix to an issue and was maybe a little 'wide brush'. The responses to it have been 'interesting' to say the least.

As I've *just* got in from a long day out it won't be something I'll fix today, also tracking 10 loads is a ball ache and is just more intrusive because it requires tracking cookies and isn't pretty so I don't think that'l be happening. I'll see what I can do to make it less aggressive in the meantime, however just whitelisting for some none flashy, content derived and on-topic ads isn't that big of an ask, considering the amount of time some of you spend here, and it not costing you a penny now, and even more so when you have them on. I really, don't see why it's such a big deal. It helps Tom and the site LOADS!!!!

I'll not be changing owt until I get word from Tom, but know that your voices (and opinions) have been heard

Also this whole thing about the right hand side latest thread debacle.. I don't know why the behaviour of that has changed, but it wasn't (so far as I'm aware, deliberate, especially not for page view) Honestly, I barely use it, I always use the 'new content' one and click direct using the >> buttons to the latest unseen post.

 

[CreatiXx]

nope its not guantanamo bay but i find that than again, the user or viewers get forced actually to unblock it and at the end of the road every website or company will want to force people to unblock it for their content and than what use is adblock if every one forces themselves out of it and again it will the big names telling us what or not to use and hooray for freedom on the interwebs. I like AlienALX's plan

 

[shambles1980]

me good guy me no add block toms site. they deserve some form of revenue for giving us some where to come and chat about what Ubi soft has done to ruin something, or how many servers EA shut down today. and especially talk about upcoming hardware and how we dont believe the hype.
"boy we are a cynical bunch"

the issue with alienalex's plan is
it is fraud. the ad revenue would get paid for views that were not had.
People used to make scripts to go look at pages to generate revenue "i think this has been patched out now"
in the end if that fraudulent behavior happened then all people would get is PPC advert revenue.
and those really annoy me..

If i type out a post and mention Sony I dont want the forum magically changing that in to an advert hyper link. Or especially if i were to say something like Don not ever buy Aliens colonial marines.. I dont want that to change in to a link for people to go buy the thing i just said dont go buy it..

And what i especialy hate about that form of advert is 1/2 the time you are scrolling allong and you accidentaly mouse over a word that is now an advert. and Boom mini pop up on the thread, and thats horrendous especially on a mobile device.

 

[MattyD7829]

I always disable adblock on sites that I visit regularly. If the site is good enough to view a lot then I have no problem with it showing adverts to keep it free, as long as they are relevant to the content of the site and not too obtrusive. These adverts are absolutely fine.

 

[WYP]

I always disable adblock on sites that I visit regularly. If the site is good enough to view a lot then I have no problem with it showing adverts to keep it free, as long as they are relevant to the content of the site and not too obtrusive. These adverts are absolutely fine.

If only more people were like that.

There is a reason that Tek Syndicate are using Patreon now and linus has so many reward tiers for forum payments, Amazon affiliate links and so so many advertisements.

The ad supported model for sites like this has became so much less viable than it once was.

 

[Dicehunter]

I don't see the big problem myself, I use ublock origin as it's a tad better than adblock and you just set it to turn off when visiting OC3D and the forums

 

[Excalabur50]

I can say I don't mind turning adblock off for OC3D as the ads are not offensive like some that are out there