ads starting to kill site usability

[elanthis]

Many of the ads on Phoronix are starting to get in the way of actually using the site. Mainly these are the Flash ads, which with FlashBlock (and yes, I actually do _need_ that -- as anyone on Phoronix knows, some Linux graphics drivers still have issues with basic accel, and letting Flash load up on said desktops is a sure way to have the whole browser stop responding) often just cover up half the damn page making navigation impossible. Apparently some of the ads are dynamically resizing their containers after loading.

Also, the mouse-over ads that pop up Flash widgets make it near impossible to actually get the mouse cursor over various article links without ending up with another covers-half-the-damn-page popup appearing, needing me to click on it, wait for Flash to load, wait for the browser to respond again, and then summarily dismiss the ad.

Ads are fine and good, and hell, I've even bought a product advertised on Phoronix once. But the current ad system is not effective and it's making me less likely to visit the site (and hence, less likely to buy anything from the ads). If your ad network insists on Flash ads I won't see anyway, fine, but at least make sure their code actually sizes the damn Flash containers appropriately. No other site I have ever been to has ads broken in this fashion.

(Primarily using Chrome 6 Beta x86-32.)

[Svartalf]

Ads are fine and good, and hell, I've even bought a product advertised on Phoronix once. But the current ad system is not effective and it's making me less likely to visit the site (and hence, less likely to buy anything from the ads). If your ad network insists on Flash ads I won't see anyway, fine, but at least make sure their code actually sizes the damn Flash containers appropriately. No other site I have ever been to has ads broken in this fashion.

(Primarily using Chrome 6 Beta x86-32.)

If you're going to any other IDG TechMedia website, they're just as broken- and you're lucky if you've not seen this garbage of late. The ad people have "innovated" (Read: "Decided to be VERY obnoxious") so their messages will "stand out" and they'll "get their money's worth" on Web Advertising. There's fixes for this, but you need one that explicitly targets the problem ads (and allows you this ability...)- and FlashBlock's NOT it.

[curaga]

I have a fix that's been working for just about every obnoxious ad for years - it's called not having flash installed. Recommended!

[rbmorse]

I'm sure Michael would prefer you bought a preferred membership or whatever he's calling it. All the goodness served without adds for one low annual subscription.

[elanthis]

Oh, huh, I didn't even know Phoronix _had_ a premium membership. Took me a while to find that little link in the corner. $2.50/mo is about what I pay for LWN and I read Phoronix content just as often, so I'll go for a subscription. Thanks!

[mugginz]

Would seems the ads are goin down hill








These ads are from the bottom of the barrow.

[DeepDayze]

I don't mind the ads but the big ads that take up nearly the whole page are what grinds my gears to powder. Does Michael ever review the ads that are being presented? Good ad placement is key in my opinion, put them at the top or right side of the page. Also too many flash ads do tend to make my browser crash or freeze as well (firefox here) same on Windows and Linux

[birdie]

What ads?

(adblock+ user here)

[DanL]

What ads?

(adblock+ user here)

COMMUNIST!! Oh, wait...
Yeah, these corporations go way too far, so I'm not doing any business with them at all.

[gtrawoger]

I do support the sites I regularly visit by turning Adblock off. But some of these ads are just too obnoxious, and make it hard not to block them out. (on the same token, I always click the scam ads... you know the ones about the whiter teeth and the flat belly. I make them pay!)