Do you have Ad Blocking switched on?

[urb]

This is an old subject, but I'm wondering if any webmasters actually surf with whatever brand of Ad Blocking switched on?

For example, Norton Internet Security with "Ad Blocking" enabled?

I know surfers use it, but I just wanna see if any webmasters are using it as a daily setting.

[Rocco]

I don't use any "Ad Blocking"

[Head Boy]

I hate Norton and think it contributes to the spread of viruses and malware, so I wouldn't be using that.

I've also started to tell surfers about using escape to stop gif animations. Those jiggly ads and the white page frames really annoy me. I also have active-x off permanently, so I don't have to put up with flash downloads or noises. I welcome a reasonable number of ads on a page. They provide some good links and info, and give a webmaster a chance to get paid for his work without having to use cheating methods.

I also keep j/script on prompt, so I don't need to install popup blockers or stuff like that.

[Fonz]

I'm the only thing that gets turned on when I'm using a computer.
Why use something that's "harmful" to your business?

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Head Boy

I hate Norton and think it contributes to the spread of viruses and malware, so I wouldn't be using that.

I'm just curious...how exactly does Norton contribute to spreading viruses and "mailware"?

I don't use ad blocking but do use Norton. At first it was a pain in the ass but once configured properly, it does a good job.

[Useless]

I use ad blocking only to block Jim's sig. Ha!

I found that it's good to surf your own sites from a friend's computer occasionally to see what they see. A while ago, one of my TGPs was a thumb TGP, not text link as is it today, and I found that my .htaccess referrer settings were denying all of the images to those using Norton's blocking software. Oops!

[SirMoby]

Why wouldn't you at least have access to Ad Blocking? Norton is a big issue so about once a month (maybe every couple of months now) I turn on Ad Blocking and surf. I don't keep it on because you can't get sponsor marketing material with it on but it's important to test your sites now and then.

[Toni KatVixen]

I surf using the ad-blocking in my firefox. I love it.

[Head Boy]

Norton seems to fail pretty regulary, and I believe this is because it uses old techniques of hunting for virus signatures - hence the processing overhead. If it isn't up to date, or hits a new unknown virus, it fails. Users are often a bit tardy in updating, so become vulnerable fairly quickly. More advance systems check for virus triggers and are therefore often able to catch unknown viruses and malware. The most damning thing about Norton imho are the frequent reports by its users when they get infected and have to rebuild their systems.

Norton Security is also bad for the adult industry as some features kill tracking info and stop us earning money. At the same time it doesn't prevent some of the affliliate link theft malware from being installed, so we get hit from that angle as well.

[swedguy]

I think it kind of defeats the whole purpose of what we're doing.
I like looking at ads, even though I might not click on it. If I find something that makes me want to click it, then I know that they have done something right and I examine it.

[Head Boy]

Ad blocking software is going to lead to a lot of non-standard ads which could make banner rotation more complex. They could also lead to an increase in blind click pictures. Will there be any changes to link list rules if this happens?

[Verbal]

I use ad blocking when browsing the web - for the same reason surfers do... ads are fucking annoying. But it also helps give me an idea of what ads are still getting through these days.

I do turn off ad blocking when doing reviews, however.

[Head Boy]

Do you find all ads annoying, or just the jiggly animated ones, or the ones with sound.

I don't mind the static ads, or ones with a bit of discreet animation.

[Joe]

Firefox AdBlock plugin ... Couldn't surf without it.

[stuveltje]

i dont use norton i do have an pop up blocker, funny thing is when pop up on sponsor it wont block, but if i am downloading an program and it will show an pop up before down load it will block, fucking freaking stupid pop blockers, they dont do what they need to do, well atleast mine doesnt do

[Kath]

I finally freed myself from Norton and haven't had any (knock on wood) computer problems since... it used to be that I would have to reboot several times during the day.

I also switched from Outlook to Thunderbird and it made another HUGE difference in how my overall PC performance measures up.

I'll never use Norton again.

Oh and on the ad blocker thing - just didn't seem right to me to use something that would hurt business. I do have pop-up blocker on non-business sites, but allow it more than I block.

[Head Boy]

Does anyone other than me use <Esc> to stop banners jiggling?

I think this is better than blocking ads.

[Toby]

Good for biz, bad for biz, really makes no difference whether we as webmasters use an ad blocker or not. Reality is that surfers in general are using them, and in increasing numbers. I use the Adblock add-on for Mozilla, as well as the built in popup blocker. I want to know what is still getting past all the blockers and filters, and focus on utilizing those methods for promotion.

[Head Boy]

Text links get past the ad blockers.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Head Boy

Does anyone other than me use <Esc> to stop banners jiggling?

I think this is better than blocking ads.

Yeah, I do it too.

Only problem is that it doesn't stop Flash animations from pausing.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Head Boy

Text links get past the ad blockers.

...and in my experience, significantly more effective than ad banners.

[Toni KatVixen]

Originally Posted by Head Boy

Do you find all ads annoying, or just the jiggly animated ones, or the ones with sound.

I don't mind the static ads, or ones with a bit of discreet animation.

I hate any of them that move or make noise....I just plain hate them all. |slice

[Bruce Miller]

I had turned on ad blocking just to check it out, but it was also blocking most of the banners on our toplist etc, so I turned it off. I agree that this will lead to the creation of new ways to get around it. after all we want our banners to show up when they can

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Bruce Miller

...I agree that this will lead to the creation of new ways to get around it...

A good first step is to name your banner folder something other than "banners". I'm guilty of that one myself. Changing it at this point means spending a ton of time updating links on toplists.

[Count Zero]

Yes, I'm usually use Outpost firewall and Firefox adblocking extension for ads blocking. And I browsing boards with switched off signatures