Remember to disable adblock January 13, 2011 9:38 PM   Subscribe

Does anyone not do this?

Because you should.

Click the Adblock button, hit "disable on metafilter.com".

I just realized I wasn't doing this, and I felt truly ashamed. You should too.
posted by inedible to MetaFilter-Related at 9:38 PM (89 comments total)

You should too.

Yeah, this'll go well.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:40 PM on January 13, 2011 [9 favorites]


I was under the impression that MeFi hid adverts (apart from The Deck ones) automagically for logged-in members?
posted by djgh at 9:42 PM on January 13, 2011 [3 favorites]


Related: I recently discovered that there is a PayPal donation link at the bottom of the About page (link in footer).
posted by danb at 9:42 PM on January 13, 2011


I am ashamed that I am commenting in this post.
posted by dhammond at 9:44 PM on January 13, 2011


No, you should not feel ashamed. It's very kind of you to think of the site as far as ad revenue goes, which I'm guessing is where you're coming from, but some logged-in members using adblock for their browsing comfort is not something that's likely to have any significant negative effect on our ad revenue. If you like browsing with ads blocked, do so. No guilt should even enter the equation.

The tons and tons of non-member eyeballs coming to the site from external links or from search engine results are what generate the lion's share of the ad income; I don't have the exact numbers, Matt can correct me if I'm overstating this, but I think the phrase "vanishingly small" is on target for the proportion of our potential ad income that some logged-in members blocking ads represents.

I said most of this the other day in another thread, but, again: the most valuable thing any given mefite can do for the site is to just keep being a good faith contributor to this place for its own sake. It's what makes this place interesting in the first place, and insofar as ad revenue keeps us afloat its only because this place is such a great fountain of quality content in the first place.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:46 PM on January 13, 2011 [30 favorites]


Don't feel any guilt using adblock here. Most advert income comes from non-members.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:46 PM on January 13, 2011 [3 favorites]


Shame on you for posting this while logged in. How the hell is Mathowie going to cover pony food this month?
posted by special-k at 9:48 PM on January 13, 2011 [2 favorites]


I turned off adblock because the ads are actually pretty cool.

Still haven't bought anything though...
posted by ODiV at 9:59 PM on January 13, 2011


I don't much cotton to someone telling me when I should feel shame.
posted by Chrysostom at 10:00 PM on January 13, 2011 [2 favorites]


No, I pretty much never crop my screenshots that close.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 10:03 PM on January 13, 2011 [20 favorites]


I PAID FIVE DOLLARS GOD DAMN IT!

Don't feel any guilt using adblock here.



Oh oh! how does adblock work?

NEVER MIND I'M MAKING LIONS IN MY DEN!
posted by nola at 10:03 PM on January 13, 2011


I just donated 25 bucks, I figure that;s a nice beer per mod cause....dang.
posted by The Whelk at 10:04 PM on January 13, 2011


I just realized I wasn't doing this, and I felt truly ashamed. You should too.

Dang, if blocking ads was the only reason I had to feel ashamed about my participation here, I'd be getting off easy.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:05 PM on January 13, 2011 [6 favorites]


...but I think the phrase "vanishingly small" is on target...

Matt nods in agreement from his yacht in Cape Cod.

couldn't help myself
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:08 PM on January 13, 2011


Shaming patrons of an enterprise is usually not a good thing for that enterprise.
posted by grouse at 10:08 PM on January 13, 2011


Alvy, we're not too hot on your giant stockpile of internet porn either. FEEL MORE SHAAAAMMMME....
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:09 PM on January 13, 2011 [4 favorites]


Oh wait pound conversion, you can have half of a bad beer vacapinta'.

Sorry.
posted by The Whelk at 10:10 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


Ahem. There'd be no ads without content (posts and comments). And we provide the content.

I should feel guilty that while I'm providing Matt something to sell to advertisers, I don't also watch their ads? This site nets enough to pay at least three salaries -- and probably a whole lot more. More power to Matt, but a big part of his profit margin comes from not having to pay for content.
posted by orthogonality at 10:10 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


we're not too hot on your giant stockpile of internet porn either

I knew I should have gone with a phrase other than 'Getting off easy'.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:16 PM on January 13, 2011 [3 favorites]


a big part of his profit margin comes from not having to pay for content

The trick to a big, fat MeFi residual cheque is to avoid all the Deletion Deductions and Account Closure/Reopening service fees.

*Rolls around in a pile of nickles**
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:24 PM on January 13, 2011


special-k: Shame on you for posting this while logged in. How the hell is Mathowie going to cover pony food this month?

Posting while logged in? How do you post when not logged in?

And are those "horse and pony nuts"? Is that food for ponies, or made from ponies? Never mind, I don't want to know.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:27 PM on January 13, 2011


Hi, I've been here for three months and I've got it all figured out. Let me tell you what you should be doing and how you should feel.

...

Actually, I guess you're fitting in pretty well.
posted by entropicamericana at 10:33 PM on January 13, 2011 [14 favorites]


i don't block the ads on metafilter because i like the ads on metafilter. i was just commenting to the husband yesterday that this site has me liking ads and share on twitter/facebook links. i feel a little dirty. if the mods can get me to love an auto playing wav then we will know they commune with the dark forces.
posted by nadawi at 10:36 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


I don't use AdBlock. If a site has genuinely obnoxious or offensive advertising supporting it, I want to know so I can STOP GOING THERE. That's the way I block ads. I sometimes give sites a bit of support by clicking through on ads for things I'm never going to buy... it also confuses the robo-trackers. (Not saying I do it here, but if the Deck has robo-trackers, they probably are under the false impression that I have EVER owned anything from Apple) But seriously, I want to know who's paying to bring me the blogs/webcomics/etc. I like, even if it's something totally evil... no, ESPECIALLY if it's something totally evil. Before the '08 California election, I informed a few friends that Google Adsense as serving them "Yes on H8" ads. I also do periodic cookie-crumb-cleaning where I learn more about where not to go... I like to think I'm an informed websurfer. AdBlock is for people who can't handle the Web.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:37 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


This site nets enough to pay at least three salaries -- and probably a whole lot more.

mathowie pointed out the other day that they barely made payroll in April 2010.

posted by mlis at 10:43 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


Ahem. There'd be no ads without content (posts and comments). And we provide the content.

I should feel guilty that while I'm providing Matt something to sell to advertisers, I don't also watch their ads?. . .More power to Matt, but a big part of his profit margin comes from not having to pay for content.


I understand where you are coming from and you are correct of course. When I explained Metafilter to the owner of a small woodworking shop recently, this is a guy who is 64 and does not use email and only occasionally goes online, his response was exactly what you are saying, "So, you and these other members, you all realize you are working for free and making money for the owner, right?" He kind of chuckled and smiled appreciatively.

I tried to explain the lives that Metafilter has touched and the value that attaches from membership in other ways. That people had met their spouses through Metafilter, found jobs, made friends, helped people. Cold Chef did a much better job explaining this than I did.
posted by mlis at 10:54 PM on January 13, 2011


djgh: I was under the impression that MeFi hid adverts (apart from The Deck ones) automagically for logged-in members

Lately I've been getting Facebook and Twitter ads, too.
posted by paisley henosis at 11:03 PM on January 13, 2011


I'm OK with the ads on MetaFilter because they don't make me want to tear my eyes out. The Deck ads are tasteful, and I add sites that belong to The Deck's network to my whitelist every time I arrive on one. If we're "working for free and making money for the owner", well, I like the owners and I like it here. Whitelist it is.
posted by sillygwailo at 11:11 PM on January 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


Not only am I running AdBlock. I'm also running the Shut Up extension for Safari so I can't even seen and comments on Metafilter. I can't even comment in threads.
posted by birdherder at 1:52 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


good beer is cheaper in Britain. £3.50 for a pint of premium.
posted by jb at 2:12 AM on January 14, 2011


OMG there are scriptzxz?!?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:39 AM on January 14, 2011


Look at me everyone, I found a way to be superior to you all!
posted by CautionToTheWind at 3:44 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


Matt nods in agreement from his yacht in Cape Cod.

I suppose now you're going to tell me he bought his yacht in New Zealand and registered it in Newport.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:46 AM on January 14, 2011


I don't have one of those adblock buttons. Inedible, are you commanding me to feel shame forever? Is this what it's like to be Catholic? This was already shaping up to be a terrible year, and now this. :(
posted by nowonmai at 3:47 AM on January 14, 2011


I wish I could favorite cortex's reply 10 times and then also click a button that posted it to every site on the internet.
posted by DU at 4:11 AM on January 14, 2011


I just send cash directly to the moderators each month. (Actually, I send it all to Jessamyn, who promised me she'd divide it up fairly based on how much work people do.)
posted by pracowity at 4:55 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


I still don't understand how anything makes money on the Internet.

I fail at living in the 21st century.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:55 AM on January 14, 2011


If you have an issues with running adblock on metafilter then I have a question: What sites do you visit that it's OK to run adblock on?
posted by cjorgensen at 4:56 AM on January 14, 2011


I like to allow ads so that I can keep a note of any company that uses pop-ups or mouseover-ups or any other kind of bullshit screen-stealing crap. I then make sure I never, ever buy anything from them, ever.

Hell yes, I'm one grudge-bearing bastard.
posted by Decani at 4:57 AM on January 14, 2011


If Metafilter ever does end up having trouble meeting payroll please let us know.
posted by Blasdelb at 4:59 AM on January 14, 2011


I'm so conflicted by the post; on one hand I want to be snarky, but on the other hand I want to ignore it completely, and on the third hand, well I guess I could point out that we should all feel bad for skipping commercials on our favorite TV shows that we don't watch because we don't have TVs.
posted by blue_beetle at 5:30 AM on January 14, 2011


i don't block the ads on metafilter because i like the ads on metafilter. i was just commenting to the husband yesterday that this site has me liking ads and share on twitter/facebook links. i feel a little dirty.

Logout and take a look, they are quite a bit more annoying. There's a big Google text ad block between the questions and the answers in AskMe. On the blue, there are flash ads all over, one after the post, one at the bottom, and a tall one on the right side.
posted by smackfu at 5:58 AM on January 14, 2011


I hate websites that ask me to turn it off. (Some have taken to putting little static images where ads would be)

I wouldn't click their ads even if I didn't have adblocker plus.

Anything that's advertising something for free has strings attached.
Anything that's on sale for 40% off is limited in size, quality, quantity, color, or style.
The rest are either insurance companies or has the potential to harm my computer.

That last one is the 95% reason why i keep it running everywhere. It's the second thing I install on family computers. Even reputable websites can be dangerous due to a malicious ad slipping through the system.

Besides some websites look so much better without ads plastered everywhere.

I'm glad that Metafilter doesn't ask it's members to turn it off. :)
posted by royalsong at 6:02 AM on January 14, 2011


Wait, what? You mean not everyone is viewing MeFi in Lynx?
posted by Eideteker at 6:18 AM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


I actually use greasemonkey to put extra ads on the pages here.
posted by inigo2 at 6:33 AM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


What is all this? I only come here to look at ads. Who are all you people.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 6:43 AM on January 14, 2011


I still don't understand how anything makes money on the Internet.

Me either, really. It's kind of fun and terrifying!

Wait, what? You mean not everyone is viewing MeFi in lynx?

I filed a genuine bug report about w3m to Matt and Jess years ago, and I believe there response was "w3m?".
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:46 AM on January 14, 2011 [3 favorites]


I just realized I wasn't doing this, and I felt truly ashamed. You should too.

Yeah, welcome aboard. Time for pie?
posted by fixedgear at 7:03 AM on January 14, 2011


w3m sounds like something you'd find in the craigslist romantic encounters section.
posted by smackfu at 7:29 AM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


I have the computer competence of a ring-tailed gibbon, and it's a miracle I can get online, never mind comment from time to time. Wanting to help if I could, when ads first appeared here and this was being discussed, I asked Cortex how much effect my enabling of ads here would have. He answered me pretty much as he did here. If you don't understand how something works, try to learn a bit about it before making sweeping judgments. It's probably not a good idea to insult the ethics of random strangers instead. Scolding members who have made thousands of contributions comes across as a bit over-bearing, actually.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 7:30 AM on January 14, 2011


Thanks, mom!
posted by owtytrof at 7:39 AM on January 14, 2011


smackfu: "w3m sounds like something awesome you'd find in the craigslist romantic encounters section."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:43 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


I just cut out the middleman and ship monocle polish and yacht wax general delivery directly to Portland. You picked that up, right Matt?
posted by infinitewindow at 7:58 AM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'm going to store polishing his monocle and waxing his yacht away for the next euphemism drought.
posted by pracowity at 8:13 AM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


Wait, what? You mean not everyone is viewing MeFi in lynx?

Every now and again I surf through the site for a few minutes using a text-based browser just so pb will see it in the referrer logs and smile.

This site nets enough to pay at least three salaries -- and probably a whole lot more.

The site supports four people and not actually a whole lot more. When business is booming there's more to go around. Economic downturns have a trickle-down effect on ad revenue. Paying real salaries with health insurance and the like is a different scene than tossing someone $10/hour and a few free t-shirts. mathowie and cortex have already chimed in as far as where and who the ad revenue tends to come from. People are welcome to make choices about how much they choose to engage; our hope is that everyone feels like they get more than $5 of usefulness out of the place.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:22 AM on January 14, 2011 [3 favorites]


with health insurance

Socialists.
posted by inigo2 at 8:32 AM on January 14, 2011


The site supports four people and not actually a whole lot more. When business is booming there's more to go around. Economic downturns have a trickle-down effect on ad revenue.

I'm sure a hundred people have pointed this out before, but: really, if ad revenue isn't paying the bills, there's a pretty sizable contingent of people here who would happily pay for site access* if it meant that the moderation would stay as excellent as it is. I spend about 10% of my waking hours on here; at $10 a month, that's the best deal I'll ever get.


*Or a gold star by our names. Or <img>.
posted by Mayor West at 8:43 AM on January 14, 2011


For what it's worth, I've found that leaving some kinds of AdBlock on while using MeFi keeps me from being able to use the "favorites" function. Turning off AdBlock makes it work fine.

However, I've also noticed that if you sign in, you can "hide" the ad window on the Blue, and it stays hid.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:50 AM on January 14, 2011


What shocks me the most is that there a MeFites who are not naturally ad blind. I seriously don't even see the darn things.

Which is a problem because I work in online advertising. *sigh*
posted by GuyZero at 10:22 AM on January 14, 2011


Time to usher in the era of the ten dollar noob.
posted by various at 10:56 AM on January 14, 2011


Stop taking quotes and running them through a foxnews function.

Stop acting like this is some website where we're jerks to each other instead of having useful conversations.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:23 AM on January 14, 2011 [4 favorites]


$10/hour and a few free t-shirts.

Sounds like good work. Where do I sign up? I wear an XL.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:12 PM on January 14, 2011


Haha. A week or so after I broke up with my ex, The Deck showed up.

With said ex's company all over it.

I was super annoyed and ran around seething, "Oh, c'mon. This is my site. MY MeFi, you jerkosaurus!" It was quite literally the only thing I got "mad" at him for, during the split.

I turned the ads off, but recently turned them back on—because i actually like them. I learn stuff and find useful services, so it's all good. It's still my MeFi, dammit.

Just, um, y'know... thought I'd share.
posted by functionequalsform at 12:27 PM on January 14, 2011


I think it's time to take Metafilter public and raise some das kapital.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:28 PM on January 14, 2011


I'm sure a hundred people have pointed this out before, but: really, if ad revenue isn't paying the bills, there's a pretty sizable contingent of people here who would happily pay for site access*

I've seen this before, and all it does is chase off the infrequent contributors, who often have the most interesting things to say. Then the site gets less interesting, and the subscribers don't bother resubscribing, and the site dies.
posted by smackfu at 12:34 PM on January 14, 2011


But then there are the reunion meetups!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:41 PM on January 14, 2011


We should just have a good old pledge drive.

You know Jessamyn, I really enjoyed the thread about the Martha Steward skull single link. The comments were pretty fucking great. You don't see funny shit like this elsewhere on the internet.

Yeah Mathowie, it's great that we can bring content like these to our readers but it's really difficult to support the site, even the small staff we have. After paying each month's hosting bills we barely have any left over to buy gin or blow.

If readers call and pledge in the next 10 minutes, we will send you a commemorative 5-piece set of moderator plates. Perfect for your next gathering. You could serve cheese on a mathowie plate or Pony Hors d'œuvre on a pb plate. How fun!

Sponsors for this hour will match tater for tater till we reach our goal.

...
We know return you to our regularly scheduled SLYT.

posted by special-k at 12:41 PM on January 14, 2011


Or a banner across the top. With Jimmy Wales.
posted by smackfu at 12:46 PM on January 14, 2011


I was actually thinking it would be sort of hilarious to have a fund drive with those huge banners and dorky photos of all of us.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:47 PM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


er now.
posted by special-k at 12:47 PM on January 14, 2011


Here now!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:48 PM on January 14, 2011


If the moderators can spell better than I can, I'm pretty sure the pledge drive will be a big success.
posted by special-k at 12:51 PM on January 14, 2011


Just sell those orange stars.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 12:58 PM on January 14, 2011


You all need to be staring wistfully at someone just over the viewer's shoulder.
posted by The Whelk at 1:05 PM on January 14, 2011


Jimbo Wales.

Jessamyn West.

COINCIDENCE? I think so, probably.

I would support a MeFi talent show type thing. Banners of our beloved mods is silly fun and all, but I'd love to see banners of all of us. Ok, maybe not literally. But perhaps post a song about MeFi to youtube, or a viral video. We have a bunch of really talented people who I'm sure would be proud to fund-raise for the site, just doing whatever weird thing they can.

And me? I'll host. Oh yes, give me a microphone and a camera (and a tacky suit) and I will make Jerry Lewis look like a no-talent ass-clown who talentlessly shapes balloon animals with his clownish ass. My rakish charm will rake in the cash for MeFi. (Get it? See? FUNNY!)
posted by Eideteker at 1:10 PM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


"Please tolerate an over-long hug from cortex..." and a high-gloss portrait of a large donut.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:11 PM on January 14, 2011



I would support a MeFi talent show type thing.

Finally an excuse to wear make up!
posted by The Whelk at 1:12 PM on January 14, 2011


Logout and take a look

log...out? your mouth is moving, but the noises make no sense.
posted by nadawi at 1:54 PM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


Okay, this may reveal the depth of my ignorance, but are there even ads here aside from the teeny tiny little box on the right? Because I don't have AdBlock but I don't see any ads apart from that teeny tiny little box on the right.

IS THIS REAL WILL THIS BE FOREVER
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:28 PM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


I think he just likes having excuses to have excuses.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:04 PM on January 14, 2011


paisley henosis: Lately I've been getting Facebook and Twitter ads, too.

I'm assuming you mean the share buttons? You can switch them off in Preferences.
Or am I being over-earnest?

Sidhedevil: Okay, this may reveal the depth of my ignorance, but are there even ads here aside from the teeny tiny little box on the right? Because I don't have AdBlock but I don't see any ads apart from that teeny tiny little box on the right.

When you're logged in (as all good members should be. Constantly.) you only see those. If (god forbid) you log out, you will see others. Hideous graphic ads, flash popups with auto-play and sound, and the blink tag. Best you never log out at all. Really it's not that bad, but why take the risk?
posted by djgh at 5:43 PM on January 14, 2011 [2 favorites]


djgh: I'm assuming you mean the share buttons? You can switch them off in Preferences.
Or am I being over-earnest?


I actually did not know that, thanks for the heads up!
posted by paisley henosis at 6:31 PM on January 14, 2011


It's so new it's not in the FAQ yet. Let me go fix that...
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:38 PM on January 14, 2011


Time for pie?

I forgot, I have pie! Thanks for the reminder.
posted by galadriel at 7:09 PM on January 14, 2011


Now it's in the faq!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:14 PM on January 14, 2011 [1 favorite]


So I've been doing a lot of drinking recently. This is the first blackout post that I find the next day and somewhat regret. I see that as a really bad sign, that I should really probably solve the underlying problem that's causing me to drink.

I'm glad a friendly round of discussion became of my post, I guess it had obviously good intentions and you're all an understanding-enough community to let it slip.

I'm going to try and restrict my internet use while inebriated. As harmless as this was, I think it's symptomatic of something worse.
posted by inedible at 11:41 PM on January 14, 2011


Best of luck to you, inedible.
posted by mosessis at 3:18 AM on January 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


inedible, there are a number of people here who would be happy to help you in any way that we can, so please don't hesitate to reach out if you need assistance, or even just someone to talk to.

There is also a lot of information of the following wiki page: ThereIsHelp
posted by SpiffyRob at 10:15 AM on January 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


smackfu writes "Logout and take a look, they are quite a bit more annoying. There's a big Google text ad block between the questions and the answers in AskMe. On the blue, there are flash ads all over, one after the post, one at the bottom, and a tall one on the right side."

Much worse than the ads when you are logged out is the font.
posted by Mitheral at 1:01 PM on January 16, 2011


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