[LINK] Fwd: Re: Unusable Web-Site

[Ivan Trundle]

On 16/07/2007, at 12:43 PM, Roger Clarke wrote:

> Another failed attempt to get webmasters to make sites usable ...
>
>> Roger Clarke wrote to Webmaster:
>>
>>>  Your site is almost unusable for a significant proportion of  
>>> your readership.
>>>  The reason is that you permit ads that contain various forms of  
>>> simulated movement.  Many people cannot concentrate on content in  
>>> such circumstances.  I for one had to give up.

Roger, I can only agree with you - many sites that I visit used to  
have this problem. And even if we can accept that advertising is a  
necessary part of keeping sites operational, certain styles of  
adverts are hopelessly poor at communicating, and if they distract so  
much that the reason for visiting the site is thwarted, then the end  
result is a lose-lose for everyone.

But there are solutions which do not involve reasoning with web  
managers, or finding metrics to support what is surely just common  
sense.

Knowing that you're a Mac user, and most likely using Safari, I  
suggest that you find SafariBlock, and your troubles will be over.  
Like other ad-blocking web plug-ins, it can be tuned to block almost  
100% of the annoyances that web managers deploy for revenue-raising  
purposes. AdBlock for Firefox does the same thing, and is available  
for Safari 3.0 beta, as well.

Combined with Safari Stand (which also blocks pop-ups, and can be  
used for systematic site alteration to hide almost everything else  
from your view - very useful tool, IMHO), and you'll have the  
simplest and most-effective solution.

Leave the web managers in their own world, seeking funding from  
companies who believe that this type of advertising is effective.

iT