[LINK] adblock and website evolutionary struggle

[Ivan Trundle]

On 28/09/2007, at 8:01 AM, Rick Welykochy wrote:

> Kim Holburn wrote:
>
>> http://news.motorbiker.org/blocked.nsf
>>> Why You Are Blocked From Motorbiker.org
>>>
>>> This site is quite expensive to run. Hosting, software releases,  
>>> attending several motorcycle events, etc. cost money, a lot of  
>>> money. I'm not even trying to make a living out of this site (I  
>>> write for several magazines, that's what enables me to buy  
>>> bread), but I refuse to have to fork out hundreds of dollars per  
>>> month to keep the site up and running, and filled with content. I  
>>> do it for fun, but not for a loss.
>>>
>>> By enabling your adblocker, specially on our Google Adsense text  
>>> ads, you are preventing me from paying the bills.
>
> I predict the next stage in this evolutionary struggle is improved
> sophistication in the ad blocker. Rather than simply stop the ad  
> coming
> through, the block will accept it, reply as required so it appears  
> that
> the ad has been seen, but prevent it from being displayed.

And if this doesn't validate the 'view-me-or-else' model, then the  
next phase is to rewrite the content as the same colour as the  
background (which I do for most Adsense blocks of sites that I  
frequent). It's not brain surgery, and the naïvete of some website  
owners is astounding.

If there is a way to block or minimise material which is irrelevant  
to the viewer, then this path will be pursued with considerable  
vigour. Unlike print publishing, where advertising content is  
sometimes relevant or interesting, I rarely see websites that have  
well-targeted (and WELL-PLACED) advertising. It's no wonder that  
viewers revolt.

The website owner is on the one hand not trying to make money from  
the site, but complaining that it is expensive to run, with hosting,  
software releases, etc. Obviously using the wrong software (Lotus  
Domino), and the wrong hosting service.

ps. Has anyone actually looked at the site? It's no great loss to be  
excluded from viewing it, even as a motorcycle fan.

iT