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I remember feeling scandalized the first time that I saw a banner ad on the web. I also remember the epic flame wars on Usenet (sic transit gloria mundi) when

I remember feeling scandalized the first time that I saw a banner ad on the web. I also remember the epic flame wars on Usenet (sic transit gloria mundi) when Canter & Siegel made the first commercial spam campaign. At times, I have wondered how much of the Internet would shut down if ads were forbidden. Sometimes, that thought sobers me. Other times, that thought gladdens me.

astrodust 9y ago
The "Green Card Spam" basically ended USENET by violating the spirit and agreement those participating in that system more or less adhered to. They had no respect for the norms, for basic politeness, and instead wanted nothing more than to make money, no matter how many "snowflakes" were upset. Not unlike a certain businessman running for President...
- jquery 9y ago
  Is there some sort of law that all conversations in 2017 must somehow involve a shoehorned reference to our current president?
  - astrodust 9y ago
    It's because sometimes you don't have the power to stop someone who has no regard for the rules. Design systems that can self-correct better. Give the rules more bite.
rsync 9y ago
"I remember feeling scandalized the first time that I saw a banner ad on the web." As a web dev circa 1995/1996, I clicked once on every single banner ad that I saw. Every one of them. I had it in my head that banner ads were the economic model that would support the web, and I very much wanted the web to succeed, so I was trying to "pad the numbers" for both buyers and sellers of the ads.