3 ms·

(imo) Just another sign that Google, like any other big company, is being overrun by incompetent PowerPoint slinging managers with stupid ideas, optimizing for

(imo) Just another sign that Google, like any other big company, is being overrun by incompetent PowerPoint slinging managers with stupid ideas, optimizing for short term results. Or maybe they are just running out of ideas as the company bloats and ages. See the catch-up-to-bing-with-junk-UI-redesign efforts for example. If this is a success then one more small step and we'll get image ads for search. The same justifications(and PowerPoint Decks) can be reused with minor tweaks. This does seem like bait and switch, as jacquesm points out. Sad, but IMAP + Adblock should be enough as a short term fix I guess. I haven't yet used AdBlock on Google ads because they are largely unobtrusive text ads, but if this junk starts showing up in my Inbox I will. Longer term Google needs some decent competition, especially in the search space. Too dominant a position in any market is fertilizer for hubris.

awakeasleep 16y ago
I have not been able to block google text ads with adblock despite15 minutes of peering at the page source.
- pavel_lishin 16y ago
  I don't see any ads yet - I guess they haven't rolled them out? Can you show me a screenshot?
bioh42_2 16y ago
What pushed me into using Adblock is that every so often adds turn out to be security problems. Sure, it is rare and fixed quickly but if they show up in my gmail account, which I use for authentication, I will start looking for another email service. Anyone know of a great, secure and add free email service?
- pasbesoin 16y ago
  This is a good point. If and as they proceed, they'd better run more than the usual level of due diligence to insure they don't become a vector for something nasty. Google properties are some of the few I let through without a lot of filtering (Gmail in particular). If it looks like they are becoming a vector, this will lessen their utility for me and I will tighten the hatches on them. (Of course, I suppose this factor won't apply for 99% of their users. We may be the outliers having no statistical significance. At least, until something big enough and bad enough slips through.) I have mixed feelings about blocking advertising that provides supporting revenue, but two factors override: Motion (and occasionally, sound), that completely and thoroughly distracts me from the page content and which, over prolonged exposure, leaves me "frazzled" and ineffective; and malware. (Also, when graphics are overwhelmingly "bright" compared to the content, I need to dial them down.) Nothing that hasn't been said a thousand times before, I suppose.
  - bioh42_2 16y ago
    I too fear we are outliers. But surely there must be a market for people like us who are also more likely to be high earners and tech opinion setters. And surely there must a way for a company to build trust and explain how/when/where advertising will be displayed that is acceptable to people like us, and everyone wins. Market opportunity?
    - pasbesoin 16y ago
      I've thought so. Haven't gotten my act together, yet, though, with respect to tackling it. EDIT: I guess that can sound kind of narcissistic. But, this is a forum with a start up focus. So I feel I have some license to at least think in that direction. :-)
pasbesoin 16y ago
I welcome the rare ad that presents me a relevant, effective product. Making ads visually pronounced (i.e. dominant) does NOT make them effective, for me. Make them relevant, tell me why in a brief bit of text, and try to whittle them down to effective products. [In editing, my language became rather redundant. Perhaps because there's a particular point to those words.] Also note, Google: Once they start to move (or speak), I'm "outta here". (IMAP, then whatever's next.) Just sayin'. I'm fearful, because there are a lot of people who do respond to "primary colors, dialed to 11". Perhaps Google/Gmail needs to remember those "surveys" from a year or three ago, wherein it was "demonstrated" that the smart people use Gmail -- the ones you want resumes from. Do you really want to become Hotmail? (Meanwhile, thanks for all the years so far of a great product. Hope we can find a workable compromise.)

awakeasleep 16y ago

I have not been able to block google text ads with adblock despite15 minutes of peering at the page source.

pavel_lishin 16y ago
I don't see any ads yet - I guess they haven't rolled them out? Can you show me a screenshot?

bioh42_2 16y ago

What pushed me into using Adblock is that every so often adds turn out to be security problems. Sure, it is rare and fixed quickly but if they show up in my gmail account, which I use for authentication, I will start looking for another email service. Anyone know of a great, secure and add free email service?

pasbesoin 16y ago
This is a good point. If and as they proceed, they'd better run more than the usual level of due diligence to insure they don't become a vector for something nasty. Google properties are some of the few I let through without a lot of filtering (Gmail in particular). If it looks like they are becoming a vector, this will lessen their utility for me and I will tighten the hatches on them. (Of course, I suppose this factor won't apply for 99% of their users. We may be the outliers having no statistical significance. At least, until something big enough and bad enough slips through.) I have mixed feelings about blocking advertising that provides supporting revenue, but two factors override: Motion (and occasionally, sound), that completely and thoroughly distracts me from the page content and which, over prolonged exposure, leaves me "frazzled" and ineffective; and malware. (Also, when graphics are overwhelmingly "bright" compared to the content, I need to dial them down.) Nothing that hasn't been said a thousand times before, I suppose.
- bioh42_2 16y ago
  I too fear we are outliers. But surely there must be a market for people like us who are also more likely to be high earners and tech opinion setters. And surely there must a way for a company to build trust and explain how/when/where advertising will be displayed that is acceptable to people like us, and everyone wins. Market opportunity?
  - pasbesoin 16y ago
    I've thought so. Haven't gotten my act together, yet, though, with respect to tackling it. EDIT: I guess that can sound kind of narcissistic. But, this is a forum with a start up focus. So I feel I have some license to at least think in that direction. :-)

pasbesoin 16y ago

I welcome the rare ad that presents me a relevant, effective product. Making ads visually pronounced (i.e. dominant) does NOT make them effective, for me. Make them relevant, tell me why in a brief bit of text, and try to whittle them down to effective products. [In editing, my language became rather redundant. Perhaps because there's a particular point to those words.] Also note, Google: Once they start to move (or speak), I'm "outta here". (IMAP, then whatever's next.) Just sayin'. I'm fearful, because there are a lot of people who do respond to "primary colors, dialed to 11". Perhaps Google/Gmail needs to remember those "surveys" from a year or three ago, wherein it was "demonstrated" that the smart people use Gmail -- the ones you want resumes from. Do you really want to become Hotmail? (Meanwhile, thanks for all the years so far of a great product. Hope we can find a workable compromise.)