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If you’re a gamer, how do you interact with the computer? You launch Steam, see a bunch of ads, launch Epic Game Store or GOG Galaxy and see a bunch of ads, so

If you’re a gamer, how do you interact with the computer? You launch Steam, see a bunch of ads, launch Epic Game Store or GOG Galaxy and see a bunch of ads, so why wouldn’t you see ads in the start menu? Hell, you have to log in to an account for the “GeForce Experience”. Just to keep your graphics card drivers automatically updated. As soon as you’re in a game, the game is full-screen. You’re not switching apps, you’re not creating anything, you’re just consuming content, and ads are a part of how we consume content these days.

kderbe 4y ago
> you have to log in to an account for the “GeForce Experience”. Just to keep your graphics card drivers automatically updated. TechPowerUp's NVCleanstall makes it easy to automatically update Nvidia drivers without any login, and also to remove any Nvidia application bloat you don't want. (I exclude GFE and only install the control panel, for example.)
- crtasm 4y ago
  I was using something similar to that, then recently found I can update with chocolatey https://community.chocolatey.org/packages/nvidia-display-driver https://community.chocolatey.org/packages/nvidia-display-dri...
troymc 4y ago
It would be nice if there was a univesal ad blocker that worked everywhere...
- squarefoot 4y ago
  To be effective it would however need all applications plus the underlying OS to be Open Source, since hiding code that phones home on an encrypted covert channel, for example using the same addresses and ports used for updates, then shows ads to the user, is a lot easier on closed systems. How could the user know, for example, that among the 350 MB of updates the OS just downloaded, half of it are actually adverts that will be shown according to certain conditions such as date and time, sites visited, online searches, email contents, software installed or removed, etc.
JohnFen 4y ago
> ads are a part of how we consume content these days. They aren't a part of how I do it.
- 31337Logic 4y ago
  So what? Even if that's true (and it isn't for me, btw), that doesn't make it right, and that's what we're discussing here.
Minor49er 4y ago
You're right. Everyone keeps whining "privacy and usability" this and "I already paid for the OS" that. To them, I say: shut up! Don't these people know that computers are only about consuming content? We should be advocating for an even greater ad-filled future for everyone to enjoy Why aren't we seeing ads in context menus? Why can't I yell "Burger King" into my mic every 10 minutes while streaming to get access to higher bitrates? Why hasn't Microsoft put ads on the BSOD? Why am I not paying a microtransaction every time I start up my computer to get it to skip an ad and boot faster? We are still missing out on some serious advertising potential! Every eyeball that isn't looking at a corporate logo is selfishly wasting time
- fasterik 4y ago
  >Burger King Reminded me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Y333JkwXQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Y333JkwXQ
Anarch157a 4y ago
Steam, EGS and GOG are stores. Ads are expected in stores. The OS that runs my computer is not. I would expect ads on Windows when I open the built-in app store, but not on the Start Menu.
- Arrath 4y ago
  Additionally I see ads once, when I start Steam and before clicking over to the library from the storefront. To compare, I might see ads every time I bring up the start menu.
  - crtasm 4y ago
    Plus you can set Steam to open directly to your library (Settings -> Interface) and disable the popup window of new releases (same page).
nightski 4y ago
Personally I never see these ads on Windows even though I think they sound terrible. I must just have the right group policy settings or something.
- WeylandYutani 4y ago
  Same, gamers know how to tinker with this stuff. Modding Windows lol.
RajT88 4y ago
> Just to keep your graphics card drivers automatically updated. Auto-updaters are a bane unto themselves of annoying crap running in the background. As are "quicklaunch" agents, or anything which claims to be some sort of "agent" to improve the user experience of their software. Most of it delivers very little value, and who knows what the hell data it is hoovering up.
flohofwoe 4y ago
> ...you launch Steam, see a bunch of ads, launch Epic Game Store or GOG Galaxy and see a bunch of ads. I think it's actually different. These are game stores. When I start Steam or EGS I expect to see game promotions (and *only* game promotions!) and targeting actually works there (e.g. I discovered a couple of games there I then bought and enjoyed). And finally, at least in Steam I can start directly into my library view, skipping the home screen 'ads'. I would call all that completely acceptable, devoid of the usual dark patterns.

kderbe 4y ago

> you have to log in to an account for the “GeForce Experience”. Just to keep your graphics card drivers automatically updated. TechPowerUp's NVCleanstall makes it easy to automatically update Nvidia drivers without any login, and also to remove any Nvidia application bloat you don't want. (I exclude GFE and only install the control panel, for example.)

crtasm 4y ago
I was using something similar to that, then recently found I can update with chocolatey https://community.chocolatey.org/packages/nvidia-display-driver https://community.chocolatey.org/packages/nvidia-display-dri...

troymc 4y ago

It would be nice if there was a univesal ad blocker that worked everywhere...

squarefoot 4y ago
To be effective it would however need all applications plus the underlying OS to be Open Source, since hiding code that phones home on an encrypted covert channel, for example using the same addresses and ports used for updates, then shows ads to the user, is a lot easier on closed systems. How could the user know, for example, that among the 350 MB of updates the OS just downloaded, half of it are actually adverts that will be shown according to certain conditions such as date and time, sites visited, online searches, email contents, software installed or removed, etc.

JohnFen 4y ago

> ads are a part of how we consume content these days. They aren't a part of how I do it.

31337Logic 4y ago
So what? Even if that's true (and it isn't for me, btw), that doesn't make it right, and that's what we're discussing here.

Minor49er 4y ago

You're right. Everyone keeps whining "privacy and usability" this and "I already paid for the OS" that. To them, I say: shut up! Don't these people know that computers are only about consuming content? We should be advocating for an even greater ad-filled future for everyone to enjoy Why aren't we seeing ads in context menus? Why can't I yell "Burger King" into my mic every 10 minutes while streaming to get access to higher bitrates? Why hasn't Microsoft put ads on the BSOD? Why am I not paying a microtransaction every time I start up my computer to get it to skip an ad and boot faster? We are still missing out on some serious advertising potential! Every eyeball that isn't looking at a corporate logo is selfishly wasting time

fasterik 4y ago
>Burger King Reminded me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Y333JkwXQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Y333JkwXQ

Anarch157a 4y ago

Steam, EGS and GOG are stores. Ads are expected in stores. The OS that runs my computer is not. I would expect ads on Windows when I open the built-in app store, but not on the Start Menu.

Arrath 4y ago
Additionally I see ads once, when I start Steam and before clicking over to the library from the storefront. To compare, I might see ads every time I bring up the start menu.
- crtasm 4y ago
  Plus you can set Steam to open directly to your library (Settings -> Interface) and disable the popup window of new releases (same page).

nightski 4y ago

Personally I never see these ads on Windows even though I think they sound terrible. I must just have the right group policy settings or something.

WeylandYutani 4y ago
Same, gamers know how to tinker with this stuff. Modding Windows lol.

RajT88 4y ago

> Just to keep your graphics card drivers automatically updated. Auto-updaters are a bane unto themselves of annoying crap running in the background. As are "quicklaunch" agents, or anything which claims to be some sort of "agent" to improve the user experience of their software. Most of it delivers very little value, and who knows what the hell data it is hoovering up.

flohofwoe 4y ago

> ...you launch Steam, see a bunch of ads, launch Epic Game Store or GOG Galaxy and see a bunch of ads. I think it's actually different. These are game stores. When I start Steam or EGS I expect to see game promotions (and *only* game promotions!) and targeting actually works there (e.g. I discovered a couple of games there I then bought and enjoyed). And finally, at least in Steam I can start directly into my library view, skipping the home screen 'ads'. I would call all that completely acceptable, devoid of the usual dark patterns.