4 ms·

So you are saying it's impossible? I don't see it. There are always methods to block ads, e.g. user-classification, preloading of content, alteration of flash,

by trapper 18y ago

So you are saying it's impossible? I don't see it. There are always methods to block ads, e.g. user-classification, preloading of content, alteration of flash, domain tracing... Edit: This could be thought of like an analogy to spyware detectors, i.e. ad-aware. They have a ton of custom detectors, which are continually updated to classify spyware. I would certainly pay for a commercial free web.

axod 18y ago
And there are always brain dead simple methods to detect ad blocking, and get past it. I'd rather not have an arms race, but if there is one, it's pretty obvious who would win.
- trapper 18y ago
  Sorry. I disagree entirely [assuming you think advertisers would win]. It would be like spyware vs spyware blocking, viruses vs virus scanners. Except that legit businesses couldn't do anything illegal, and thus far easier to manage. And, combined with a better managed, ugc version of http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions would certainly be unstoppable.
  - axod 18y ago
    Ok let's take a simple example. Website, where all outgoing links go thru jump script. Some are affiliate links. Typical example. How do you block those ads? How do you know it's an ad and not just a link. The difference between a link and ad can be nothing to observers. (obviously intrusive ads are another matter)
    - trapper 18y ago
      User generated content. Users classify links as ads after getting fooled, preventing other users from seeing it. You could also scan all outbound links and check to see if content (actual content) is the same without the parameters (e.g. my.affiliate.com/?affid=134 == my.affiliate.com or aff123.affiliate.com == www.affiliate.com) simply based on a few heuristics. I am thinking something like a combination of opendns + adblock + digg would work in a nice slick package so that grandmas can use it.
      - axod 18y ago
        Yeah good luck with that :/ Make something people want. People don't really care if someone gets commission. In fact they often go out of their way to make the website commission if they like what the website does.
        trapper 18y ago
        I'm not saying I would do it :) You said it couldn't be done, I disagree. I do think it's something people want too. Distraction is a huge problem on the web. I know it's not what you want being an ad supported business, but I do believe someone will do it at some point.

by trapper 18y ago

axod 18y ago

And there are always brain dead simple methods to detect ad blocking, and get past it. I'd rather not have an arms race, but if there is one, it's pretty obvious who would win.

trapper 18y ago
Sorry. I disagree entirely [assuming you think advertisers would win]. It would be like spyware vs spyware blocking, viruses vs virus scanners. Except that legit businesses couldn't do anything illegal, and thus far easier to manage. And, combined with a better managed, ugc version of http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions would certainly be unstoppable.
- axod 18y ago
  Ok let's take a simple example. Website, where all outgoing links go thru jump script. Some are affiliate links. Typical example. How do you block those ads? How do you know it's an ad and not just a link. The difference between a link and ad can be nothing to observers. (obviously intrusive ads are another matter)
  - trapper 18y ago
    User generated content. Users classify links as ads after getting fooled, preventing other users from seeing it. You could also scan all outbound links and check to see if content (actual content) is the same without the parameters (e.g. my.affiliate.com/?affid=134 == my.affiliate.com or aff123.affiliate.com == www.affiliate.com) simply based on a few heuristics. I am thinking something like a combination of opendns + adblock + digg would work in a nice slick package so that grandmas can use it.
    - axod 18y ago
      Yeah good luck with that :/ Make something people want. People don't really care if someone gets commission. In fact they often go out of their way to make the website commission if they like what the website does.
      - trapper 18y ago
        I'm not saying I would do it :) You said it couldn't be done, I disagree. I do think it's something people want too. Distraction is a huge problem on the web. I know it's not what you want being an ad supported business, but I do believe someone will do it at some point.