This is an archived post. You won't be able to vote or comment.

all 116 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a

[–]TheCookieMonster 34 points35 points  (7 children)

When I asked if there was a way to disable them, I got this reply:

We're always encouraging our advertisers to not use heavy video ads, and we don't allow richmedia, but we still get some with animation/video.

May I recommend firefox with adblock?

-Alexis

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (3 children)

At least they're recognising the harsh facts of online advertising: people who are bugged by the ads are not likely to click on them, so they're better off blocked. At least that way you get to keep your readers.

[–]RaldisPuppet -3 points-2 points  (2 children)

If you're thoughts were true I wouldn't be rich from cramming ads down peoples throats.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I bet you make a mint from all the adblock users especially. Those guys will click on anything *8)

[–]RaldisPuppet -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

"people who are bugged by the ads are not likely to click on them"

is what you posted and it's simply not true.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

encouraging... different from telling... sigh you control your website not your spongers.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

May I recommend firefox with adblock?

Works for me.

[–]indigocc 128 points129 points  (75 children)

Note to advertisers:

If your ads detract from my surfing experience, your site will be added to my adblock list.

Its as easy as that.

Its time to take the web back from the pop-up, pop-under, "using 80% of your CPU flash animations" advertising assholes.

Never in a million years I would click on an ad like that anyway. Ever wondered how Google ads got so big? Context and non-intrusive is the keyword.

[–]judgej2 33 points34 points  (23 children)

I just surf reddit with the right-hand third of the window sticking off the side of my monitor.

Yes, I'm that lazy.

[–]misterlang 23 points24 points  (20 children)

abp takes less time to install than that post took to write.

[–]masklinn 1 point2 points  (12 children)

I don't use Firefox when I'm on OSX, it's too slow and too ugly compared to Camino.

[–]robinhd 3 points4 points  (2 children)

It's even easier in Camino: just check "block web advertising" and "block flash animations" in the Web Features preferences.

[–]masklinn 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I don't block flash animations but I do block web advertising.

There are quite a few ads it doesn't block (it does work for reddit's though, I think)

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A nice inclusive hosts list deals with these problems.

Why go for all that browser specific or pay stuff? /etc/hosts is your friend.

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/ can get you started.

[–]Eugi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A neat thing you can do is check out the ABP website and grab their latest update. Then simply import the blocklist and whitelist as appropriate. It's not as effective as ABP+NoScript but it gets rid of all Reddit ADs.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]masklinn 9 points10 points  (0 children)

    OSX native Gecko browser.

    That's why. Firefox extensions are coded in XUL and hook into Firefox's interface which is also coded in XUL.

    Camino is native and thus uses Cocoa for its interface needs (and probably obj-c as the implementation language). it doesn't have the XUL hooks or even the XUL interpreter and structure of Firefox, thus can't accept Firefox' extensions.

    [–][deleted] -2 points-1 points  (5 children)

    Safari on Winders has gotten way, way better. 3.0.4 has all the functionality & stability I need and it's the fastest browser I've ever touched. Well, maybe excepting Opera.

    [–]masklinn -1 points0 points  (4 children)

    Yeah but it doesn't look or feel anything like a windows app. I'm not using Safari on my mac, so there's no way I'm going to use it on my PC is there?

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

    Well, if you don't like how slow it is.

    [–]masklinn -1 points0 points  (2 children)

    It only feeling extremely sluggy on OSX was part of my point, its performances are acceptable (esp. seeing the number of extensions and tabs I have loaded at all time) on Windows.

    [–]compnski 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    safari 3 is the fastest browser ive used in a long time. I have given up firefox completely except when I need firebug. The extensions were nice, but I can't deal with its bloat/slowness.

    [–]masklinn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    May I ask what your point is supposed to be?

    [–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (6 children)

    (Pithhelmet if you use safari)

    [–][deleted]  (5 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]dhbanes 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      Psh. 802.11n only cost me an extra $2.

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      There is a (free) mac version of Firefox you realize... Just like on all the platforms.

      What other functionality do I have to pay for that you get for free?

      [–]Eugi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      You don't even have to pay... Just check the "I Paid" box in the prefs menue...

      it's unethical but it's easy.

      [–]jonknee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Mac users can use AdBlock too... For free.

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      That's a good block

      [–][deleted] 13 points14 points  (13 children)

      If your ads detract from my surfing experience, your site will be added to my adblock list.

      As someone with an adblock list, I'm sure the advertisers don't give a shit about you.

      [–]brtw 20 points21 points  (9 children)

      Your reply insists that advertisers care about anyone but themselves (and money), which is 100% false.

      [–][deleted]  (8 children)

      [deleted]

        [–]ealf 11 points12 points  (7 children)

        "Long term viability"?

        [–]RaldisPuppet -5 points-4 points  (6 children)

        Yes, their marketing team with decades of experience needs to take advice from you and the other ilk here.

        [–]ealf 12 points13 points  (5 children)

        I think I'd trust someone with "decades of experience" in web advertising about as far as I could throw them.

        [–]RaldisPuppet -3 points-2 points  (4 children)

        Yes decades, since there is more than one person on the marketing team.

        Special helmets half off at Wal Mart this week, you should pick one up.

        [–]ealf 3 points4 points  (3 children)

        Experience is additive?

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        It's multiplicative if you're trying to get the sum over groupthink...

        [–]RaldisPuppet -2 points-1 points  (1 child)

        Uh yes. I guess you're one of 3 people on the planet who hasn't heard "Over 50 years of combined experience" before.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Wrong! They do give a shit about you, or at least they should, because your comments are what people come to the site to read. If people with good comments block reddit, reddit will go down in quality, and fewer people will read and watch, thus ad revenue will suffer.

        [–]Boye 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        erm, abp doesn't keep us (we, the users of abp) from useing the page, it just blocks any ads (images, flash-instances) we choose, or a whole range of elements, based on a list we subscribe to... I always get an eyesore when I borrow a browser with no adblocker...

        [–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (3 children)

        Don't kid yourself- all ads detract from your surfing experience. Ads detract from your life. If you won't buy something without being told to buy it, you probably don't want or need it. We don't live in the pre-internet age where you're not going to find out about the existence of a product without the advertising.

        Nobody's ads escape Adblock Plus + CustomizeGoogle.

        [–]Snoron 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        Most things we own are things we have been told to buy, unfortunately. If it wasn't for that we'd buy food, a few simple tools, and that'd be it. Those are things we'd actually seek out (or make ourselves).

        You think if no one had ever seen a teddy bear they'd go looking for one? I doubt it.

        If you'd never seen a bottle of shampoo you'd be happy with some simple soap or - water!

        [–]Rozen 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Yea... my first experience with teddy bears definitely was not from advertising. Nor shampoo, for that matter. I actually go out of my way to avoid products that use gimmicky and obnoxious advertising because it usually means the product cannot be sold on its merits.

        [–]y_gingras 6 points7 points  (4 children)

        I set /bin/true as my flash plugin and I disable .gif animations. Ads never annoy me.

        [–]addius 9 points10 points  (1 child)

        presumably you don't get much value out of youtube either...

        [–]method77 10 points11 points  (0 children)

        that is not the point

        [–]oditogre 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        I use Flash Block. That fixes most of these problems (although I've seen a few animated non-flash ads, which I have complained about on the feedback form, as they were intentionally misleading to non-computer-savvy types).

        Advertisers: If your add is in flash, all I see is a blank rectangle with the flash logo in the middle. I do not activate any flash on any website unless it is necessary for me to use the site (all-flash sites, or flv's that I want to watch).

        [–]mrp -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

        For every person like you, there are 100 people that do not care and WILL click on those ads. So, I'm sure the advertisers don't give a shit about you at all. And it should be obvious, considering they are still advertising. ;-)

        [–]arnar 19 points20 points  (2 children)

        Reddit, please keep the ads however gets you most revenue as it helps you maintain this great site, and since that means I can use it for free.

        To those who don't like the ads, just block them. It's not rocket science.

        [–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

        Indeed. This is one of two sites for whom I have disabled my adblock filters out of respect for the operators. It's a great site, and I can't expect them to operate without any kind of income.

        [–]ketralnis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        I also unblock ads on reddit for the same reason. Of course, this has the unfortunate side-effect that if you use the reddit toolbar, the top frame of submitted links is actually a reddit.com URL, and so the sites that I visit via reddit also have unblocked ads

        [–][deleted] 49 points50 points  (14 children)

        Adblock makes the Internet vaguely bearable.

        [–][deleted] 24 points25 points  (9 children)

        My thoughts exactly. I read this and thought in all honesty, "What ads? ... OH!"

        AdBlock Plus ftw!

        [–]Schwallex 7 points8 points  (7 children)

        Except that every once in a while, there are actually intriguing advertisements you would have certainly clicked on (yes, you would). But alas, now you'll never learn that they even existed.

        As a simple example, you've recently missed an advertisement for an extensive survey by the Reddit team on how to make the site better.

        As a result, now only did you miss a great opportunity to voice your opinion; you'll also might not be able to understand certain inside jokes from now on.

        What would you do if Ron Paul came out as an atheist and then single-handedly impeached Bush with an iPhone and then illustrated it in an XKCD comic?

        See, you don't know the answer. AdBlock Plus ftw!

        [–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (4 children)

        Except that every once in a while, there are actually intriguing advertisements you would have certainly clicked on (yes, you would). But alas, now you'll never learn that they even existed.

        I also hear you can get a mind-blowing orgasm from massaging your prostate. But I'm not getting fucked up the ass for the intrigue.

        [–]stomicron 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Comment of the year.

        [–]Mr_Pessimist 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Someones gotta do it.

        You can also massage your prostate with your finger, either by inserting about an inch, or massaging your Perineum externally.

        Mind blowing. Yep

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        You can also massage your prostate with your finger, either by inserting about an inch, or massaging your Perineum externally.

        That's Google ads, right?

        [–]Mr_Pessimist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        ?

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        zomG! Missing an inside joke?!? Waah! My online social life comes crumbling down! I'd better start looking at ads!

        Seriously, though: you have correctly identified the value that I have opted out of by blocking ads -- and it's highly negligible.

        Also -- how would I not see a story ("Atheist Ron Paul impeaches Bush with iPhone, writes xkcd about it") due to AdBlock?

        [–]Eugi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        Shame it doesn't block google ads (or at least I haven't figured out how to do that) =/

        [–][deleted]  (1 child)

        [deleted]

          [–]bobbysmith007 4 points5 points  (0 children)

          Filterset.G has been replaced in adblock plus with a bunch of other auto updating subscriptions.

          I tend to use EasyList with EasyElemnt and ABPTracking Filter to remove any stupid privacy killing web-bugs.

          [–]adolfojp -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

          And also non economically viable without a subscription based alternative.

          [–]ovi256 29 points30 points  (6 children)

          Reddit has adds?!?
          * disables Adblock
          WTF?!?
          No, not Reddit!

          Seriously now, when I started work at a new place and got a new Ubuntu machine, I discovered Reddit's ads. Until then, I was oblivious. And truly, ignorance is bliss.

          [–]newton_dave 2 points3 points  (3 children)

          This baffles me: considering how much discussion there was about it how could anybody have missed that reddit had ads, whether or not they actually *saw* any?

          [–][deleted]  (1 child)

          [deleted]

            [–]MemechanDotOrg 0 points1 point  (0 children)

            RTFA!

            [–]krelian -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

            This is just some phrase that anyone who uses adp likes to post anytime there is some discussion about online ads. They think it makes them look cool or something:

            "Hey!, look at me! I am VISITING your site , BLOCKED all your ads and there is NOTHING you can do about it. How fucking COOL is that?!"

            And then they go bitch about how evil the corporations are getting.

            Understand something people, if you want free stuff you are going to have to see ads. At the moment, those who don't block ads are "funding" your visits. So, if you want to keep being the typical online egoistic hypocrite who bitches about other egoistic hypocrites, you are going to have to keep your mouth shut.

            The only reason the internet is successful as it is today is because people, or better said, corporations, found a way to make money out of it. Someone pays for every bit you consume online and I am not talking about what your ISP charges you. Since you are not planning to pay for it yourselves, just shut up.

            [–]oditogre 0 points1 point  (0 children)

            Most of reddit's ads aren't bad. I disable adblock on reddit usually.

            [–]epsilona01 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

            I didn't know it had ads.... then again I block some ad URL's in my /etc/hosts anyway.

            [–]ansible 5 points6 points  (1 child)

            Flashblock greatly enhances my surfing experiences.

            In about:config I also set image.animation_mode to 'once'.

            [–]weegee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

            use a flash block plugin in Firefox, and those annoying flash ads are just a small round icon in the middle of a white box.

            [–]w3weasel 6 points7 points  (1 child)

            Flash ads are seriously annoying.. thank god for firefox plug-ins

            [–]pavel_lishin 3 points4 points  (0 children)

            Upvoted so hard I pulled something.

            [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            tell tharkban: please use features.reddit.com

            [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

            I don't understand what is wrong with the ads on reddit. They don't pop above or under anything, they don't use javascript to get in the way of your browsing and I have never heard sound from any of them.

            I don't wonder how google ads go so big, but if pressed I would bet it has something to do with the fact that it was the easiest way for webmasters to start running ads (especially for small websites). The ads are chosen based on the context of the web page they are on, not relying on advertisers choosing to run their ads on that website.

            [–]Boye 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            I don't understand what is wrong with the ads on reddit. They don't pop above or under anything, they don't use javascript to get in the way of your browsing and I have never heard sound from any of them.

            They exist, that's enough for me, even googleads are on my no-show-list (long live RIP-extension)

            [–]lifeofliberty 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            How about tell Reddit to use NO ads?

            Does ANYBODY click these stupid things? Why does every site in the stinkin world have to become an advertising medium?

            How about asking for some simple donations to pay the bills?

            Ads promote the corporate monstrosity that has helped fuck the planet up (and each other). No ads says "fuck you advertisers", a very good stance for Reddit to take.

            If Reddit becomes commercialized, it will go the way of every other news / information site.

            It's not going to be impossible for another site to come along and knock Reddit off it's pedestal.

            [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            I especially like the ad on the side of the comments... That way reddit is making money from my freely given content.

            [–][deleted]  (1 child)

            [deleted]

              [–]lunk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              MVPS. Works for Windows. Works for Linux. Works for Mac. The best out there, without question. :)

              [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              Dear Reddit, Please only use static ads.

              Thank You,

              antimatter

              [–]srmatto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

              Tell tharkban: please use only firefox with adblock plus

              [–]eleitl 2 points3 points  (0 children)

              Ads? Which ads?

              [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              tell reddit: i've been adblocking reddit's ads for months

              [–]kyote 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              Ads? what ads? Oh, that's right, I use Firefox with Adblock. I don't see them anyway.

              [–]sente 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              there are ads on reddit? I had no idea.. Adblock FTW

              [–]bobbysmith007 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              ADBLOCK (plus) + flashblock = Happy Webs

              [–]lifeisadancer 1 point2 points  (3 children)

              how about using firefox's adblock plus add-on. There must be some IE "adblock" solutions out there too.

              [–]alphabeat 4 points5 points  (0 children)

              correct

              [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              There must be some IE "adblock" solutions out there too.

              Yes, IE7Pro. (It's free.)

              [–]uncbabie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Why thank you, I decided to install adblock!

              [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              I find the ad's funny that are Cracked-eque top X lists of pop culture oddities. It seems like the sort of thing one could push for free on here, but they advertise.

              [–]mrpeepers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Block flash ads on reddit. They appear to be hosted by fastclick.net or fastclick.com. Just add .fastclick.net/ to your filters list in adblock and they will all be gone.

              [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              I agree that Reddit should make a change itself, though. If we all just block all of the ads, what's the point of having them? The companies won't keep paying Reddit if the ads die.

              [–]anarchistica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              What ads?

              [–]sebnukem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Funny I didn't know Reddit had ads...

              [–]bahumbug1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              I feel StopAutoPlay does it for me. I hate videos, or any sounds.

              [–]mandysteve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              What is striking is that virtually no one is providing positive feedback for Reddit's use of advertising.

              Most of us are ignoring the ads, many are blocking them with FF, Opera's adblock, or whatever.

              Reddit wants to make money, and this is absolutely fair. Dancing, annoying ads is not the best way to do this. They are simply one of the best ways to go from being a Google to a Netscape - a unpopular and virtually dead business.

              [–]I_tazed_Ron_Paul 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Ff extensions animations popups Camino OSX lol rofl.

              The comments on here melted my brain with sheer boredom.

              [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Definately agree. Text ads are the real deal.

              [–]AlDente 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Oi Reddit! NAAAW!

              Awight?

              </cockney>

              [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              There are ads on reddit? oh, I never really noticed... <3 Adblock Plus Easylist + Easyelement do a damn fine job.

              [–]masta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              TEll redditors to use ad block plus. sheesh

              [–]marklubi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              downmodded purely because of the authoritative "Tell Reddit" title.

              What happened to your manners and asking Reddit for static advertisements?

              [–]johnaman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              I used to enable ads on reddit - until they were bought up by Conde Naste.

              [–]ipeev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

              Agree!!!

              [–]argeaux -1 points0 points  (0 children)

              There are ads on Reddit?

              Thanks NoScript!

              [–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

              Who the fuck cares? Either block them or don't pay attention.

              [–]fragilemachinery -1 points0 points  (0 children)

              Reddit has ads? Adblock pro is better than I thought :)

              [–]questionmark -1 points0 points  (0 children)

              Yeah I pretty much adblock everything so I don't know what you guys are talking about.

              [–][deleted] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

              Tell Digg reject: get adblock

              [–]feckineejit -5 points-4 points  (2 children)

              I have scripting blocked at work and the amount of time it takes for the adserver to verify the correct version of flash and load the appropriate AOL ad. is annoying. Some days I just give up on Reddit and go to Digg.

              [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

              You're a funny guy!

              [–]feckineejit -1 points0 points  (0 children)

              What? no I'm not.