Getting very difficult to use this place!

[timhoward]

My observations:
The "Home" link says recent threads but doesn't seem to be recent threads.
On a phone this used to be an easy way to get back to the list of forums, now it involves two taps to menu, and Electrical Forums and a tap to close an add.

It's also sadly the worst it's ever been for ads - it's nearly impossible to find the forum for the ads now!
The first 5 screen as you scroll down are ads. Please see below.
Is there not a danger that this becomes an unattractive environment for forum sponsors as the chances of noticing their material in the sea of ads is tiny?
Is it worth the perpetual fight to have adds in the forum list / thread list - can they not just be consigned to the side panels?


First Screen:

SECOND SCREEN

THIRD SCREEN

FOURTH SCREEN

 

[davesparks]

It seemed to be settling down again for a while but now it has got worse than ever.
In the last couple of days I've been getting adverts in the middle of posts and occasionally completely obscuring parts of posts or the top part of the post which tells you who is posting.

 

[nicebutdim]

Just another couple of weeks...

 

[Rockingit]

The only time I use this on my phone is if I need to upload a pic to a post, and even then I try to avoid it. Even as a supporter (so no ads on a PC) it's just swamped.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Wow I'm not having any trouble with ads
When they do pop up on my screen.
I just pop out for a cup of tea and wait if can see me.
Dan, can you stop the dancing ladys, forget I like them.

 

[timhoward]

The only time I use this on my phone is if I need to upload a pic to a post, and even then I try to avoid it. Even as a supporter (so no ads on a PC) it's just swamped.

Even uploading a pic from phone now requires a screenshot first to reduce image size!
I'm supposed to get no ads on PC but that doesn't seem to be working.
I'm getting tempted by the 'friendliest' alternative (tongue in cheek)

 

[7029 dave]

My whole screen is full of adds can hardly see posts they even in the post never see it this bad, feel like ive got to squeeze past it all to make head nor tail. lol

Sausages (just for tracking a min lol needed a word, I must be hungry)< keep seeing this at the bottom of nearly every advert

 

[plugsandsparks]

Using Chrome on Win10 laptop, ads obscure posts, so cannot read them, have turned adblocker back on and its better.

 

[nicebutdim]

I don't get a single add ever, but the place won't be up to much if I'm the only person left.

 

[7029 dave]

I don't get a single add ever, but the place won't be up to much if I'm the only person left.

How do you avoid them nicey

 

[SJD]

I use Firefox with AdBlock on a desktop PC.

I would add that more or less any site that complains about using an adblocker, I just don't visit.

 

[7029 dave]

I use Firefox with AdBlock on a desktop PC.

I would add that more or less any site that complainSs about using an adblocker, I just don't visit.

Im using Microsoft edge, never had it this bad with google chrome, this version of windows wont allow me to use it for some reason, not a computer buff.
Windows 10 S

 

[nicebutdim]

How do you avoid them nicey

I've never had an issue on the laptop as I run an adblocker (currently AdBlocker Ultimate, although turned off for this forum and still no adds), a script blocker and tracking block. The latter pair take some fine tuning or you'll find many sites won't run.

Phones are a little trickier and I simply didn't use this forum form the phone until some time after subscribing. Subscription hasn't been renewed for some time as I don't care for the regular requirement to update advertiser tracking and I really don't care for the assumed consent unless you go through the time consuming process of declining each individually. I do suspect that I'm still enjoying the benefits of that subscription as far as advertising os concerned, but I don't even see forum sponsor advertising.

It's regularly pointed out that this forum is much friendlier than others, but no amount of civility could make up for the sort of advertising bombardment others seem to experience. There's only so far goodwill can stretch.

I honestly wouldn't touch Edge or Chrome even if Google and Microsoft paid me for doing so.

 

[pirate]

Never ever see any adverts, but I very seldom take access (see what I did there?) by phone...always on PC with blocker. Works perfectly for me!

 

[davesparks]

It seemed to be settling down again for a while but now it has got worse than ever.
In the last couple of days I've been getting adverts in the middle of posts and occasionally completely obscuring parts of posts or the top part of the post which tells you who is posting.

Now the box to type a reply in has disappeared for me, I can only post by using the 'reply to x' option at the bottom of a post.

@Dan this is getting a bit silly now

 

[Dan]

I think you must have been using the forum while I was mid-coding there for that to happen.

It should have calmed down now people.

It has to happen to keep the forum free to use. And if while I'm doing it you get p1ssed off with it just close the forum and come back in a few days. Nobody needs to "be leaving the forum now because of this".

I work on the forums live. As doing it first then shutting the live forum to replicate it would ---- even more members off.

I tend to work through the night when I'm doing things like this so there is a lot less traffic but there's never a perfect time.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thanks Dan. Things (at least for me) have been much better over the last couple of days.
Keep up the good work

 

[timhoward]

Can I just say that how it is right now is MUCH BETTER on mobile devices and I’m a lot more inclined to visit.
I can easily and quickly find the most relevant forum areas.
Thanks for changing it back.

 

[Lou]

Thanks for the feedback! It's always nice to hear positive comments!

 

[Dan]

Can I just say that how it is right now is MUCH BETTER on mobile devices and I’m a lot more inclined to visit.
I can easily and quickly find the most relevant forum areas.
Thanks for changing it back.

Haven't changed anything back mate its because you've got the subscribed tag. Well worth getting for anybody who browses the place daily.

 

[timhoward]

Haven't changed anything back mate it’s because you've got the subscribed tag. Well worth getting for anybody who browses the place daily.

Strange. I used to have to scroll past endless overseas forums. Did that change or am I going mad….??

 

[Dan]

Strange. I used to have to scroll past endless overseas forums. Did that change or am I going mad….??

They're now under "by country" forum as sub-forums. But the main old electrical forum is now uk electrical forum. Will take a while for us to be fully accepted in Google eyes as global like.

If you're on forum homepage, checkout the menu. Under navigation are most forums, but then there's a pros only menu that has your forums you'll use in them.

 

[Dan]

 

[nicebutdim]

From my perspective nothing has changed and I still don't use the forum on any mobile device for reasons previously explained. Ads have never been a problem for me, but I did re-subscribe on the basis of efforts made by Dan & Lou to improve the site. Overall it's probably a win/win situation - I have access to the forum, but also no incentive to use my mobile unnecessarily

 

[Dan]

From my perspective nothing has changed and I still don't use the forum on any mobile device for reasons previously explained. Ads have never been a problem for me, but I did re-subscribe on the basis of efforts made by Dan & Lou to improve the site. Overall it's probably a win/win situation - I have access to the forum, but also no incentive to use my mobile unnecessarily

Clear browser cache (temp files) on your mobile mate. It won't have ads once you've logged back in. If at all you want to of course lol

 

[Mikegh]

I was blocked but now I'm back

 

[nicebutdim]

Clear browser cache (temp files) on your mobile mate. It won't have ads once you've logged back in. If at all you want to of course lol

Like I've stated, ads have never been an issue - it's the complex set up of default tracking permissions. My laptop browser settings mean I never have to consider these, but I find browsing the internet more difficult on a mobile and choose not to engage with sites that use such complex systems.

It's an issue which will ultimately be settled in courts, although hopefully not with consequences for owners of individual websites. Collection and storage of such data is subject to some very robust legislation and systems which rely on (what they consider to be) 'fair usage' policies appear to fly in the face of clearly stated requirements for 'active consent of users'. Fair usage clauses do exist within this legislation, but the increasingly widespread, and very broad, use of such policies will result in further legislation and I don't think it's going to favour those wishing to collect information. This is one of few areas where I found myself broadly agreeing with the intoduction of EU legislation.

Edit: The offer of no advertising for subscribing members, beyond that from forum sponsors, seems quite a reasonable exchange. In essence subscribing members are helping meet the running costs of the forum, which otherwise need to be serviced by advertising revenue. I generally don't mind viewing adverts, but on every occasion I choose not to consent to (what I consider to be) unnecessary tracking. My lapsed subscription had been due to the level of tracking which takes place on this site and I've been forthright on the subject. If an subscription offer existed to pay more money in exchange for not being subjected to tracking by advertisers, I would have considered availing of it long ago, but unfortunately I know from prior experience that subscribers are still subject to (what in my opinion is) excessive tracking by advertisers and on that basis I chose for some time to not make financial contributions. My subscription was renewed on the basis of recent efforts on your part, but my obection to tracking by advertisers still stands and will likely be a deciding factor on whether or not to allow annual renewal of that subscription.

Sorry if this sounds as though I've climbed on my high horse as that most certainly isn't the case. What I am doing is making clear my objections to certain aspects of forum advertising which are slightly different to those expressed by most in dedicated threads such as this. How the site is run is none of my business, but how I interact with it is very much so.

 

[nicebutdim]

I was blocked but now I'm back

The forum required me to log in a few days back, but it proved almost impossible to do so. The page was constantly taken over by a banner asking me to disable adblocker in order to use the site, but it's not possible to disable something which isn't enabled. I haven't used adblocker on this forum for a long time as other measures were adequately dealing with the issue of intrusive advertising.

 

[Dan]

That's useful feedback mate, I'd rather see that than bs.

The tracking is Google Adsense, it's changed due to laws being strict in most countries now, and them having so many URLs they basically track. User information is so short lived these days.

I really wouldn't worry about passing on info to the tech companies. They already have it after all. On all your devices.

The companies being shown have mostly been manually approved by me personally, or will be checked next login. And are mostly legit.

I'd worry more about Amazons tracking, Alexa etc.

Websites are oldschool. Nobody can get shown in Google search results AND be a dodgy website. You'd be de-ranked in a minute.

 

[nicebutdim]

That's useful feedback mate, I'd rather see that than bs.

The tracking is Google Adsense, it's changed due to laws being strict in most countries now, and them having so many URLs they basically track. User information is so short lived these days.

I really wouldn't worry about passing on info to the tech companies. They already have it after all. On all your devices.

The companies being shown have mostly been manually approved by me personally, or will be checked next login. And are mostly legit.

I'd worry more about Amazons tracking, Alexa etc.

Websites are oldschool. Nobody can get shown in Google search results AND be a dodgy website. You'd be de-ranked in a minute.

I don't worry too much about either

 

[littlespark]

I kinda miss the intrusive, repetitive ads that spring up between messages on threads….. the wholly inappropriate images that appear as a pop up from a certain Chinese online shopping site and adverts advertising electricians in my area when I myself am an electrician already in my area!


Can you tell it’s a Sunday and I’m in a silly mood

 

[7029 dave]

I kinda miss the intrusive, repetitive ads that spring up between messages on threads….. the wholly inappropriate images that appear as a pop up from a certain Chinese online shopping site and adverts advertising electricians in my area when I myself am an electrician already in my area!


Can you tell it’s a Sunday and I’m in a silly mood

Dont worry Im getting you share of ads, (unsubscribed) people have to pay me for my expertise which aint very much lol.