Skimlinks adverts

Well, I've enjoyed Bit-Tech up until this point. However if this isn't abandoned, I won't be around much longer. I know a few others who are feeling the same, having spoken to them on Steam about this.

I understand Bit-Tech are here to make money, but that's why you have a magazine and proper adverts. Don't start putting the Bit-Tech name in amongst the same sentences as 'invasive', 'spam' and 'misleading'.

 

Thanks for the links chaps, we're looking into it in the office.

 

I'm really unhappy about this. Due to the nature of this forum we post a lot of genuine product recommendation links, so it's kind of crappy when these get mixed in. Now i have to hover over every single link before i click it...

 

Just what CardJoe wrote in my thread in General Discussion. Seems like it is Dennis we have to blame for this

 

I absolutely hate sites that use skimlinks. This would be a real turn-off to me.

The last thing that presents any value at all to me is a forum post by someone saying "avoid vendor_x hardware model 1234-ABCD" because it doesn't do x, y or z and the warranty is horrible, and then skimlinks decides to link that to a google shopping search for it.

I'm not going to buy it due to the damning review, so having it clicky-linked is no use.

There's no way to make these be selectively useful.

You guys are usually in my AdBlock Plus whitelist, but as you can't blacklist over a whitelist (or if you can, I can't figure out how) you've had to come off until this is sorted, sorry.

 

Use NoScript, works a treat

 

Ah thanks!

 

Skimlinks really have to go.

Especially since they appear at normal links, making it look like the poster linked to something. That's borderline forgery IMO.


Personally I avoid forums using any form of advertising that interfere with content, and I know more people do the same.

 

When this thread first popped up I was wondering what all the fuss was about as I hadn't noticed it. Since then I have noticed it quite often and have gone to click many skimlinks, thankfully I hover over links first to check where it is going, and the skimlinks has a tooltip to say "added by skimlinks". I don't mind the links as such, just the fact they can easily be mistaken for a user inputted link.

Obviously I would prefer to have none at all, but just changing the style would be a start.

 

-1
Do you want them to look like intellitxt?...

 

I would encourage everyone who has a problem with these links to run full adblockers on bit-tech site. I know we all want to support bit-tech but the best way to attract the decision makers at dennis' attention is to ensure the revenue goes down. Here is a quote from the bit-tech forum rules

Now paying attention to the bold type, if bit aren't responsible for post content, who is? It cant be forum members if they have no control on the links inserted after they have posted.

I like bit, but to be perfectly honest there are plenty more tech sites that supply just the same information. If bit cant fix these shitty links then I can see a lot more members abandon them.

 

I am against skimlinks on the bit-tech forum as well - on the main site, in the articles... it's ok. Here though, it's just a firm no. For this reason, bit-tech has been removed from the "exempt" list on my adblock plus plugin for Firefox, and for now as I browse bit-tech, I browse it ad free and that means the publisher isn't making any money from any ads through my presence here.

Sorry, but as far as online advertising in inappropriate locations, times and ways goes, some things are just a step too far. This is one of them.

 

I must agree with most of the opinions expressed here. I for one do not care for ads around the site and in the margins, but stay the hell away from my personal opinions expressed in the posts I make.
What will be next? Product placement in Barack Obama's speeches?

 

Sadly, running adblock isn't the solution. The only consequence of that is the side/forums being axed as Dennis may find it "unprofitable".

 

I may have no ads, but I also have no links.

For me, it's as close to a solution as is possible at this moment in time.

 

The forum actually browses a little smoother for me now with ABP on...

 

3 skimlinks just in this guys signature? THIS isn't going too far? And its all by skimlinks! I love this site its usually the first and only one i go to unless im googling. I may have to rethink coming here while im at work, and when im at home i may have to try add blocker

Here is the post (you may have to navigate manually)

rebel250289 Hard drive issue (500GB sata drive only showing 137GB)

EDIT Test

Should I Buy Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung F1 1TB, seagate freeagent, or some internal drive

 

For what it's worth I would like to add my disapproval of the simlinks in Bit-tech.
Just to echo what others have said, I would not like to have to manually check the URL before I click links in other's posts.

I feel I may have to put a small (not simlinks) caveat after any legitimate links I do add to my posts in future, if this continues, which of course is not ideal.

 

I've not had or seen those ads. That would be because I run No Script. I agree with other peoples displeasure at them though.

 

I use something similar.

Thing is, on sites I like and visit alot, I disable it so they can actually fund themselves.