PC World columnist praises Adblock Plus & EasyList

[rick752]

***this first post is a combination of 2 different topics about the same column. The Masked Marauder didn't notice this topic, so I combined his first post and mine together here. He composed copy of PC World's column ... and I added the comments to Steve at the end .... (ps: I also stole MM's topic title because I liked it better ) ***


PC World
August 2007

Full Disclosure column
Stephen Manes

Web Ads: A Cat-and-Mouse Game
Entire article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,132972/article.html

relevant section of the article:
--------------------------------------------
" ...... I've been spending the past few weeks surfing with the help of a Firefox add-on called Adblock Plus, and the Internet has suddenly become a quieter, more civilized, less commercial place. ABP has dozens of geeky customization options, but the simplest way to use it is to subscribe to a couple of lists that have pretty much figured out what you don't want. The combo of EasyList & EasyElement does a wonderful job of nuking ads and reformatting the rest of the Web page to eliminate the resulting holes.

Eliminating most of the blinky, flashy distractions pays big dividends in how quickly you can navigate Web pages and how rarely they'll bug you. The software isn't perfect -- for example, it can shut you out of sites such as Salon.com that insist on your sitting through an ad before proceeding. But you can turn it off temporarily with two clicks on the browser toolbar.

Of course, if everybody used Adblock Plus, publishers (including PC World) would be out of business -- until somebody figured out the next escalation. But you know what? If ads annoy you enough to make you install this kind of software, I don't think you're the sort of person the advertisers want to reach anyway."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ps: Thanx to columnist Stephen Manes for writing this as it must be difficult to write an article like this on a site that has its ads blocked by the same program you are praising. Some folks have 'honest' integrity ... and you seem to be one. The last line of your article is a message that I have been trying to get into the heads of advertisers for a long time now ... thanks for echoing it for me. -rick752

[IceDogg]

Wow, nice read. Thanks! He's got one thing wrong in there, it doesn't take to clicks to disable ABP. You can middle click and disable it in one click, but he no ones perfect right.

But you know what? If ads annoy you enough to make you install this kind of software, I don't think you're the sort of person the advertisers want to reach anyway.

I sure wish advertisers would get this part through their heads!

Congrats Rick, this is indeed good to see. Watch that download count. Always liked PCword better then umm some other world mag, now I know why. Integrity!

[chewey]

Great article indeed. Congratulations!

However, I wonder where those dozens of geeky options are.
I'm a geek, I want to have them too!

[rick752]

However, I wonder where those dozens of geeky options are.

Yeah .. me too.

I also wonder what problem he has on Salon outside of having to click on the "Difficulties viewing ... ?" link at the bottom of the 'blank' entry page? (and no video plays as he says it does). Outside of that small problem, that site is pretty much 'cleansed' of all ads, the 'site pass' is enabled, and everything works properly.

Ha! ... and they said it couldn't be done

[rick752]

I sure wish advertisers would get this part through their heads!

Absolutely, Dogg (and thanx too).

This is what I have been trying to tell advertisers and commercial site owners publicly for a year or more now. Do you realize that this makes me want to actually purchase a copy of PC World magazine? This is the kind of of integrity that makes me want to read something.

[Adblock Plus Fan]

Nice article lol

Outside of that small problem, that site is pretty much 'cleansed' of all ads

Well almost

A few banners from the front page:
ad link example
This ad was actually whitelisted ^^;;

These two where hidden behind Easyelement(I think):
ad link example
This ad was also whitelisted.

ad link exampleThis one looks suspiciously like an entire adserver waiting to be blocked

[rick752]

You have no idea the amount of work there to get that site the way it is just to that point. It is a site designed specifically for anti-adblocking. I've gotten it to that point and am now done with it..

[Adblock Plus Fan]

Sorry about that Rick, I didn't mean to put down your hard work. I only posted that in case they updated the site and you where unaware of it.
Sad to hear that site has been too much trouble


Anyway, Rick I see you have the ds.serving-sys already added to Easylist.
Maybe you should change it into .serving-sys.com/ instead, this way your filter will catch both ds.serving-sys and bs.serving-sys.

[rick752]

Np, Fan. That site was made to be difficult.

I changed that "serving-sys" string so it works for both now. There is NOTHING good about that domain at all that I can see (that domain seems to been classified as Spyware in a lot of places)... and I also moved it to the Tracking Filter.

[AmyRose]

Ironic that they would cover this while that site is ad-supported. But I do agree with you that it's nice to see that.

[rick752]

Ironic that they would cover this while that site is ad-supported. But I do agree with you that it's nice to see that.

That was my point in the OP. Most magazines and other ad-supported media consider adblocking a taboo subject with their columnists. It is not to be discussed in any manner ... either pro or con.

Yes, it was VERY nice to see . Don't expect to see too many of those articles from places like that.

[AmyRose]

Ironic that they would cover this while that site is ad-supported. But I do agree with you that it's nice to see that.

That was my point in the OP. Most magazines and other ad-supported media consider adblocking a taboo subject with their columnists. It is not to be discussed in any manner ... either pro or con.

Yes, it was VERY nice to see . Don't expect to see too many of those articles from places like that.

I remember when a site like that did a list of 10 Firefox extensions to avoid. It said that Adblock Plus is ethically wrong and should not be installed.

[The Masked Marauder]

Do you realize that this makes me want to actually purchase a copy of PC World magazine? This is the kind of of integrity that makes me want to read something.

Stephen Manes is the "computer curmudgeon" columnist. He's brutally honest about hardware and software, much to the manufacturer's (and the fanboys') dismay. Here's an excerpt from his July 2007 column:

• "It's guaranteed: whenever I say mean things about some third-rate bloatware that doesn't remotely live up to its hype -- like, say, Windows Vista -- I get a batch of e-mail berating me for being negative. And I'm not the only one: In online forums, fans of whatever item is under the microscope enjoy dissing "whiners" who pick apart the failings in products and services, from high-end hotels to nose-hair trimmers.
  
  Sorry, Pollyannas, but you're missing the point. To borrow a phrase from Spiro Agnew's speechwriters, nattering nabobs of negativism -- including professional complainers like me and savvy online amateurs -- are all that keep us from a world where marketing and public-relations messages are the only ones that matter."
  
  The Power of Negative Thinking
  http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,132073/article.html

I'm glad that he takes the time to shovel through the b.s. and find the truth.

[rick752]

I remember when a site like that did a list of 10 Firefox extensions to avoid. It said that Adblock Plus is ethically wrong and should not be installed.

Oh yeah ... it was also on that same site's "Best Add-ons" list only one month earlier.

In the "Add-ons to avoid" article they never said it didn't work well ... they just said it was unethical. That day, the ABP downloads increased by 50,000. I think that the author wrote it to encourage downloading it without getting into trouble with his "boss" because it obviously had the exact opposite effect.

[IceDogg]

While it was a sister (same owner) site, I think it was Computerworld that that article was on. iirc, but I could be wrong. But iirc PCworld linked to it at that time. Not trying to correct you Rick, just voicing my thoughts here and maybe setting the record straight. Maybe?

[rick752]

While it was a sister (same owner) site, I think it was Computerworld that that article was on. iirc, but I could be wrong. But iirc PCworld linked to it at that time. Not trying to correct you Rick, just voicing my thoughts here and maybe setting the record straight. Maybe?

Both the "20 must-have Firefox extensions" AND the "Top 10 Firefox Extensions To Avoid" were both from Computerworld about a month apart. ABP appeared on both lists (such consistent onions there, hey?). On both lists it made mention about how it causes them revenue loss . Whether PC World linked to it, I don't know.

Basically it just told everyone how good it works and downloads skyrocketed that day ... more so on the "avoid" article than the "must-have" one.

[IceDogg]

Good old reverse psychology.

[chewey]

[rick752]

Calvin & Hobbes. I love that strip.

Too bad ... no Spaceman Spiff. I did always love the fact that Hobbes became a doll whenever anyone else was around.

[chewey]

Calvin & Hobbes. I love that strip.

So do I, I'm a huge fan (who would've guessed with that avatar ). I probably know most of the strips
by heart: I'm pretty good at finding a specific one in one of the books.

Too bad ... no Spaceman Spiff.

Here ya go: http://chewey.de/temp/ch950827.jpg (no embedding this time because of its size)
This is at the same time the only strip I remember mentioning computers, making this posting at least
borderline on topic . No Stuffed Hobbes though, sorry.

If you like Calvin and Hobbes, you should have a look at Frazz - neither Tigers nor Spacemen, but a humour
close to Master Watterson's.

[The Masked Marauder]

Here ya go: http://chewey.de/temp/ch950827.jpg (no embedding this time because of its size)
This is at the same time the only strip I remember mentioning computers, making this posting at least borderline on topic

I remember when this one hit the Sunday paper! I cut it out and hung it on the wall at work. It was the perfect description for Windows tech support.