Ads in the right side bar

[Janet H]

I wanted to give you a heads up about an upcoming change to the site. In the coming day or so ads will be displayed in the right side column along with the recent threads list and other resources. For guests, ads will also display in discussion threads and the site footer. Registering and logging in will make those ads disappear so this is a good incentive to get lurkers to register and participate.

Typically these are not invasive for members as they don't disrupt viewing over in the right sidebar but for those who don't bother to login they will be surprised at the ads in threads. Ads help offset the cost of keeping the lights on for the board (server costs, hosting, software, etc) and so while no one is especially thrilled, it's a necessary evil. We try to balance this by shifting the bulk of that burden to those who view without registering and posting.

Ads are served by media companies and google and everyone sees different content. They are based on your browsing preferences, geo location and even keywords on the page. We each see different ads. If you've been looking at RV parts recently you may see ads from RV suppliers, if you've been shopping for shoes or winter coats you may see ads from REI, etc.

Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding and post up if you see something amiss.

 

[ziplock]

Other RV forums have that too.

So guess it won't matter at all where new people go anymore.

At least here, new people did not have that issue.

Oh well. I guess you don't want new fresh people?

Or maybe this is not what I think?

 

[Tom]

Other RV forums have that too.

So guess it won't matter at all where new people go anymore.

At least here, new people did not have that issue.

Oh well. I guess you don't want new fresh people?

Or maybe this is not what I think?

Any alternative suggestions for how the bills get paid? We've had a free ride for 3 years.

 

[ziplock]

how the bills get paid?

You didn't say this was a money thing, you said you want to deter

lurkers

Many forums have fund raisers each year.

 

[ziplock]

Many forums have fund raisers each year.

This forum does it.

I wonder how many of our forum members hang out here.

It is a hiking and camping forum.

Thank you | Backpackers Basecamp

Thanks to all of you who donated this time around. We now have sufficient funds to pay for our ad free until 2023 sometime.

bpbasecamp.freeforums.net

 

[ziplock]

Just a thought. Waving at everyone.

 

[Tom]

You didn't say this was a money thing, you said you want to deter

It wasn't my message, but this is what Janet said:

"Ads help offset the cost of keeping the lights on for the board (server costs, hosting, software, etc) and so while no one is especially thrilled, it's a necessary evil."

As someone who wrote the checks here for 15 years, and who writes the checks for multiple clubs, non-profits, and commercial customers, I concur with Janet's "necessary evil" comment. We were previously fortunate to have a small number of members here who contributed $$ to help offset the costs and minimize the ads.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I do not object to ads off to the side.

What I do not like is being swamped with spam calls due to data mining. I understand that it is more frequently a part of the business model for web sites.

I have been getting spam calls in reference to Medicare for the last few month, probably over 100 calls. I do not believe that they came from this Forum.

I have donated in the past and would be happy to do so to avoid Spam if it becomes a problem.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I never give out my real email (or my preferred one), and not even Amazon has my real cell #. I agree that ads are necessary, it bothers me that many sites have access to my Router activity and exploit that.

What I do not like is being swamped with spam calls due to data mining. I understand that it is more frequently a part of the business model for web sites.

 

[Janet H]

I do not object to ads off to the side.

What I do not like is being swamped with spam calls due to data mining. I understand that it is more frequently a part of the business model for web sites.

I have been getting spam calls in reference to Medicare for the last few month, probably over 100 calls. I do not believe that they came from this Forum.

We're trying to strike balance with ad placement and appreciate your view. Regarding spam:

Members contact info is not shared, sold, loaned or rented. Advertisers buy display space on the site - not access to member info.

That said, be mindful to avoid posting your e-mail address of phone number in public places. There are little scripts that run on the internet to collect (they call is harvesting) contact data and then sell it to the highest scammy bidder.

 

[Janet H]

...it bothers me that many sites have access to my Router activity and exploit that.

Did you know that laws were changed a few years ago to allow your isp to sell this data? ISPs have been allowed to sell customer data to third parties since 2017.

For sale: Your private browsing history

Congress passes bill allowing ISPs to sell customer Web surfing data.

arstechnica.com

Really smarmy, imo. Sort of like your pharmacy selling info about your medical conditions.

 

[Jayflight]

I only participate in one more forum and I pay towards the luxury of NO ADS. I think there are many in my camp and personally I have quit reading forums that have continued to add more and more ads to their format, which also floods the content and makes it unreadable to read when traveling from mainly a phone screen.

I have no problems with funding a forum that I reap benefits from and remain friendly to my likes and lifestyle. But of course I don't give much in the way of rv advice, here, as my positions and experiences are not in big bahema motor homes. But its still gives me something to read in the wee hours , if I have nothing else to do on those sleepless nights.

 

[phil-t]

Bring on the ads! They do not bother me. If they help pay the bills and the site maintains it's usefulness, all is good.
I can ignot most any ad, phone call, email spam - been doing it for more than 20 years. It just not bother me, my mind can stay focused on what is of interest to me.
My delete button is just a little key at the upper right hand side of my keyboard. My right, little pinky knows exactly where it is.

 

[Larry N.]

Thanks for the heads up, Janet. The way you describe the ads I don't think there'll be a problem, and certainly this site is one of the few places on the web where I feel comfortable, so thanks for keeping things as close as you have to the way this site was before you folks came along.

 

[Laura & Charles]

I’m ok with ads if they don’t hog out all my resources and cause screen freeze and such. I would also be willing to pay a modest subscription fee to avoid them altogether.

 

[ziplock]

How is everyone liking the ads in the sidebar?

I bet you don't even pay attention to them because you are always on websites that have them.

The ones in the middle of a thread have not shown up here.

And if you are not logged on, there are NO commercials.


Hmmmmmm.

 

[Janet H]

The ones in the middle of a thread have not shown up here.

And if you are not logged on, there are NO commercials.


Hmmmmmm.

There are ads both in threads and at the bottom of the page if you are not logged in - I just checked this (no ab blocker).

The take away here is that logging in is a good thing

 

[uchu]

I hate ads, but like it was said: they are a necessary evil.

 

[Jayflight]

I have not seen a single ad yet on any thread or sidebar, whether logged in or not.

 

[RVfixer]

I am a logged in member and very large adds are now popping in between posts and are very disruptive. What's up with that? I thought it was going to be on the right and bottom only for logged in members...???