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Topic: Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts? (Read 5807 times) previous topic - next topic
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Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Although I am aware that HA now needs the Google ads for revenue, and support that move, I'm concerned that the information being brought across is inaccurate. I've uploaded a screen shot of a particularly questionable ad here.

I was wondering if there is a way for HA to be more selective in the Google ads they decide to portray or any other way around doing things like supporting transcoding in advertising. It seems to almost counter several key HA philosophies.

Anyhow, just thought I'd bring the situation to your attention, although it probably has been. Any comments?

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #1 –
I don't think its too much to worry about.  Most adults understand ads aren't 'truth', and the fact that they are browsing HA will make them more informed to avoid dodgy products anyway.  The bottom line is that the site needs to be supported somehow.  Of course it would be great if it could be supported donation-only, but obviously thats just not realistic right now for whatever reasons.

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #2 –
I doubt there is much that can be done to filter "evil transcoding ads". I think we are already lucky that we are getting audio related stuff instead of some mortgage crap or some other of badly targeted ads.
OTOH, I wouldn't say transcoding is such a taboo here as many like to think it is. While a recommendation against transcoding is made on every pertinent thread, I am sure that everyone has used this "dark art" for some purpose and to some extent.
While undoubtedly detrimental to quality, I think transcoding suffers from some mythical status as a universal quality bane, since the only serious transcoding test to assess the actual severity of the process never got the support it should have.

EDIT: OK, the last couple of paragraphs were a bit off, but what the heck. 

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #3 –
Quote
I think we are already lucky that we are getting audio related stuff instead of some mortgage crap or some other of badly targeted ads.

I vote for Casino-On-Net and penis enlargement pop-ups. On every thread you read

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #4 –
You're complaing because of a format converter 

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #5 –
Every major, serious, respected magazine I can think of has any sort of disclaimer that goes something like this: "We do not necessarily endorse nor check the truth in our advertisers".

Would something like this, written in tiny letters right below Dibrom's real name at the bottom of the page, be enough for you?

It should.
I'm the one in the picture, sitting on a giant cabbage in Mexico, circa 1978.
Reseñas de Rock en Español: www.estadogeneral.com

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #6 –
Quote
Quote
I think we are already lucky that we are getting audio related stuff instead of some mortgage crap or some other of badly targeted ads.

I vote for Casino-On-Net and penis enlargement pop-ups. On every thread you read 

RoFL!!!! That Roberto would be rather annoying...  How about the Evidence Remover ads that remove anything "suspicious" from your internet cache...
-=MusePack... Living Audio Compression=-

Honda - The Power of Dreams

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #7 –
Quote
I vote for Casino-On-Net and penis enlargement pop-ups. On every thread you read

I agree 100%.. Penis ads would validate ha.org's success.. you just gatta have em..

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #8 –
Well.. rjamorim's idea isn't so tempting, but AtaqueEG's idea was good.
Gotta think where exactly this kind of text would fit the best.
Juha Laaksonheimo

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #9 –
Quote
You're complaing because of a format converter 

I'm neither complaining nor is it just a "format converter". The implication is that the software can be used to convert "old" MP3s to OGG or WMA. Conversion to WMA doesn't bother me so much, but who'd want to listen to transcoded OGG and the like? It would only be damaging to Vorbis in the long run. Imagine a newb picking up the program and his old 128 MP3s, then transcoding them to say Vorbis q3 or q4 or something, and saying "Wow, Vorbis sucks. This sounds horrible." There are few questions to which the correct answer is lossy-to-lossy transcoding.

And I wasn't complaining, I was noting that the advertisements were suggesting things that we know to be non-advisable. It would be better if ads like these could be switched off, although I doubt they can be. The targeting is nice, but it seems really counter-productive in this case.

Anyhow, the general consensus is that I don't have much of an argument here, so I'll let this be, as noone seems to consider this an issue (or perhaps a resolvable one).

Edit: Meh. Missed JohnV/AtaqueEG's posts. I hate having to get up early. 

Edit2: (added some elaboration after a nice shower) But yeah, AtaqueEG's idea is one way to fix the problem.

Furthermore, Mike, I was angry that it wasn't advertising foobar2000, the one true lossy-lossy transcoder.   

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #10 –
bit of, but since i was playing around with this online shop (mousepads and crap), why not setup one for ha, lots of users can't use paypal and you can set the price so one gets mousepad for example and become a contributing member at the same time? (seems like they ship worldwide)
PANIC: CPU 1: Cache Error (unrecoverable - dcache data) Eframe = 0x90000000208cf3b8
NOTICE - cpu 0 didn't dump TLB, may be hung

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #11 –
Good idea, smoke3.
I would love to own some HA "merchandise", mainly a coffe mug and a mouse pad.
BTW, my first month of subscription runs out on monday, any ideas yet on what benefits could we get (other than misleading-ad removal) for the various types of memberships?



Quote
but AtaqueEG's idea was good.

Thank you. 
I'm the one in the picture, sitting on a giant cabbage in Mexico, circa 1978.
Reseñas de Rock en Español: www.estadogeneral.com

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #12 –
Quote
bit of, but since i was playing around with this online shop (mousepads and crap), why not setup one for ha, lots of users can't use paypal and you can set the price so one gets mousepad for example and become a contributing member at the same time? (seems like they ship worldwide)

which shop?

I was looking at one too but they take a large piece of the cake and it seems to me like the staff lost interest because of this. Shipping to europe was expensive too.

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #15 –
Quote
Shipping is $7.00 outside the US.

https://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/help/shipping.aspx#1

yes, standard us/canada is 6$.
PANIC: CPU 1: Cache Error (unrecoverable - dcache data) Eframe = 0x90000000208cf3b8
NOTICE - cpu 0 didn't dump TLB, may be hung

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #16 –
I was thinking that almost everybody would use the supersave option... anyhow there is  not much for HA when it is not reasonable to add more than $2-$5 on each item.

I think the better idea would be if someone would take the job of handling the shipping of just one item. A T-shirt for example. Though I don't know who wants that job. And I don't know what dibrom thinks.
 

Dilution of HA Principles via Adverts?

Reply #17 –
Far worse than that is this:

...which leads to http://k-lite-legal.com/.  Yes, the program itself may be legal but downloading files you have no rights to is not.  Fortunately HA users (I hope) are smart enough not to believe this.  Which also raises a question though...wasn't Google force to remove links to "Lite" versions of KaZaa?  So why are they using this as an ad?
"Have you ever been with a woman? It's like death. You moan, you scream and then you start to beg for mercy, for salvation"