Something that annoys me...

[Cadwell]

Why do some people post links to their images hosted on sites which display advertising pop-ups? I find it really annoying to have my screen filled with windows displaying random drivel that I have no interest in. There's no excuse for it either, now that we can all attach images to a thread.

At the least... please post a warning!

Rant over.

(BTW. I know I can install pop-up blocking software but I don't have that option on all the machines I use... locked down company desktops etc.)

[tommykjensen]

Main reason is that some people are cheap and want everything for free. Kind of funny thinking about the amount of money spent on camera equipment. Almost like those that want to use pirate copies of PS CS instead of paying for it (I know this was a huge generalisation).

I personally hate popup and usually don't come back to sites that use popups.

[Scottes]

FireFox can blocks pop-up. Awesome.

[Cadwell]

FireFox can blocks pop-up. Awesome.

Yes, I am sure it can and I'm sure it is... but as I posted, I don't have an option to go around installing what software I like on company PCs.

[Belmondo]

Yes, I am sure it can and I'm sure it is... but as I posted, I don't have an option to go around installing what software I like on company PCs.
Buy the company?

You're right, though. It's very annoying.

[Cadwell]

Buy the company?


It's "Fortune 500"... my piggy bank doesn't quite stretch that far :lol:

[Belmondo]

It's "Fortune 500"... my piggy bank doesn't quite stretch that far :lol:
Well then, use your credit card. ;)

[jimsolt]

Yes, I am sure it can and I'm sure it is... but as I posted, I don't have an option to go around installing what software I like on company PCs.

Lets see now . . . you're using the company's PCs and I assume their internet connections to view someone's photos and you object to some ads . . . .

[Cadwell]

Lets see now . . . you're using the company's PCs and I assume their internet connections to view someone's photos and you object to some ads . . . .

Yup... and your point is?

Viewing non-business related sites during lunch breaks and outside of core hours is perfectly acceptable under the company's "internet acceptable use policy". I should know, I wrote it.

[FlipsidE]

That would REALLY get on my nerves too! Luckily, my company allows me to install any software I'd like on the computer they assigned to me. The only caveat is that all software I install becomes user managed versus being managed by the helpdesk. Long Live Firefox...on my work machine and both my personal computers!!

I kinda have to agree, though. You can attach photos via this site. What I can't underestand is what Tommy said. People are willing to spend thousands of dollars per year on camera gear, but they aren't willing to drop $5 per month to let someone host some webspace? I just find that odd.

Here's what you can get for $5 per month these days (from www.1and1.com (http://www.1and1.com)):

* Includes 1 domain at no additional cost!
* 1,000 MB web space
* 25 GB monthly transfer volume
* 200 e-mail accounts
* Virus Guard & Spam Guard for all accounts
* 1&1 WebMail

FlipsidE

[thomascanty]

FireFox can blocks pop-up. Awesome.

I've noticed a few sites lately have been getting past Firefox, including two that I visit on a regular basis: Webshots, and another forum I hang out at. I just went to both of them to grab the URL and show you, and whaddaya know... No popups! I just installed a "critical update" that Firefox told me about a couple hours ago. That must have fixed the hole they were crawling through. Cool!

[thomascanty]

Well then, use your credit card. ;)

Or better yet, use Tom's credit card!

[jimsolt]

Yup... and your point is?

Viewing non-business related sites during lunch breaks and outside of core hours is perfectly acceptable under the company's "internet acceptable use policy". I should know, I wrote it.

My point is -- and you don't seem to be particularly receptive toward hearing it -- that if you do your viewing on your equipment at home, you can block the popups and ads which I also find annoying, but if you are doing the viewing at work regardless of their policy, you sort of have to live within their limitations. Seeing an ocassional ad is annoying but might be worth it to take advantage of the facilities offered by your company.

No offense intended, but you should consider yourself lucky to work for a company that lets you take advantage of their computer systems when appropriate. Not all of us have that luxury, so complaints about the ads seem a little odd to those of us who can't view at all.

JIM

[tommykjensen]

No offense intended, but you should consider yourself lucky to work for a company that lets you take advantage of their computer systems when appropriate. Not all of us have that luxury, so complaints about the ads seem a little odd to those of us who can't view at all.


In Denmark we have a reply to a responce like that, I don't know how to translate it to english so You will get it in danish "ta' en tudekiks". ;) *** (no offense meant).

Well a lot of companies allow moderate internet use. Including where I work. I can install a popup blocker if I want to. With emphasis on want! Why should I be forced to install extra software to avoid the PITA (new word I learned from another thread :lol: ) the popups are causing. A website owner cannot dictate what I must install on my pc. If I don't want to do that I just stay away.




*** in Denmark we have a biscuit called marie#. A cry-baby is called "tudemarie" hence the saying "ta' en tudekiks". You should probably be danish to understand the humor in this :lol:
# with absolutely no reference to forum member marie :D

[Citizensmith]

Here's what you can get for $5 per month these days (from www.1and1.com (http://www.1and1.com)):


1and1 are great, I'd definitely recommend them. I have 2 accounts and numerous domains through them. What was even nicer was when I originally signed up with them they were offering their basic service free for 3 years.

Basically anyone looking to get a domain and hosting would do great checking out 1and1.

And as for the initial problem. If you point out to your IT department that running anything less then WindowsXP SP2 is a security risk you may be able to persuade them to upgrade. The lastest service pack does help somewhat with pop-up blocking.

[Redbird_xo]

Although it's true that if any particular website generates pop-ups, we the user can always stay away from it at will. The way I interpret the original poster's point is that Forums' members who post links to pictures in threads should automatically think about other viewing and/or replying members' convenience as a courtesy. I personally think pop-ups are force marketing spams and they are real nuisance.

Allow me to deviate from the original rant a little bit. A sad fact is that the U.S.has passed CAN-SPAM Act which was effective 1/1/04. On the other hand, Europe has introduced legislation making spamming illegal. Based on what I read, and please correct me if I am wrong, about 90% of the Europe's spam problem originates in the U.S. Speaking from my personal experience from the other side of the global in Asia, I got regular spams selling online prescription drugs, loans, and etc. As far as viruses, trojans, spywares...I don't even want to go there.

Bottomline: I will put up with all this because I can't live without the Internet and technology. Pardon me for this long rant.

[tommykjensen]

Allow me to deviate from the original rant a little bit. A sad fact is that the U.S.has passed CAN-SPAM Act which was effective 1/1/04. On the other hand, Europe has introduced legislation making spamming illegal. Based on what I read, and please correct me if I am wrong, about 90% of the Europe's spam problem originates in the U.S. Speaking from my personal experience from the other side of the global in Asia, I got regular spams selling online prescription drugs, loans, and etc. As far as viruses, trojans, spywares...I don't even want to go there.


That is correct. In Denmark I would even go as far as saying 99% of all spam originates from US. In Denmark several companies has been fined high penalties for spamming. And we are not talking $1000 for millions of emails. The danish companies that have been fined have learned from it.

[tommykjensen]

That is correct. In Denmark I would even go as far as saying 99% of all spam originates from US. In Denmark several companies has been fined high penalties for spamming. And we are not talking $1000 for millions of emails. The danish companies that have been fined have learned from it.

Just looked up the actual fines:

Minimum fine (less than 100 emails): $1700
For each email over 100: $17

This means that if a danish company sends 200 spam emails they get a fine of: $3400

Imagine if a US company could be fined after danish rules, they would quickly go bankrupt!

[thomascanty]

That is correct. In Denmark I would even go as far as saying 99% of all spam originates from US.

Last time I really checked it, and it has been a little while, most of the spam I received originated in Asia and South America. I wonder if the spammers mainly target other countries in an attempt to avoid laws in the targetted recipients' countries.

[cactusclay]

Nice rant, really love the bokeh.

[Avalonthas]

Easy fix: contact ur IT techy's and tell them to switch to firefox....doesnt cost them anything to get the software, all they need to do is install it on there server and presto.

[vdolmstead]

Why do some people post links to their images hosted on sites which display advertising pop-ups? I find it really annoying to have my screen filled with windows displaying random drivel that I have no interest in. There's no excuse for it either, now that we can all attach images to a thread.

At the least... please post a warning!

Rant over.

(BTW. I know I can install pop-up blocking software but I don't have that option on all the machines I use... locked down company desktops etc.):rolleyes:

Amen! I've got a dohickey that intercepts that kind of stuff, tells me about redirection, etc. so I NEVER see it. I just say NO!

[Tom W]

Or better yet, use Tom's credit card!

I think Belmondo's credit limit just shrunk by about 300 mm. :)

XP service pack 2 popup blocker works fine for me. I have firefox on the machine as well, but as long as the XP tool works, I don't really need to use it.

[Moppie]

Between XP SP2, Spybot S&D, Norton and Firefox there ain't no pop ups popping up anywhere near me!


Actualy it sounds like a good time to recomend to the I.T. deparment that they install some kind of pop up blocker. At the very least it will keep them amused for half a day or so :)


Im another popup hater though, espectialy when well established sites like yahoo do it. Its enough to deter me from useing thier services, and yahoo has lost a lot of searchs by me to google as a result.

As for people hosting photos on sites with pop ups, it really totaly unnessacry.
There are enough free sites, that all image imbedding, that don't have pop ups thats there is no need to have links going off site.

[KennyG]

I have to agree with Cadwell. If I visit a site to view an image and it tries to run pop-ups, then I will never visit that user's site again. I block the pop-ups but I have left the alert switched on to tell me when it happens.

There is no excuse for hosting your images on crappy web sites with pop-ups when there is better out there, and cheap too. Performance on these sites tends to be pretty poor as well.

Maybe those that use these crappy sites don't want people to look at their images? If you are trying to encourage people to look at your work, and remember it is a visual medium, then you should consider how it is presented.

[dandan]

ive almost forgotten what popups look like :D

ALL HAIL FIREFOX

[GerryDavid]

Yes, I am sure it can and I'm sure it is... but as I posted, I don't have an option to go around installing what software I like on company PCs.

You can get a version of firefox that launches off of a usb thumb drive now. Its on someone's website but I hear it will be moved over to thier official website soon.

[dewmuw]

Amen amen amen!

Wonder if anyone ever clicks on pop-ups? I guess they must otherwise the companies wouldn't keep using them.

My pet hate is pop-ups with sound! Drives me mad!

[GerryDavid]

For me its just websits with music. Mostly its just blogs now and amateur websites. Its not so bad when they give you the control pannel to stop the music but when they hide it so you dont have any options, very annoying. :0)

[thomascanty]

For me its just websits with music. Mostly its just blogs now and amateur websites.

Disneyland's web site does this, too. I hate that!

[Citizensmith]

Easy fix: contact ur IT techy's and tell them to switch to firefox....doesnt cost them anything to get the software, all they need to do is install it on there server and presto.

Push it out to every machine company wide, roll out the numerous updates and fixes to every machine, resolve any issues regarding different OSs or hardware configurations, tech support all the questions people will have from using the new browser. Presto.

OK, if you're office is 5 people it easy. If its 5,000 (or 16,000 in the case of the company I work for) thats a very expensive roll out. It's taken my lot months to upgrade from Lotus Notes 5 to 6.5, but taking that time meant nobody lost any work time because of it.

[Tom W]

Heck, my employer is still slowly rolling out SP-2. They wouldn't install it all at once. Have to test each little piece, I guess.

I had it on my home machine & laptop before it was advertized.

[pcasciola]

Heck, my employer is still slowly rolling out SP-2.Wow, you think that's slow. I do contract work for a multi-billion $$$ pharma company, and most of the desktop machines there are still running Windows 2000, and their web servers are running, get this, Windows NT. ???

We get nailed by computer worms and viruses at least once every 2-3 months.

I'll have to agree though that I never see a popup anymore. In IE at work where I am limited as to what I can install, I am running the Google toolbar plug-in which blocks most but not all popups, and on my home machine between Firefox, Kerio Personal Firewall, Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, D-Link router/firewall, XP SP2, ain't nothing getting through here......yet.

[IndyJeff]

I have to agree with Cadwell. If I visit a site to view an image and it tries to run pop-ups, then I will never visit that user's site again. I block the pop-ups but I have left the alert switched on to tell me when it happens.

There is no excuse for hosting your images on crappy web sites with pop-ups when there is better out there, and cheap too. Performance on these sites tends to be pretty poor as well.

Maybe those that use these crappy sites don't want people to look at their images? If you are trying to encourage people to look at your work, and remember it is a visual medium, then you should consider how it is presented.

I once bought an online book about setting up a web based business. One of the things I did get out of it was don't use external links or pop up ads. Not because they are annoying but, if you spent time, effort and money to get your website listed on a good search engine and it attracts visitors to your site, why do you want to host ads which will take the customer from your site? Always made sense to me.
If I had a candy store and catered to kids in a tourist area, the last thing I would want to do is put up a sign advertising the toy store around the corner.

[timmyquest]

Main reason is that some people are cheap and want everything for free. Kind of funny thinking about the amount of money spent on camera equipment. Almost like those that want to use pirate copies of PS CS instead of paying for it (I know this was a huge generalisation).

I personally hate popup and usually don't come back to sites that use popups.

pbase is $25 a year

[froman98]

My pet hate is pop-ups with sound! Drives me mad!

What's worse are pop-ups that have sound that are JAVA based! All of a sudden my pc slows down and I hear annoying music, or a monkey or something ridiculous.