The Adblock solution worked for me, and yeah, it looked sort of like an ignored user post. But today it looks like the ad is gone?? (hopeful!)
Well I wish the ad was a different shape so the page wasn't so long, but I think it's perfectly reasonable for Nike to want to buy that position. It only appears on page one of a thread, not page 2 3 etc... We are one of the best sites in America for them to get their message out. Also, let's be clear, paying AD FREE members DO NOT see the ad.
I think it's perfectly reasonable for Nike to want to buy that position. I think it's perfectly unreasonable for you to agree to sell it to them. What's next, ads in all of our sigs? Having ads on the side panels is like ads on the boards at soccer games. Ads in the threads are like a Nike swoosh at midfield.
The fact that the Ad IS under post n°1 and it's animated (why else would nike aim this particular spot ?) makes it the first thing that catches the eye instead of the thread itself, therefore making it a real nuisance as far as i'm concerned. But i'm sure many more think like me and not only those in this thread. First those silly "Congrats ! You've just won ... " Ads. Now this. Wait a minute, do you guys want to push us all to become Platinum=Ad Free members ?
I do wonder how many people here actually have experience of being a business owner with the actual day to day pressure of employees and overheads and needing to make a profit. Before leaping to condemn what is standard practice on many forums, it might be worth remembering that if Huss and friends are sucessful, then they can continue to improve Big Soccer? That may make up for this encroachment on our internet free lunch....
WTF are you talking about "free lunch"? You've been worn down by the AEG propaganda line if you're that concerned with OPM. If you give me $15, I'll give you a stale cheese sandwich and my assurances that it'll definitely help my business if you don't use a mayo packet with it. The "thing that made America great" was consumers, not business owners. If you're feeling some sort of pressure or duty to support a product or company you're not otherwise comfortable or satisfied with, I can assure you that that isn't capitalism at work. I don't begrudge anyone doing whatever the hell they want with their own business...hell, go right ahead and turn it into BigAds.com for all I care, but don't you dare tell me I have some sort of patriotic duty to enjoy it.
To show that we are responsive to your needs, is the new position more to your liking? I agree. I hate those pesky ads on the front of jerseys too. And stadium names, yuck. And tv ads, those stink too.
I don't see the ads, since I've got the "ad free" memership. Is it safe to assume that you guys looked at this when trying to figure out the problems pointed out in "Problem with Server" and "Any search that goes back further than one day times out" threads? Do you guys do quality assurance before you roll out changes to your production server? Do you have a QA team that tests new execution paths? Do you have a development and/or staging server? Or do your programmers just make changes, say "I'm done" and then copy the changes to your production servers and hope for the best?
If Bigsoccer was a bar that you liked to come to, and Huss put a Nike coaster under your drink, would you run over to the other side of the room to shout at him? Me i am enjoying the free drinks By far the majority of people here don't pay, or do not pay for ad free. It's the usual internet free lunch syndrome. I am constantly amazed at how badly people react to the most inconsequential changes. How often do we actually praise people for doing something good? sig material.
Surely you need to have it on every page? Many times I would not read back more than a few pages in an established thread [ducks]
Is a Guinness coaster an ad? Even bars have numerous ads in them. "Come see this band on Friday night" or beer signs covering the walls... If you have Firefox, there's adblockers available. I can't speak for Opera, and a quick Google turned up at least one for IE. The TiVo's 30-second skip feature is loved on first sight, but we complain about ads on the internet? At least BS no longer serves popups (or pop-unders which were worse.)
There's a big difference between a coaster under your drink, and a coaster in your drink. I am one of those people that pays to be here. I don't mean to be facetious, but I honestly don't know why. I mean, it's not a great deal of money for me...but I can't see what priviledges it grants me that I would miss otherwise. My 'membership' is up in a month or two, I think...and I'll go back to not having a sig (which I never use) or a guestbook (which I just remembered I had a few days ago, because I can't even subscribe to it) or an avatar (which I've changed about twice in the past 3½ years) or access to BSSC (which I have about 2 posts in)... To be honest, I didn't even intend to 're-up' last time, but my girlfriend did it for me, as a nice surprise, because she's like that...the little things...that's why I'm with her. Paying the thirty something bucks for "ad-free" isn't a lot of money either... But it won't get me a single thing...except no ads. Putting the ads in the middle of the only thing I AM here for irritates me not because I begrudge the site making money, but because it forces me to either alter my internet setup or pay money myself just to get rid of it. It's a blatant two fister, and THAT pisses me off. You may say that "a lot of other sites do it", but I promise you that I don't visit those sites. Like I said before, I don't care about Other People's Money... I don't care if you're making it, and I don't care if you're losing it... It's not what you make or how you spend it, it's how you think of and treat other people that matters to me. It's not that I take it personally either... If you're offering something I like, I'll pay for it. If you're doing something I like, I'll support it. If you're trying to sell me something I don't want, I'll walk away. If you're foisting crap on people who have little option but to take it or lump it, I'll raise my voice, and possibly my fist, if I think it's necessary. Like the ads... If I want some shoes, I'll go to a ********ing shoe store, thank you...and if I don't like the service there, I can assure you I don't care what's on sale, I'll go to another. Being online at the time don't make no iffernot...it's just a quicker exit out the door is all. Some would say that the whole "BigSoccer experience" hasn't really improved in the time I've been here... Actually, there are some positives to be noted: Like the 6 people that camp all day in each forum worth participating in, arguing with each other like there's something to be won...narrowing of focus being confused with narrow-mindedness, no one being apparently able to handle a concept in it's entirety, and incessantly breaking replies down to individual paragraphs, sentences, and sometimes just words or phrases to respond to...and some of the moderators acting like it's their personal MySpace page... Oh...I also have a yellow background now....(again)... If all that suits you to a tee, then carry on, by all means...but don't tell me I like it too. I'm damn near allergic to being told what to think or do. I know my POV may seem a little alien to most people, but it's very definitely mine. The only reason I respond to this is not because I am making some lame attempt at a dramatic grand exit while secretly hoping the masses chime in with claims of adoration and wishes that I'd reconsider...(that's like telling someone you're putting them on your ignore list ) It's because there are things I like about BigSoccer, and I do intend to stay around here, and I do hope it improves. YiS
I am here for once to defend Huss. Anyone complaining who is not a paying member should mind their tongue. You have no right to complain if you do not contribute financially. To us that do pay, but not for the ad free, well we have some bit of reason to complain, but not much.
I can't speak for you, but I pay, even as a college student, because I spend much time on this website and they deserve to be compensated for how much time I spend here.
I am cheap and don't pay to be here. I am annoyed by the ads but that's just my opinion. I'm an incorrigible capitalist so I have to approve, even while being annoyed.