Hey folks, this doesn't really apply to members, because you don't and won't see ads anyway, but I have incorporated an ad blocker removal request script, asking visitors to disable detected ad blockers.

The forum does receive affiliate commissions from a few vendors for purchases made by visitors who click on banner ads then make a purchase, but for the last couple of years those affiliate commissions have not covered the cost of keeping the forum running and I have had to dig into my pocket almost every month to cover those costs..

So, if you see the ad block removal request please don't get upset, because even after you unblock the forum you're not going to see a single ad anyway, but maybe some of the people who aren't members that are taking from the forum but contributing nothing can at least help some by clicking on the banners and making purchases.

I'm also hoping that being confronted by an ad block removal script may cut down on the amount of spam that we've been seeing lately.

For now the script doesn't really block anything and can be bypassed by clicking on the "I have disabled adblocker, Continue" button, but I have purchased the premium version, which is supposed to actullay work and should have it installed within a day or two.

I use Brave which supposedly has an ad blocker. I can see the banner ads at the top of Pherotruth when I log out. I don't mind seeing ads though. I just switch to Brave because the other major browsers have issues.

Chrome - Google is a strong opponent of free speech and supports authoritarianism so that rules out chrome.
Firefox - Mozilla has made some very strong anti-free speech decisions so that rules out Firefox.
Edge - Microsoft hasn't had any major free speech violations and doesn't support authoritarianism as far as I know. But I hate the way they have the tabs on the side instead of the top.

I settled on Brave because they are politically neutral as far as I can tell. In our hyperpoliticized world I prefer companies who stay out of politics completely.

I do realize that Brave is based on the Chromium code base just like Edge is now but as long as Google doesn't make any money off my use the Browser I am fine with it.

Edit:
I went to the page again in a private window and the Ad Blocker Message did pop up. But no impact yet when I'm logged in normally.

Edit:
Brave gave me the option to turn off the shield for pherotruth and I turned it off. I'm no longer getting the Ad Blocker Message so it was a pretty easy fix.

Dude I had no idea. I always imagined that those banners paid for the site. Damn. Double damn. Here I am thinking visual space on a website = payment.

I too use brave as my browser / simply because I want more BAT (the cryptocurrency brave pays you for paying attention to ads). It’s sad that you only get paid for a purchase landed through a link, you should get something for every hit on the link. I lament.

If I buy anything - I will make sure I go through the banner for the purchase. This forum is too valuable to lose because it doesn’t pay for itself. I imagine if we all collectively made our next phero-purchase with the banner - the forum might make ends meet. God knows we all spend our hard earned dollars on this shit. Ol MK-in-dallas really deserves a kick down. I visually tune out the banners - so hopefully whatever company I want to buy something from next is in the banner list now that I’m paying attention.

(07-07-2021 2:55 AM)eyeofra Wrote:  If I buy anything - I will make sure I go through the banner for the purchase. This forum is too valuable to lose because it doesn’t pay for itself. I imagine if we all collectively made our next phero-purchase with the banner - the forum might make ends meet. God knows we all spend our hard earned dollars on this shit. Ol MK-in-dallas really deserves a kick down. I visually tune out the banners - so hopefully whatever company I want to buy something from next is in the banner list now that I’m paying attention.

I appreciate that, but no vendor pays commissions for sales coming from customers who have already bought from them previously, and most have a cookie duration of only 3 months or so, meaning that commissions are only paid on sales made for that duration of time since the first sale, which also means that none of you veterans could earn the forum a single cent for making any purchases now, even if you wanted too.

So, I've now got the full anti adblock script installed and this one is a bit more nasty than the first, and visitors won't get very far without first disabling any ad blocking apps, and I'd almost be willing to bet that the amount of spam does drop. I'm sure visitors will too, but if their not members and their not contributing anything, it shouldn't matter much.

And, it'll probably make our little corner of the internet just a little more private too.

When I browse the site at work I do it with no login as I was hoping that some of the ads being shown would earn a little something. I also happen to run a very niche-centric site and I've pretty much resigned myself that it's a labor of love and will never, ever earn enough to earn anything let alone break even. I was hoping that bit of browsing during my work time would help at least in some small way. I've learned so much from this site and value it so I thought it might help by some small amount.

Thanks for keeping the lights on, Mark, as I know I can chime in and say I appreciate both your efforts and the contributions from the community.

Speaking of keeping the lights on:
Hell, I'll be honest here. I'd happily pitch in to help pay the bills, at least a little. I'm far from rich...barely a thousandaire...but if there was a paid "Golden-Alphole" membership status, say at like $5 per per annum or something, I'd pitch in just to help. Maybe I'll sell my side-rambles for 77 cents per volume and donate the proceeds. (77 is better than 69 because you get 8 more...get it! )

I appreciate it and I've had several members now offer to contribute to help pay the bills, but I do not want to and will not ask members to pay anything!

Well, we're a week in to the nasty ad block removal request that now greets new visitors and we haven't had a single spam post, nor does it appear to have chased away anyone looking to join in, so it looks like its at least doing some good. Whether it results in anyone clicking on the ads and making purchases remains to be seen, but its nice to be able to come to the forum and not be greeted with spam reports every other day.

Dear sir;
I am writing to report this atrocious, spamful sin against humanity on the forum:

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sorry, I had to! Low-hanging fruit and all