Please ATS Members and Non-Members alike, STOP Blocking Ads- Or there may be NO ATS at ALL

a reply to: StargateSG7

Hint: It´s getting really really offtopic now. Start a thread if you want to go into tech talk or spilling your disposals, in the right place. But not in this thread please. Because it´s really not polite to post such solutions. Sure people who can, will do without you and people that can´t just dont care.

I got your U2U and will read it when I finished talking to SO.
Have a nice day.

Yes, true... I know most content is user made but what about paying employees? Events? Google Ad Words costs... etc?

I'm with you on this one but a site isn't just HTML and PHP. There's time and effort. Being a developer you would understand that you're not the only one that programs the site/software. You have PMs, Architects, QA, etc.. right?

originally posted by: theySeeme

originally posted by: kaylaluv

originally posted by: theySeeme
a reply to: TrueAmerican

This is total B.S. As a computer programmer and web developer with over 13 years of experience I can without a doubt say that a site on the traffic and size (of database/text) could easily be hosted on a 15-25$/monthly plan.

This is not about ATS closing, it's about someone wanting to make a profit off of the website, nothing more.

You are making this claim. YOU prove it.

Sure, I know this website is not doing more than 40 million hits per day.

40 million hits per day on a website like this could be hosted on a $10 VPS (virtual private server) with like 1gb of RAM (if running on linux/centos, which this website already is), at minimum on what's known as a LAMP stack (combination of server software). When properly configured using a database cache, page cache, and tuning - along with php-fpm (which most already use), resource usage is extremely low.

Considering the amount of connection errors per page load (there are 5 seperate errors on this website), and poorly written code, as well as load time we can assume that this website is using quite a bit of resources, in which case a dedicated server could be looked at. 4 TB of storage space, unlimited bandwith, 700 Gbps of DDoS protection (no one else can beat that), 32gb of RAM + any OS can be had for just 45-75$ a month in multiple data centers around the world.

I'd like to mention that this server would be OVERKILL for this website - wouldn't require more than 8gb of ram (or perhaps 4gb on DDR4).

I'd also like to point out that this website doesn't even use an SSL certificate, so really - what expenses are costing the mods so much to keep this online? Let's be honest and transparent here.
I examine and build infrastructures far bigger than this on a monthly basis, trust me you can take my word for it.

EDIT: If Skeptic or some other site admin or moderator needs my assistance on running this entire website for under $20 a month guaranteed, I'll gladly sign a contract and help you guys get it set up and running, this way you can keep the site online for everyone.

a reply to: jamiros

You have PMs, Architects, QA, etc.. right?

Normally, you would be right, in this case, not. But I get your point.

originally posted by: verschickter
a reply to: jamiros

You have PMs, Architects, QA, etc.. right?

Normally, you would be right, in this case, not. But I get your point.

The sheer irony is that ATS was started more as a lark
than anything else and just grew and grew and
the same few people had to do all the work.

One friend in Calgary I know started a BBS (Bulletin Board System)
for Oil and Gas reservoir hunting as a hobby in the 1990's when
HAYES SMARTMODEMS were still popular!

Within two years his BBS grew to end up with
over 1000 Phone lines coming into a warehouse
and 5000 to 10,000 users a day downloading
oil and gas reservoir data. His company
became utterly unmanageable due to the
growth after hiring 10 OFFICE SUPPORT
staff and 5 programmers!

From a $5000 investment into a computer
and 2 modems he had $15 MILLION DOLLARS
revenue in two years. It can EASILY happen
where GROWTH becomes unmanageable
and sites like ATS then start to become
unweildy to govern AND past a certain
point they start to cost more to run
due to infrastructure costs than they
get in revenue.

My friend was lucky and sold out
to big old boy oil company for 30 mil
who now run everything on BIG IRON
computers and make a boatload of cash

....BUT....

other website owners are NOT so lucky!

ATS may be sarting to get TOO UNWIELDY
and the owners lose focus by NOT catering
to WEBSITE USER WHO CREATE AD INTEREST
BECUASE OF THEIR CONTENT CONTRIBUTIONS.

And because costs are starting to get out of control
more pressure comes from the banks, suppliers,
spouses and other family members, etc so
the business starts to suffer because too
many hands are trying to stir the pot using
the same spoon!

REMEMBER! It's USERS who create content
who make advertisers interested! Keep the
users happy by CHANGING THE WAY ADS
are presented.

Things to do:

1) Get rid of the sidebars on PC desktop users
I already KNOW the website name but I DO
need more WIDESCREEN reading room.

2) Reserve the top or bottom 1/5th as banner adspace
for videos, animated gifs and JPEG ads. FORCE the ads
to comply with that adspace...use ActionScript 3.0
commands and some fancy HTML-5 to FORCE the ads
to resize and/or clip to that reserved banner space.

3) Add THEME BUTTONS that work like direct forum
goto buttons that allow users to goto SPONSORED
forums with their OWN adspace.

Those THEMES suchs as UFOs/Aliens or SURVIVALIST/OUTDOOR
or SPACE TECH//SCIENCE or SECRET BASES/AREA 51 could
have a dedicated RADIO/VIDEO HOST very much like what
Art Bell used to be who will DRAW IN users. And with
each audio or video episode a sponsor message would
be made as a commercial before the real content comes
through (commercial MUST NOT be more than
15 to 20 seconds long cuz it just gets on users nerves
if it's any longer) --- Be like TELEVISION that has
8 minutes of "Real Content" then two or three
15 second ads and then back again to the
real interesting content!

You need to think like a TV station!

Get INTERESTING SHOWS and the viewers
WILL COME FLOCKING who will then bring
in the advertisers you can charge an
AMR AND LEG TO for running ads.

4) ALLOW POSTERS AND USERS to create "Audio/Video Shows"
but do remember to vet them first before running them online!
Then once the show gets popular say after 100,000 views,
START PAYING THE SHOW HOST/MAKER X-number of dollars
per block of viewers.

5) Put in a special user-access called
"ESPECIALLY CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS FORUM"
where we are allowed to post stuff usually
banned by the mods. It would be more a
"Rants and Raves" area with users going
off the rails and making huge wrecks of
themselves turning such a forum into
"Reality TV" which viewers/posters
cannot get enough of which will
makes advertisers happier and
YOU much richer!

Just my 2 cents...

I wouldnt pay a dollar a month for ANY website. And I say that visiting ATS more than any other site.

Pay for an alternative news site - are you f??cking kidding me?

Id rather be fishing, bowling, golfing, get waterboarded, etc.

People begging others on ATS's behalf makes me LMFAO!

Get a life!

originally posted by: theySeeme
a reply to: TrueAmerican

This is total B.S. As a computer programmer and web developer with over 13 years of experience I can without a doubt say that a site on the traffic and size (of database/text) could easily be hosted on a 15-25$/monthly plan.

This is not about ATS closing, it's about someone wanting to make a profit off of the website, nothing more.

That's true, but what's wrong with making money from your website? They sure put in enough time and effort.

originally posted by: JohnFisher

originally posted by: theySeeme
a reply to: TrueAmerican

This is total B.S. As a computer programmer and web developer with over 13 years of experience I can without a doubt say that a site on the traffic and size (of database/text) could easily be hosted on a 15-25$/monthly plan.

This is not about ATS closing, it's about someone wanting to make a profit off of the website, nothing more.

That's true, but what's wrong with making money from your website? They sure put in enough time and effort.

Sure... Maybe...

Perhaps if the site were visited for it's original content. Wait...

As mentioned before, majority, a HUGE majority of this site is taken from other sites. This is a lot like Drudge Report. A site that holds links it likes, for it's own personal agenda, to new stories stored on other sites. This is basically just like that. The only difference is, users are able to discuss the topic (taken from another site) in the body of the page rather than the footnote section of the page. So, we take news stories from other sites and pick it apart on this site.

The only original information hosted on this site are the remarks of it's users (which similar opinions can still be found on the original news site) and a couple of discussion forums that's not news related.

Why pay for something you get free everywhere else? There is no substance here to actually pay for.

I'm all for ATS trying to make money for themselves and whatever they do. No problem. Just don't charge me for it and don't limit my access because I'm using an ad blocker. Limit my access because I'm not paying for your subscription. Fine. But try something other than what I've been getting all this time. More importantly, don't take something away from me that will ultimately hurt the site in the process.

It's like asking me for a ride, but because I have a convertible, you take away my gas. You're getting rid of part of the process that makes the site worth going to. PICTURES

I mean... Hell... I do read most of the stories found here, on Drudge. And I read them there first because it's easier and to the point. I can read what I want and not have to dig through pages of flames. I come here to discuss it when I'm interested and sometimes I can find things I haven't read there first. Sometimes...

originally posted by: SkepticOverlordEdit to add: I sent him an email to ask what the hell is going on with that.

One might say that the name was quite polite, Asshats after all is not half as rude as assho# .. just look at it this way: at least your competition takes you seriously

And please consider this: I guess that at best 5 percent of even the ATS users is sufficiently capable of installing a GM script. And probably not even half of them is capable of writing / debugging / adjusting such scripts. My advice: let them. Don't waste your energy on 2 percent of your installed base, instead I'd worry about the other 98 percent.

I mean, if there must be ads, at least monitor them. This is ridiculous to see on my homepage. Just annoying.

originally posted by: IlluminatiTechnician
I mean, if there must be ads, at least monitor them. This is ridiculous to see on my homepage. Just annoying.

Wow.... that is crazy man!!

a reply to: IlluminatiTechnician

I responded to that in the other thread.

It's very easy to remove the ad.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

On the live page, both ads show source instead of the ad. Screenshot included in the list I sent you.

(I disabled every addon to check if it´s me)

Start talking about ADS storing and tracking you.

Thats why all of this started...

Someone has their arms twisted.

But selling your souls are so easy.

Have fun loosing taste and feelings you pawns.

Why is your income numbers not transparent?

Every words you tell us about how bad its hurting you is nonsense

when you delete Threads asking about honesty...

But soulless people cant comprehend the honesty and humbleness ...

Disgusting.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Most of your ads are down the side of the page, I have a widescreen monitor and am lazy and like to lean back in my chair so for some time now have zoomed ATS in a couple of notches to make it easier to read at a distance.

As I do not get many ads anyway and doing this eliminates the few I do you can put as many in as you like for all I care.

I assume there is nothing in the T&C about my zooming?

originally posted by: Potestas
Why is your income numbers not transparent?

Every words you tell us about how bad its hurting you is nonsense

when you delete Threads asking about honesty...

But soulless people cant comprehend the honesty and humbleness ...

Disgusting.

Why should someone declare their income on a public forum?

Start a thread asking all the members to do the same and see what reaction you get.

a reply to: nonspecific

that's exactly what I did with my monitor.

I see few, if any ads.

No recourse to adblock required. In fact, I don't run ad block at all anywhere.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: nonspecific

that's exactly what I did with my monitor.

I see few, if any ads.

No recourse to adblock required. In fact, I don't run ad block at all anywhere.

As I said it was not even an ad avoision tactic. I have ad blocker but have disabled it for a lot of things for the same reason.

I am a big youtube fan and follow a lot of guys and gals that have their own channels, I know they get a fraction of a pence for me watching the ad or clicking a link so I do it, I let the ad run whilst I check my emails or whatever, What I gain from their efforts is far more than the ad click or whatever.

Everybody wants something for nothing these days, it is really quite sad.

a reply to: nonspecific

Ads are seldom that annoying.

I don't much care for the ones that start playing as soon as you get to the site...

The ads here are, with few exceptions, less than bothersome. The ones that are? Bill removes them fairly quickly.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

I block ads to stop my computer being infected by malware. Nothing anyone says will make me stop blocking ads. I have been infected by ATS itself, in the distant past. Once bitten, etc. Nothing and nobody will convince me to unblock ATS after that. NOTHING.

Not that it matters, because ATS is STILL full of ads, even after installing an adblocker. You can call them 'sponsored links' all you like BTW - they're still ads.