To be more clear, I have 3 different paid versions of Tapatalk, so that could be why I have no ads. Back when I bought them it was to unlock other features, not to avoid ads.
My main issue with ads is with those not hosted by this site. Sure Google ads are easy and generate income for the site but they also leave all its members vulnerable should Google's ad system ever get comprised. The odds of someone attacking this site directly vs Google is surely not 50-50. Is that paranoia and unfounded logic? Sure, until it happens.
The main sticking point I have with the forum popup is that it serves as an annoyance every single time you click something. The exact annoyance in fact that got me started using ad blockers in the first place. While someone like me may just switch to Tapatalk or block the individual script causing the popup, I think it could be better utilized if it also pointed members in the direction of premium membership instead of just endlessly pestering them. Case and point, new members.
I'm sure a massive amount of this sites traffic started out much like my own, with a Google search about an Oakley topic. Had I been bombarded with messages about disabling my ad block from a site I knew nothing about, I would have skipped joining all together and moved on to the next Google result. Now if instead that message politely offered an alternative such as disabling the popup for 10 mins or signing up for premium membership, I'd be much more likely to join and in turn also become a premium member.
I'm not out to deny the site revenue that in all honesty it deserves, I just think there has to be a better way to go about it than mimicking the exact behavior people are trying to avoid when installing a popup blocker in the first place.
I appreciate the feedback, I just finished making the alert less obtrusive, if you want to give it a try. Now it is just a banner on top of the page. Per your tip, I will ad a snippet about becoming a Premium Member.