Ad Block Notification.

[OakleyBoss]

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.

 

[Rustpot]

Appreciate it greatly, Boss!

 

[OakleyBoss]

Appreciate it greatly, Boss!

Would love to get your feedback in here too: http://www.oakleyforum.com/threads/tapatalk-and-file-attachments-opinions-needed.32296/, I know its relevant to this,

Also, just put together a rough version of responsive mobile site, still needs some tinkering, but its fairly solid. I'd love to get your feedback on it. Try visiting the site on your phone when you get a chance.

 

[OakleyBoss]

Also @digi7alph0enix I do agree with your points about site security which is one of the reasons I'm trying to get away from third party apps, and companies. Google Adsense unfortunately is a hard one to break away from since it keeps the servers running. But just as you talked about a compromise with Google, there could much easier be one with tapatalk, since they interface with our login database. That bothers me much more. Paranoid? Yes. But I share similar fears. Security is always a top concern, so is sustainability, which is why I am trying to make these changes. I appreciate the feedback .

 

[digi7alph0enix]

The easiest solution for me was just going premium, something I meant to do a long time ago and never got around to. Now I can leave all my browser settings intact and still support the site, which I've never been opposed to.

Before upgrading I did see the new version of the popup banner and it was much, much better. It's enough to get your attention without breaking the ease of use on the site and to me that's a fair compromise.

As far as security goes in relation to apps, ads, and the site, obviously the fewer links in the chain the better so long as you maintain your own security and don't get complacent. To Google's credit they are always on the hunt for bugs in their coding and are usually quick to fix problems, but not always. As I said the odds of this individual site being compromised are low I'm sure but I'd be much more concerned about my PC getting compromised and keylogged etc than I would my phone which requires much more direct attacks to get valuable data from.

Thanks for being open to feedback and suggestions, that isn't very common among server admins these days.

 

[OakleyBoss]

The easiest solution for me was just going premium, something I meant to do a long time ago and never got around to. Now I can leave all my browser settings intact and still support the site, which I've never been opposed to.

Before upgrading I did see the new version of the popup banner and it was much, much better. It's enough to get your attention without breaking the ease of use on the site and to me that's a fair compromise.

As far as security goes in relation to apps, ads, and the site, obviously the fewer links in the chain the better so long as you maintain your own security and don't get complacent. To Google's credit they are always on the hunt for bugs in their coding and are usually quick to fix problems, but not always. As I said the odds of this individual site being compromised are low I'm sure but I'd be much more concerned about my PC getting compromised and keylogged etc than I would my phone which requires much more direct attacks to get valuable data from.

Thanks for being open to feedback and suggestions, that isn't very common among server admins these days.

I appreciate the feedback and thanks for supporting the site. Did you get a chance to look at the responsive site on mobile? Still fixing some bugs, but always looking for input.