What has happened to the STS Forum?

AnimalToyForum · January 24, 2024, 05:41:25 PM

Is anyone else encountering extremely large and disruptive ads on the STS forum that occupy the entire screen and take a second before you can bypass them? It bugs me whenever I drop by and has been putting me off visiting there as often as I otherwise would. If it isn't just me, do you think we could approach some of the friendly moderators there to ask if those ads are necessary? Has it already been a point of discussion there?

Saarlooswolfhound · January 24, 2024, 06:17:45 PM

I haven't encountered this issue and am a moderator there (usually visit that forum multiple times daily). Let me ask our 2 active and senior moderators about this issue.

AnimalToyForum · January 24, 2024, 06:57:02 PM

Quote from: Saarlooswolfhound on January 24, 2024, 06:17:45 PMI haven't encountered this issue and am a moderator there (usually visit that forum multiple times daily). Let me ask our 2 active and senior moderators about this issue.

Thanks! Here's a screenshot (on my laptop) if it helps - sounds like it might be unintentional then.

Screenshot 2024-01-24 at 18.57.45.png

Kikimalou · January 24, 2024, 07:04:09 PM

Hello Adam, I sent you a PM before I read this topic. It's the first time for us on a laptop, what is your browser ? These kind of adds sometimes occured on the phone version.

AnimalToyForum · January 24, 2024, 07:34:14 PM

Thanks for your PM @Kikimalou and thanks for looking into this.

I'm using the browser Safari on a Macbook Air. But I also just tried using Chrome and I also get large page-wide ads (that blur the forum around the edges) on that browser as well. Here's a screenshot of one ad on Chrome, which I'm only sharing because of the irony of the ad content!

I don't have an ad-blocker installed. So maybe everyone in that position also sees ads like this?

Screenshot 2024-01-24 at 19.30.37.png

Gwangi · January 24, 2024, 07:46:28 PM

I get that ad on STS too, using Chrome.

bmathison1972 · January 24, 2024, 07:51:07 PM

Quote from: Gwangi on January 24, 2024, 07:46:28 PMI get that ad on STS too, using Chrome.

I get TONS of ads using Chrome on a laptop with STS forum.

AnimalToyForum · January 27, 2024, 02:38:41 PM

Any update on those ads @Saarlooswolfhound @Kikimalou? They're still appearing for me.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't mind ads in general (the ATF has them too), it's just that these ones are so disruptive.

Kikimalou · January 28, 2024, 03:58:26 PM

I'm sorry to read about squirrels and fire, what a pity

Quote from: AnimalToyForum on January 27, 2024, 02:38:41 PMAny update on those ads @Saarlooswolfhound @Kikimalou? They're still appearing for me.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't mind ads in general (the ATF has them too), it's just that these ones are so disruptive.

we can't fix your problem now. Does this only happen before you connect? Are you using the Topic'it button or the traditional method?

AnimalToyForum · January 28, 2024, 06:08:34 PM

Quote from: Kikimalou on January 28, 2024, 03:58:26 PMI'm sorry to read about squirrels and fire, what a pity

Quote from: AnimalToyForum on January 27, 2024, 02:38:41 PMAny update on those ads @Saarlooswolfhound @Kikimalou? They're still appearing for me.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't mind ads in general (the ATF has them too), it's just that these ones are so disruptive.

we can't fix your problem now. Does this only happen before you connect? Are you using the Topic'it button or the traditional method?

I don't even know what the Topic'it button is, so not that! I just access the STS forum on a browser. I get these big full page ads once every two or three clicks, whether or not I'm logged in.

Saarlooswolfhound · January 29, 2024, 08:30:49 PM

Sorry, I had a busy weekend.

I am unsure if there is much we can do on our end. From what I gather STS was built on a free platform, so having ads pop up like that unfortunately comes with the deal. Sorry to be less-than-helpful but I also don't know a whole lot about it.

@NSDBashe, I am so sorry to hear of that tragedy. While its great that no one was hurt, I still can't imagine how difficult things are right now in that regard. I hope everything can get sorted as quickly as possible for you!

AnimalToyForum · January 29, 2024, 10:48:06 PM

Quote from: Saarlooswolfhound on January 29, 2024, 08:30:49 PMSorry, I had a busy weekend.

I am unsure if there is much we can do on our end. From what I gather STS was built on a free platform, so having ads pop up like that unfortunately comes with the deal. Sorry to be less-than-helpful but I also don't know a whole lot about it.

No worries, I didn't mean to sound impatient.

Thanks for looking into it. Oh, I didn't realise the STS is hosted on a free platform, I see. In that case, now I understand why the ads may be more heavy-handed – the STS admins may have no say. What's worse is that, presumably, this means the STS also makes no revenue from the ads.

This is the exact situation I was in pre-2009 with the Dinosaur Toy Forum when it was hosted for free by Proboards, and its one of the reasons I decided to uproot the DTF and move to self-hosting. It was a serious upheaval at the time, but it worked out for the best, since self-hosting means I can decide when, where, and what kind of ads appear, so I can make sure they don't have a negative impact on the user experience, and it also means any revenue they generate goes directly towards hosting and domain costs. Luckily I nearly always break even on the DTF so the site essentially pays for itself.

The ATF works the same way. It has less traffic so it struggles more to break even, but even if it falls short, the cost to me ends up being minimal.

It looks like STS forum is hosted by a company called forumieren.de, which is like the German version of Proboards. The risk with large free platforms like that is 'platform decay': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification. PhotoBucket is a good example many of us will remember and take to heart, but also see Twitter, Facebook, and many many more. They hook a large audience at the beginning by providing a good, convenient, free service. Then, once they have a large user base locked in, they shift the goalposts to squeeze money out of the platform. They flood their service with ads, or create a hostage situation. There are many ways they can do this, they can demand users pay to go ad free, or pay to maintain 'reach' (as in Facebook 'pages' where you now have to pay to boost), or even just demand users pay to keep the service up and running. Similarly, they trap users by not allowing them to move content elsewhere. This is why I was forced to leave the original DTF as an archive - I dearly wanted to move the posts and user accounts but I didn't own them, Proboards did...and still does. I'm glad I left when I did.

I hope the obstructive ads some of us are experiencing on STS aren't the early stages of 'platform decay' for forumieren.de. $:-\$ If it is then the admins might consider self-hosting the STS so they are in full control of the site.

AnimalToyForum · August 30, 2024, 04:04:58 PM

This is still my experience when I visit the STS Forum. It's pretty unbearable. I'm surprised it doesn't put more people off but I guess they have ad blockers installed.
Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 15.59.11.png

EpicRaptorMan · August 30, 2024, 05:08:42 PM

I don't even visit the STS forum as I find it bit harder to navigate (ads included) and is less aesthetically pleasing

AnimalToyForum · August 30, 2024, 06:12:29 PM

Quote from: EpicRaptorMan on August 30, 2024, 05:08:42 PMI don't even visit the STS forum as I find it bit harder to navigate (ads included) and is less aesthetically pleasing

I also find it hard to navigate (ads aside) the STS but I think that's just because we're not used to it. I think STS regulars find the same when the pop over here. I'm biased, of course, but I do think ATF is a bit more user friendly and I'm really happy with our list of recent posts on the front page, which makes it easy to find active conversations with minimal clicks.

sbell · August 30, 2024, 07:34:19 PM

I used to go more, but even with an ad blocker it's a hard site to deal with.

Plus, their automated emails have some of the worst spam ads I've ever seen. Makes me just delete them right away

AnimalToyForum · August 30, 2024, 07:36:30 PM

Quote from: sbell on August 30, 2024, 07:34:19 PMI used to go more, but even with an ad blocker it's a hard site to deal with.

Plus, their automated emails have some of the worst spam ads I've ever seen. Makes me just delete them right away

Automated emails? I don't get those. Maybe you can unsubscribe from those?

sbell · August 30, 2024, 07:56:05 PM

Quote from: AnimalToyForum on August 30, 2024, 07:36:30 PM
Quote from: sbell on August 30, 2024, 07:34:19 PMI used to go more, but even with an ad blocker it's a hard site to deal with.

Plus, their automated emails have some of the worst spam ads I've ever seen. Makes me just delete them right away

Automated emails? I don't get those. Maybe you can unsubscribe from those?

I can. It's usually threads I've posted in. Sometimes it's helpful.

There's also an occasional update with popular topics. That's the one with the worst ads. But I just delete it

bmathison1972 · August 30, 2024, 08:09:02 PM

Yeah. I post my daily Museum thread there too and I've noticed an ad pops up essentially every three clicks!!!
I've been seriously thinking of not posting there any more on a regular basis since those ads have become so obtrusive.

With regard to email alerts, they are automatically assigned when you post or comment in a thread. To stop these you either have to manually deselect it from the options before you post your reply or, after you post, click the 'stop watching...' in the lower right corner. I always unsubscribe from all posts on STS.

sbell · August 30, 2024, 10:31:00 PM

Quote from: bmathison1972 on August 30, 2024, 08:09:02 PMYeah. I post my daily Museum thread there too and I've noticed an ad pops up essentially every three clicks!!!
I've been seriously thinking of not posting there any more on a regular basis since those ads have become so obtrusive.

With regard to email alerts, they are automatically assigned when you post or comment in a thread. To stop these you either have to manually deselect it from the options before you post your reply or, after you post, click the 'stop watching...' in the lower right corner. I always unsubscribe from all posts on STS.

I don't mind, but I'm not very active there, so most of the ones I'd receive are older and probably don't get much attention now

News:

What has happened to the STS Forum?