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The NEC IT Guy is annoying

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by montgomery gator

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NEC, one of the sponsors of Tech Republic, has this annoying "overlay" advertisement that appears sometimes when I go to Tech Republic. I understand that Tech Republic needs advertising revenue, but could you at TR tell the NEC IT Guy to just stay in his little advertisement box without getting in front of the web page?

35 replies

by jdclyde

didn't switch over to FireFox....

No popups here for me.

(because I'm cool, thats why!)

by oz_media

I remember seeing those once, a long time ago, back in the days of "Internet Explorer" (don't know if that was before you were born or not but there used to be a really crappy browser that MS made called Internet Explorer).

I remember some ads on TR taking up a whole page, you had to really look for the semi-transparent X to close the ad sometimes!

These days I have set FireFox to allow the TOP advertisement, adds some color to the page and is a fixed banner ad, but that's about it.

IE, hee hee I remember that one! :^O Ah, the good old days!

by apotheon

I've got Javascript pared down the bare minimum, so that it basically only does as much as CSS, and have Flash disabled entirely. I get about 50% of the banner ads at TR (the other 50% are Flash), and I haven't seen a popup in a very long time.

by montgomery gator

IE works fine for me for blocking regular popups. Going to FireFox just to stop ads like the NEC IT Guy is not a good enough reason for me.

by tomsal

Only because with some of the apps our developer (who is hardcore on MS stuff) they barf on anything but IE.

At home I use Firefox 99% of the time (the 1% being when I need to run windows update).

I use FF for TR all the time and like OZ said....haven't seen those ads you mention...EVER. :)

Its a beautiful thing.

by oz_media

But is IS a solution to that and MANY similar issues. That,compounded with the virtual nonesistance of adware made it well forthwhile for me.

I have really grown to like tabbed browsing, especially for posting on Tech Q&A or in Discussions. You can have mulitple resources open without having multiple windows in the task bar.

To be honest, the first time I tried it I deleted it dueto some growing pains but the next time I tried it, I stayed with it and now absolutely love it, PLUS it's a cra*load faster.

But with those big overlay ads, there is usually an X to close it, even though many are near transparent now.

I remember when TR had one that was a full half page, I forget what the ad was for now, guess it wasn't that effective.

by jmgarvin

You should switch to FF for tabbed browsing, the malware and adware are almost gone...not automatic quite spyware downloading.

FF is much more than stopping popups.

by jdclyde

Guess Col was right about you and his verions of AIDS that your suffering from (did I say suffer? Enjoying maybe?)

Are you sure it wasn't a half full page instead?

(yes, I know what you meant)

by jbaker

I use IE, and have never seen the ads to which you refer. FF is not the only answer, and as more people migrate to FF, the malware writers will migrate and find exploits as well.

by jdclyde

those of us that have switched will enjoy systems that stay up just a little bit longer?

by tony hopkinson

by then, someone will have invented another browser, which does the job and isn't a hacker magnet and I'll move to that. IE and FF will then be relegated to products for neophytes.
The argument that says stick to IE because FF will soon becomes as insecure, is utter nonsense for personal browsing.
Also while ms stay wedded to client side execution of foreign code with the engines that run that code being part of the OS, FF will never be as insecure as IE.

by tony hopkinson

Logged in to TR at work using IE, add got some very annoying adds flitting about my monitor. Thought I'd put the wrong url in, until TR suddenly reappeared behind them. Back home on FF no ads. So TR's memebership was correct again. Wonder if they get annoyed by us telling people how to kill the ads that pay for the site we are telling people how to kill the ads on ?

by apotheon

If the ads were static, non-Flash banner ads, and weren't pop-ups, I would let them run unhindered. As long as they're not a security threat to me and don't get in my way, I don't have any problem with them. It's just the popups and the Flash that I disable, basically.

I've even clicked on a static banner ad. I don't think I ended up buying anything, but the product and the ad were interesting enough to get me to follow the banner link.

I think part of the problem with advertising on TR is that many of us already know all about the products being advertised, and don't need an ad to tell us they exist or what they can do.

by jdclyde

Every now and then they will have something I will want, but only from the static ads. I refuse to follow a popup for ANYTHING.

Probably five purchases in the last two years and was never dissapointed except for the TR mug I ordered still hasn't come in....

by jck

giving me ads about Windows Server and Intel Centrino doesn't get my attention. I already work with those and don't need to be sold on business goods.

I dunno...that's just me...maybe get more variety of software vendors? EA? Peoplesoft? Novell?

or...TR should get the Doll House or Tattletales or Scores to advertise.

Then...I'd watch the ads :)

by av .

When I first saw your post, I wasn't sure what you were talking about, but now I remember. An ad like that is just plain obnoxious. Next time I see anything from NEC, I'm going to remember that obnoxious little ad.

by jck

If the Gods of TR are reading this, I would like to express one thing for them to tell their clients who advertise:

When you put an ad on a website that impedes the technical end-user from doing what he/she came here to do...you piss them off. You're just going to remind them of your ad when they see your brand...and maybe detract attention from your product quality.

Keep the ads simple. Keep the ads informative. And for God's sake, don't be like Microsoft...no one wants to be called "Mr. I control 50,000 servers from one location" at their company...that most likely makes you get the label of an buttsnuggler with the execs, not a respected technician of your trade with your peers.

rant over...for now

by jmgarvin

Come on, they love you and want to make sure you have work. Why else would their systems have so many bugs and issues?

by jmgarvin

Marketers are data mining so much so they can do just that, but I still say:
"I'd rather not see ads...If I need it I'll go look for it...thanks!"

by oz_media

Now that's just not nice. You sound liek someone who took the Pinto and ran with it, ALL FORDS SUCK is what came fro teh Pinto years. I actually had an 80 Pinto with a 351 that really rocked, it was quite cool!

But besides that, look at what Ford has brought into the world. THE ASSEMBLY Line, the absolute backbone to preactically everything manufacturred.

The Cougar, one of the best cars of the late 60's, balls of the Mustang with the ride of the Thunderbird.

F-Series trucks, nothing has EVER beaten an F-Series truck, for durability, suspension, driveability, repair costs (overall), and bottom end value for money. the list goes on and on, Chevy buffs down Ford with absolutely no basis to support their argument other than "Chevy Rules, wooooo, burp!"

To downplay Ford is just bad form, EPSECIALLY for an American.

by jmgarvin

I've had my share of crappy cars. I should REALLY point the finger at Dodge, but that is another story ;-)

by jck

I had a 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite 2 door coupe with the 351C powerhouse in it, then a 1978 Ford Thunderbird 2 door coupe with the 302.

I liked em both...gas hogs, but both rode smoother than most newer cars I've driven.

by jck

they wouldn't have made active directory and group policies.

Their focus is selling product to corps...based on the fact that buying their product saves you money...both in installation and operational costs, i.e.- you execs can employ fewer people and make bigger bonuses.

if they were worried about the GDP of this country, they'd make things more solid and require more technical expertise to run a server product than what it does. They've dumbed it down so that you have to do less work and know less about setups.

We're still planning on running Linux and MS Server 2003 here with our new setups. I'll be setting the boxes up soon. And, I'll never go totally Microsoft of my own choice. Never put all your eggs in one basket.

by jmgarvin

I was being fasicious. I HIGHLY agree with the bumbing down of things. Admins no longer know the inner workings of things and when they get borked, most admins don't quite know what to do.

by jdclyde

Been driving Concordes for 8 years now and they have been very nice cars.

I put on lots of miles so I need something that is comfortable to drive. (700 miles is a short week)

My last car had 255,000 miles on it when I gave it to a friend in exchange for him working on my Dakota that I got in an accident in. He is still driving it and has about 270,000 and runs like a champ.

My new one is now up to 165,000 and the only thing I NEED to do to it is new tires and a multi-disk CD player, and a plugin for my mp3 player.

Driving many fords is like a brick on wheels. While nice for a work truck that other people will be driving, not something I would want to be in for 3 to 5 hours a day. I have days when I will have to drive 7 hours to do a 30 minute job. Fun fun.

by jck

I've heard only bad things about the first year they re-designed the Dodge trucks. Heard a lot of the front ends had problems and people were wearing out heavy duty truck tires in 8,000 miles.

I know Chrysler cars tend to last. I see a lot of 70s and 80s Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler cars still roaming down here in FL.

by antuck

I use IE and don't see the overlaying ads. I tried FF and didn't like due to the growing pains either. I should try it again and see how I like it. But my system at work and home I use IE and haven't had the virus and garbage ware others see. I'm carefull to keep everything up to date and not go anywhere I don't know that is safe. If that is possiable.

by antuck

I can't drive a car where I have to turn the key upside down to start the engine. I have always driven Ford and love them. But it also help that my Dad worked for Ford :)

by montgomery gator

I just opened up TR, and the NEC IT Guy was there, but he stayed in his little advertising box like a good advertisement. The message must have gotten through to NEC and TR.

by jdclyde

As today is the first time that bawstard popped up on my screen! He was running around the screen with a few other guys and must have run over where I was about to click because the next thing I knew there was a new window taking up my screen with one big friggen ad.

If course I closed it and made a mental note to NEVER have anything to do with a company that would make an ad pop up on my screen without my causing it to happen.

This is good advertising to chase away customers?

by jbaker

You have revealed the secret behind M$, and now you will have to be liquidated...or simply reformatted......buwahhahaha!!

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