Just wondering...

Do you not consider StopPops as a form of scumware? I understand that it does not affect links on your site (hijacking) but it does take away ones ability for some site owners to make some money ( i realize that are many other ways)...

With CPM rates so low now days, popups, popunders, and exit pops are the only way to make any profit at all on SOME sites. Particularily high traffic sites that only offer free content.

Also, what if they develop a product to remove any affiliate banner or links from a site? (there probably already is one). I guess this is different for the fact that it would be changing links on you site, but what if it just removed them?

Anyway, I am not fan of popups myself, but one pop up or popunder does not bother me as I realize they are just trying to make money like the rest of us. More than two pops and I usually don't return.

I actually have a (free) popup stopper myself and occasional turn it on if it is a site I really like, but it has tons of popups.

Just wondering your thoughts on this issue...

I don't like popups, even if I can see that they are the only means of making money for some... fortunately for me I don't visit too many sites that have them - but I am suprised by the number of "bigger" sites using them.

There is already software that can remove affiliate links and banners from pages - just look for WebWasher... Norton Internet Security has the option of commenting out banners too.

I'm not too fussed with embedded banners now that I have broadband - so I usually don't bother disabling those (besides doing so can mess up the page!) and I just close popups whenever I get to them... if a site insists on popups for every page tho I'll just close it!

I'd have no qualms about using a popup stopper if it had to come to that... I'll live with the banners until they interfere with the content, then I'll be forced to filter them too!

I might be on the other side of the spectrum.

I don't mind that sites use pop-ups, and it is a way to make money. I do mind the abuse of pop-ups!

I have visited a couple of sites that had more pop-ups than probably the total of 50% of the sites on the web. These opened up so many, and sucked down so much of my resources that I opted to get a pop-up stopper. I have come to dislike most of them!

I have used several different pop-up stoppers/killers/whatever. Some had to have the pop-up appear the first time and you add it to a list so it won't pop-up again. That was ok.

I found one that I like called Pop-Up Stopper Companion. It resides in my IE tool bar. With one click,among other things, you can...

• turn it on/off
• clear drop-down history, cookies, browser history, temp files, etc. (all separate buttons)
• add hotlinks or select hotlinks
• add sites to allow pop-ups

With those options, I like using this one and I can see the pop-ups if needed.

By the way, I do like pop-ups on sites that use them for explanations, quick definitions, small reference articles, etc.
Dave

Of course sometime popups are acceptable. For example
some sites popup welcome messages after logging in to
a site.

Even the odd advertising is alright. But when it comes to
using (as one example) free traffic exchanges, you almost
have to have a popup stopper just to survive.

One popup is ok but what about the exit popups too?

Example:
popup opens, I close it...
opens another, I close it...
it opens two!

It is complete nonsense. Even on a fast computer I get
crashes all the time, DIRECTLY related to excessive popups.

I am against software that filters content from my web pages
but as for popups, there should always be an alternate
link to that same page in case the user is not allowing popups.

Bottom line:
It is MY decision whether or not to allow popups for MY
viewing needs. Not anyone elses.

illigalize pop ups!!!

But when it comes to using (as one example) free traffic exchanges, you almost have to have a popup stopper just to survive.

Yes, I agree.

It is MY decision whether or not to allow popups for MY site...

I agree. But I myself do not mind one, especially if it is popunder.

But when it come to Ad-Blockers/Stoppers within the content of a site I don't like. Of course you can download the software and use it, but it also up to the site owner to decide if he wants you at his site...(Example - using the antiadbuster script)....

Personally I think of being smarter.

I actually dont mind popups, but I Have made it so that the bulk of my money does NOT come from anything but text links.

Overture is gold in that way ... for example, I own a top sites for Ultima Online. It has 600 members, and generates about 4500 hits out a day ... I was able to sign up an advertiser at SEVEN cents a CLICK, and it generates 300+ clicks a day! If you count in the popbehinds and other ads, that site, a GAMING TOP LIST, makes me $3.00+ CPM !!!

I think that is stellar ... you just need to find advertisers and integrate it well into your site while keeping everyone happy

Not a bad idea at all

Pop-ups are a pain especially if you are working with a slow connection.

ZoneAlarm Pro has a pop-up killer feature. Analog X [analogx.com] also has a similar program. I heard that Opera can block them completely. Is there a way to block them using the Mozilla (my current browser)?

What do you think is worse, pop-ups that come up when you enter a site or the ones that pop-up when you are trying to leave the site? Do these people even realize that hardly anyone pays any attenttion to them?

I find popups to be incredibly annoying, and usually not worth my time worrying about - that is, onload and onunload popups, of course. Mozilla (since very early on) has the ability to block all popups that occur onload and onunload (popup links still work, if you want them to work), and since v0.9.8 there's even special options in the Preferences dialogues.

What, I'm supposed to ignore great swathes of my favourite browser's functionality because someone thinks I may get brain-damage and click on a popup ad sometime soon? :-)