Ad Blockers and Ad Blocker-Aware Sites (Like Nexus)

[Trasd]

Hey Folks,

I've been a Nexus member since November 3, 2007, but my contributions to the community have been limited, mostly because of time restraints (this may very well be my first direct forum entry). As a matter of course, I run ad blockers on all aspects of my life (my level of commitment is such that, for example, I refuse to run an Android app if it has ads and no way to legally remove them and, I don't even have cable or satellite, only Netflix). Though my ad avoidance borders on an obsession, we'll call it a pet peeve.

On sites that I use a lot, but not enough to justify getting a subscription, I do actually feel guilty about blocking the ads, especially if the owner is fair and open about their intent, again, like here at Nexus. When I logged on yesterday though (PC, not tablet), I got a message from my ad blocker informing me Nexus was targeting it specifically. I certainly wasn't going to get a subscription just for ads (like I said, I don't use it enough), but I also didn't want them. This did serve to remind me about support and how much sites cost, though.

I noticed in the ad-blocked Nexus message that I could disable the ads. Well I already knew this, with a subscription, of course, but I clicked on it anyway. OK, maybe I've missed it all these years or maybe it's something new, but for a couple bucks (USD), I could permanently disable ads! Though I've finally given a little back with a Skyrim mod, that wasn't nearly enough repayment for all the times this site has helped me over the years.

So why this post? I have two thoughts I'd like to convey:

USERS: If you cannot afford or justify a subscription with Nexus, for a very small, one-time payment, you can not only permanently disable ads, but you can show your support (I think it came to $2.01 USD for me at the current exchange rate). I urge you to show your support too, if you can.

NEXUS: You may want to make the "remove ad" option more accessible. It may be that I was just used to not looking or that it's new, but it didn't capture my attention; I didn't know I had that option or I would have done it a long time ago. Also, I would suggest asking for a minimum price and let us donate (pay) more, if we want.

[Dark0ne]

We added these ad replacements for people running adblockers to the sites about a week ago and so far the response has been very positive, not just from people who didn't know about the Supporter membership only costing $2 for a lifetime of ad-free browsing on the Nexus, but also from people who use adblock who said they totally don't mind how unobtrusive it is and what it says. Which is refreshing.

 

We added the Supporter membership many, many years ago to provide a method for users who really hate ads to support the sites still. If you use an adblocker on the site, and you're not a Supporter or Premium Member then you aren't supporting the sites in any way, shape or form. If everyone did it then this site just couldn't exist, and to ask/expect other people to pay for the upkeep so that you can have a free site is on a completely other level of ignorance and arrogance for me. The idea behind the Supporter membership was to offer a very cheap and affordable, life-time removal of the ads on the site so that there are then three options for supporting the site: seeing the ads, becoming a supporter or becoming a Premium Member. That way, when people say they use an adblocker because they hate ads and they don't want to subscribe to something, there's an alternative.

 

We're working with our ad providers to smarten them up a bit and trying to reduce the obtrusiveness of them. But frankly, if you can afford an internet enabled machine capable of playing a game like Skyrim (and capable of actually buying Skyrim) then $2 is nothing. It's just about getting the word out. Which is why we made this change recently :smile:

[Jokerine]

Every time this comes up I remind myself that I need to get a supporter account, but I'm so totally broke. One of these days... I've disabled Adblock on the site anyway, you guys are worth it <3

 

EDIT: Had I mentioned that ZeroKing is awesome? :wub:

[Trasd]

@Dark0ne, don't forget the other part of what I was saying though, I think you will also get a positive reaction and more support money if you add a donation-type system on top of the Supporter option. When I finally (yea, after 7 years :blush:) found out about the one-time support option, I would have gladly added a few bucks on top of the required amount when I signed on.

 

I would also be willing to donate a few bucks every so often, just to help keep the site open, even if it's only every 7 years, it's money Nexus didn't have before.

 

My 2¢

[jasonisop]

I would be ok not using adblocker, if the ads would stop redirecting me to malware pages.

[claustromaniac]

If you use an adblocker on the site, and you're not a Supporter or Premium Member then you aren't supporting the sites in any way, shape or form.

 

In my humble opinion, by just being a mod author - or user for that matter - you are supporting the site. There would be no Nexusmods without mods and people to download those mods and support the authors and help each other, and even spread the word of its existance and recommend it to someone else. And it's not just philosophical rhetorics.

 

P.S: I still think the people working behind the scenes deserve a tangible reward for your fine job and I personally like the way this site handles that. I just wanted to point that out.

 

P.P.S: I also know that maintaining the site costs money and that that money won't come out of nowhere, just in case.

Edited March 2, 2015 by claustromaniac

[Dark0ne]

Add "financially" to my quote, since we were talking about the financial side of things I didn't think it would be necessary to add that.

 

P.S: I still think the people working behind the scenes deserve a tangible reward for your fine job and I personally like the way this site handles that. I just wanted to point that out.

 

 

It's not even about financial rewards/wages/bonuses. It's about needing a high 6 figure sum just to keep this site running annually, and we can't do that without financial support.

[DoctorKaizeld]

seriously? nice! i can now turn off my ad-blocker. i would more then willingly spend 2 bucks to get rid of the ads

[Balloran]

Meh i always run adblocker.

but yup i became a supporter as soon as i noted the little notes.

[Madrias]

To be fair, I've run an adblocker for, well, years. Half the time I forget it's on, but every now and then, something reminds me.

 

Now, I will admit, I tend to switch between leaving it on and turning it off on the Nexus. Yes, I know, I'm a horrid person. In my defense, I'm almost always multitasking, so having to stop what I'm doing to kill whatever video ad just started auto-playing, whether I'm also watching a Creation Kit tutorial, the latest-and-greatest from one of my favorite YouTubers (where I have Adblock Disabled because I'm already watching something that will make noise, a bit of noise before won't kill me), or just plain fiddling around modding stuff, it gets to be annoying.

 

Combine that with the number of times I've had to clean malware out of systems (not from the Nexus, but I've had to do this for friends/family who get malware from ads all the time), and I dare not take chances with my machine.

 

So, I compromise. I disable AdBlock for a while, at least until the ads start to bother me (either by being a video ad with autoplay, or an ad that auto-refreshes, making my connection slow as a snail's butt in January) and then I turn it back on.

 

Yes, I know I can just pay money and never see another ad. It's in my to-do list the next time I've got a spare Visa Gift Card floating around, so I can support the Nexus and my "I hate ads" routine at the same time. Until then, I'll give Nexus a few ad-breaks every now and then as a sort of... peace treaty. I get a mostly-ad-free browsing experience, and for a couple hours every other day, I'll put up with most of the ads (I'll switch on "allow non-intrusive advertising" in AdBlock) and help the Nexus.