AOL to add popup blocker

[reverendflash]

Once AOL go this way, so goes everyone else... Moz has a popup killer, yahoo just included one in their version of IE...

this from KTVU in San Francisco in a Op-ed piece on how to surf easier. Everyone interviewed said they either use a blocker of some kind, or will after this interview...


<b>AOL To Offer Pop-Up Blocker</b>
Service Would Work For AOL, Other Ads

POSTED: 9:17 a.m. EST March 12, 2003

NEW YORK -- America Online is about to give its customers the power to make pop-up ads fade away.

Once criticized for flurries of the ads, AOL is making a download available starting Wednesday that will allow users to say no.

The Internet service provider said future versions of its software will have the feature built in.


A company spokesman said users will be able to block outside ads as well as those authored by AOL and other companies within AOL Time Warner.

AOL trails Internet service provider EarthLink in making the change.

Several small software firms already sell or give away pop-up blockers -- but some are too aggressive, hampering Internet use.

AOL said its software allows users to see which sites have attempted to deliver pop-ups and make a decision.
Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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[Makaveli]

AoHell eh...i'm tired of them sending me their dam cd's

http://www.nomoreaolcds.com/

nuff said

[reverendflash]

If that is your biggest worry Mak...

Increase your doseage...

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[lava]

yeah... they're just trying to compete though, cause they're going down under soon.

I predict that in 5 years, AOL will be no more...

why? because the average knowledge of the user is rising. Consumers are realizing that it's better to customize your own computer rather than let AOL do that crap for you... Can you believe that AOL launched an ad IMPLYING (not saying) that you could only get to webMD if you had AOL?

ugh... and I hate those Janus commercials.

[reverendflash]

then why is AOL growing like a weed?

I disagree with your statement Lavaboy... I think AOL is here to stay... 14 million customers... and growing each day...

think of the masses in middle America... in a lot of places, AOL is the only game in town...

JMO

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[RenaissanceGirl]

But most of the popups on AOL are from AOL. Will those go too?

[reverendflash]

according to this article, yes...

It will stop all javascript popups, and popunders...

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[Jubba]

I don't like AOL. Thats good that they are offering that tho. I'll stick with my avantbrowser... :)

[mlk]

thats why G00d invented flash pop-ups.
The next era has been reached.

[reverendflash]

I don't like AOL either, but as designers, we need to be aware of the trends of the users...

AOL is a small part of this article... What is not said, is that a growing number of people are using popup blockers...

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[lava]

to tell you the truth, I dont trust AOLs reporting. They dont really do good analysis of them... here's why:

first of all, they're losing money. Their main source of revenue is subscription, and they're losing money there.... which means many of their new users are on for free... and many users go on AOL temporarily.

second of all... AOLs numbers havent increased in proportion to the increase of users that get internet at home. So they're increasing size because more people want internet, but they're losing market share....

[lava]

I think though, that the advertising industry needs to be regulated with a BIG BIG BAT! seriously... by it's nature, it's just going to get MORE intrusive...

[reverendflash]

where do you get that they are losing money?

AOL/TimeWarner has been profitable for quite a while... unless you have sources...

there is a lot more there than subscriptions...

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[mariofan]

i better change my website soon then....

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt.kenyon/mariosmily.gif mariofan

[lava]

um... AOL just reported a HUGE loss like a month ago... Steve Case resigned, Ted Turner left.. etc...

[lava]

here... read this...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/866051.asp

[reverendflash]

Okay, I stand corrected...

However, they are toooooo big to just "go away" ...

I think your personal angst against AOL is condensing your timeline at the very least...

maybe not...

only time will tell...

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[RenaissanceGirl]

The thing is this: why doesn't AOL help put a damper on popup abuse by NOT having popups on their flagship site!?

Not only that, but the AOL application itself is annoyingly filled with popups. That's what I hate about it. When you sign on, that ugly welcome thing pops up. Not only that, but there are additional popups from their partners that pretty much stop you right in your tracks and don't let you on until you've clicked the tiny "No Thanks" button. So there you have it - popups way before I've even started surfing. I wouldn't be surprised if most of AOL's profits come from these partners. They sell audiences. MANY people still use AOL and a lot of those people believe AOL IS the internet.

[reverendflash]

and the point of this thread was not about AOL...

<b>it was about popup blockers...</b>

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[RenaissanceGirl]

Originally posted by lavaboy
here... read this...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/866051.asp

They be losing now, but can't it be possibly because of the poor state of our economy? Just a question...

[reverendflash]

Ren:

I agree that AOL is obnoxiously permeated with popups. I don't know how they plan to execute their popup killer...

My point was, that if AOL recognizes that a major group of users don't want popups, then maybe the website designers should take heed, and stop using them.

that was all... I really don't AOL much thought, since I tend to code for all users anyway...

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[Alex]

i think that aol should come out with a spam blocker, after going to there chat rooms, they should really consider it:smirk:

[RenaissanceGirl]

It's just kind of hypocritical of them... like Napster taking an anti-piracy stand.

[reverendflash]

very much so...

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[lava]

Originally posted by RenaissanceGirl
They be losing now, but can't it be possibly because of the poor state of our economy? Just a question...

You COULD make a case for that, but the thing is that the loss is disproportionate to the losses of all other companies...

And they didnt lose money because of decrease in subscriptions(which I said before, and now correct), they lost money because of bad reporting. In other case, it was a bubble in which they said they had more money than they did...

However, I say that they're going to bust because their growth is stagnant, and their idea is outmoded... people nowadays KNOW how to search for information that AOL once put together for them...

I think AOL will be gone as it is now in 5 years. They will be a CONTENT provider, not a SERVICE provider (like the way netscape is going nowadays, they have the NETSCAPE NETWORK, and not a lot of people use their browser)... why? because the internet is going the way of electricity, water and gas... and because AOL is positioning itself as the gatekeeper for the biggest media empire in the US.

and Rev, 5 years seems like a short time, but things happen extremely fast in the world of computers and the internet..

[reverendflash]

while I agree 5 years is short in "Internet time"

but 14 million subscribers going somewhere else within 5 years? Plus all of the subscribers they gain each and every second? I have business clients with Millions of dollars who use AOL simply because it works, and that is where they have always had their email...

Their position may shift in the future, but I doubt they will "abort" their online subscription service...

it's all opinion anyway...

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[Alex]

Originally posted by Makaveli
AoHell eh...i'm tired of them sending me their dam cd's

http://www.nomoreaolcds.com/

nuff said


i just got another one of their cd's. i really want to send them a burnt borken disk, and show them the effects of some one mad at reciveing the same thing every month.:nerd:

[reverendflash]

so you toss it in the garbage...

same as you do with the "Valu-Coupons" you get in the mail...

just ignore it...

life is too short...

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