Testing Banner Ads - it's not a bug, it's me screwing things up

Seems like some the of the ads that popped up on me here for the first time are following me around to other sites. William Henry, a couple of your blades are tempting, but I don't want to see you on every website I go to. :rolleyes:
 
rpn said:
Seems like some the of the ads that popped up on me here for the first time are following me around to other sites. William Henry, a couple of your blades are tempting, but I don't want to see you on every website I go to. :rolleyes:
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You better be glad that porn doesn't follow you! :D I looked at Jeeps for a while and every site I visit that has ads shows Jeeps. Tracking is for real.
 
Ok, word back from advertisers today is that those of you who are getting popups for the site ar.voicefive.com have a virus that came from running a program or malware and did not come from the banners here.

Removal instructions: http://blog.yoocare.com/ar-voicefive-com-redirect-removal-guide/

Banners autoloading sound have been reported.

Paid memberships should start seeing banners turning off shortly. Provided this doesn't make the website keel over and die everything should be back to normal soon.
 
Thank you, Kevin, for all the extra time and effort you are putting in while seeking a "happy medium" regarding these ads.
 
Ok, at this time the vast majority of ads should be shut down. I'm really tired after pushing concrete all day so the others are going to have to wait. Truthfully I don't think anyone is even going to see the ones at the foot of the page so I'm going to leave them for now. The one after the first post in the thread is going to take some effort so I'll get to that when I can - probably won't be tomorrow as I'm in the airport all day.

Thanks for your patience and support
 
I don't think it's a matter of seeing either the one at the bottom of the first post on that page or the very bottom of the page (I saw them both only because I knew where all six ads per thread page were located). You can see it dragging its feet loading the page with 2 ads albeit not as bad as the past 10 days with 6 ads. Progress is good. :):thumbup:
 
Bob W said:
You are right to be suspicious.

It's an advertisement for a virus toolbar called "InBoxAce". The toolbar will hijack your browser, change your search engine, and change your home page. Typical MyWebSearch crapware behavior.

More information and removal instructions can be found online. http://botcrawl.com/how-to-remove-inboxace-toolbar/



Can't Bladeforums be a little more selective and careful about advertising?
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Red highlight and italics by me. I almost clicked on the ad saying I had a personal message and I would have had that crap fest of spyware/malware on my machine. NOT COOL.

I think BF should at least make an effort to be a bit protective of us while in this phase. I understand testing and intelligence gathering on the experiment, but I don't want to think that a moment's lapse of judgement (or an outright mistake on my part) could cause me days or weeks of grief trying to restore my computer to pre BF ad spyware installation.

I use this computer to run my business as well, and the last thing I need is spyware or malware installed on it.

I guess the next question that needs to be asked is that if we are going to be tracked more aggressively by using this site by permissions given by Spark. Certainly we are tracked everywhere we visit on the net now as it is, but I go to the regular sites I visit and now see adware where I didn't before, and the ads I see here are popping up on those same sites. But on top of the other companies that track us that we can't block or don't know about, will Spark and company now be actively tracking us as well?

I hope not.

Robert
 
It's not bladeforums fault if you get a virus from a advertisement. Hackers crack the advertisement companies servers and upload their viruses and such there. Also it's not bladeforums fault if you're using the internet in 2014 without safeguards in place, you need antivirus software and a firewall at the very least.

If you're worried about being tracked, maybe you should delete your cookies in your internet browser. That's how Google and other advertisement agencies show you advertisements based on your previous internet searches and browsing history.
 
Ocelot85 said:
It's not bladeforums fault if you get a virus from a advertisement. Hackers crack the advertisement companies servers and upload their viruses and such there. Also it's not bladeforums fault if you're using the internet in 2014 without safeguards in place, you need antivirus software and a firewall at the very least.

If you're worried about being tracked, maybe you should delete your cookies in your internet browser. That's how Google and other advertisement agencies show you advertisements based on your previous internet searches and browsing history.
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:thumbup:
 
Ocelot85 said:
It's not bladeforums fault if you get a virus from a advertisement. Hackers crack the advertisement companies servers and upload their viruses and such there. Also it's not bladeforums fault if you're using the internet in 2014 without safeguards in place, you need antivirus software and a firewall at the very least.

If you're worried about being tracked, maybe you should delete your cookies in your internet browser. That's how Google and other advertisement agencies show you advertisements based on your previous internet searches and browsing history.
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Thanks for your concern. But no need to talk down to me. I maintain the computers for my company, and if needed have access to the senior systems engineer to our largest school district here that manages a mega intranet if I need counsel or assistance.

I follow all those procedures you typed up frequently, along with others as well. I also keep a resident spyware/malware protector running that uses definitions updated 2 - 3 times a day, and run a separate spyware/adware every week. I also run a separate (not resident) malware program as well. I never rely on one program, or even two. I have had McAfee compromised more than once, and Norton more than once as well. No preventative program is 100% accurate or effective, and many times the highest rated become the least effective in the passing of just a few months.

Years ago I had my computers compromised by a careless employee that considered himself quite the computer expert, and I am now as careful as I can reasonably be. So along with deleting cookies and history on a regular basis (no longer than once a week) and the running of the above mentioned programs on a tight schedule I have no problems.

I don't want any, either. I believe in being vigilant, aware, and educated about the risks of using a computer on today's internet that has truly become a tool of internet marketers, information gathering companies, nosy businesses and our own government (NSA). It is no longer (if it ever was) a benign public utility.

And if you can show me a computer, any computer, regardless of precautions and maintenance that can't be EASILY compromised by an experienced hacker or programmer I will gladly buy you a new knife. Personally, I simply don't see any reason to put my gear at risk when I don't need to.

Robert
 
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I don't have fast internet but these adds don't slow me down one bit. I do agree we need to up the membership price on the basic membership. you people that have gotten the virus you need to get better virus protection. the free ones are not the best ones. please don't blame spark.
 
Loading times are OK for me today, the animated ads really affected this. Glad to be back to normal.
 
richard thurman said:
I don't have fast internet but these adds don't slow me down one bit. I do agree we need to up the membership price on the basic membership. you people that have gotten the virus you need to get better virus protection. the free ones are not the best ones. please don't blame spark.
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Did someone blame Spark for a virus infection?

Robert
 
You got pretty snippy about almost clicking on a banner ad. Quite frankly I have no power over what the third party advertisers show, other than to cut them off entirely. They in turn are showing ads by Google and the like. If Google gets compromised, how much more likely am I to catch it.

Everyone should keep their computers and browsers updated. Don't install software or toolbars from an unknown source. Hell don't install anything you aren't sure of.

And to be frank your taking offense at his posting is rich given the sheer amount of condescenion dripping from your earlier posts.
 
They're all gone except the one at the bottom that doesn't load before a page causing things to slow down. Mission accomplished! :thumbup:
It ain't easy being a Neanderthal analog man in a digital world. :o
 
Spark said:
Ok, at this time the vast majority of ads should be shut down. I'm really tired after pushing concrete all day so the others are going to have to wait. Truthfully I don't think anyone is even going to see the ones at the foot of the page so I'm going to leave them for now. The one after the first post in the thread is going to take some effort so I'll get to that when I can - probably won't be tomorrow as I'm in the airport all day.

Thanks for your patience and support
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Have a safe trip and remember to wear protection when going through the TSA speed dating line. :D

Really the ads don't bother me, it's the lag which I know you've been trying to address with updating the server. :thumbup:

The ads run from interesting to amusing. :D
 
skyhorse said:
They're all gone except the one at the bottom that doesn't load before a page causing things to slow down. Mission accomplished! :thumbup:
It ain't easy being a Neanderthal analog man in a digital world. :o
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You need to get a dish since you live where the skys are not cloudy all day. Gray Gray in PA, Where Groundhogs steal your Beer, all day...........:D
 
555 said:
You need to get a dish since you live where the skys are not cloudy all day. Gray Gray in PA, Where Groundhogs steal your Beer, all day...........:D
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Lol,yes a long string and two empty soup cans gets mighty old.
 
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