OT: weird ads on a linux site

[Giles Orr]

On 10/5/07, Robert Brockway <robert-5LEc/6Zm6xCUd8a0hrldnti2O/JbrIOy at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 5 Oct 2007, jmacaranas-/DrkG639A0k at public.gmane.org wrote:
> > Just want to share this, I was reading articles in the site listed
> > below.. its like your marketing and selling apples and yet you don't eat
> > apples
> >
> > http://www.linux-mag.com/
>
> This is has been a source of dispute for some time.  Many in the community
> don't like MS adds on Linux sites.  The site owners generally make the
> point that turning down legitimate advertising money would be silly.  I
> tend to accept this position and think of it as Microsoft funding the
> Linux sites for us :)

I'm inclined to agree: it would be odd and not very reasonable (and
expensive!) for them to turn down ads from a company that sells
software.  Besides, the irony of MS funding Linux sites is quite ...
charming.

And there's another irony to this: I followed the posted link without
thinking about it, and I didn't see a single ad.  It's not just me
either: a lot of Linux users have ad blocking turned on.  So MS pays
for the site and we don't even see the ads ...  Let's not get into the
morality of the use of ad blockers.  I sit on the fence about the
morality, but I can't stand the websurfing experience _with_ ads, so
from a practical point of view the blocking wins.

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
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