The internet is no fun anymore

[Dave2002]

There is so much commercialism now that finding articles on the web which don't have pop ups, or intrusive ads etc. is getting really difficult. Not I think what Tim Berners Lee or other computer/media pioneers had in mind.


Things are dire now.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Cheer up, Dave - we're here!

[ahinton]

Cheer up, Dave - we're here!

Indeed - and there are such things as ad-blockers, of which I've had no problem with uBlock and it seems to do the trick.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Indeed - and there are such things as ad-blockers, of which I've had no problem with uBlock and it seems to do the trick.

Yes - I only have real problems with pop-ups etc on newspaper sites linked to from posts on the Forum. YouTube is getting increasingly advert-burdened, but given what they're offering, I don't let this spoil my browsing.

[subcontrabass]

Yes - I only have real problems with pop-ups etc on newspaper sites linked to from posts on the Forum. YouTube is getting increasingly advert-burdened, but given what they're offering, I don't let this spoil my browsing.

Firefox has a useful option to block pop-ups. It seems to me to be about 99% effective.

[french frank]

Fun!? Fun!? You want it to be fun

Does depend what you use it for, I suppose. I find academic papers available, often very recent ones, already on the web. I also use a lot of old texts - out of print for 100 years, and I can download digitised copies as eBooks: when I was teaching it would have taken weeks to borrow texts like these from other libraries, and then only for a limited time.

(I also read (some) newspapers online).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I find academic papers available, often very recent ones, already on the web. I also use a lot of old texts - out of print for 100 years, and I can download digitised copies as eBooks

That's what I call "fun"!

[ahinton]

Firefox has a useful option to block pop-ups. It seems to me to be about 99% effective.

I daresay that this is the one which I use.

[Serial_Apologist]

Firefox has a useful option to block pop-ups. It seems to me to be about 99% effective.

I have that. Recently however I've been finding access to some sites to be blocked unless I cancel/suspend my ad-blocker.

[french frank]

That's what I call "fun"!

I have a blog where I "investigate" all sorts of things for no other reason than that I don't know about them and a question has occurred to me. Two weeks later, I'm a world expert thanks to the internet.

[Frances_iom]

I have that. Recently however I've been finding access to some sites to be blocked unless I cancel/suspend my ad-blocker.

trivial work around is noscript addon for Firefox - don't forget that if you only want to read text then the option in firefox under 'view' page style choosing no style removes much the formatting 'tricks' used to hide text - the other good workaround is to use RequestPolicy addon (tho this takes some getting used to but combined with noscript is great in making the net as advert free as you wish) - if you still find yourself blocked then don't bother - the site intended you no good by forcing you to run their program on your computer - exactly akin to throwing your labelled house keys in the gutter for anyone to use.

[P. G. Tipps]

Whether we like it or not, isn't the internet now an almost essential part of modern life, Dave ... ?

Assuming one has a computer, which I assume the huge majority of us now do have, there is, accordingly, the chance to learn at least something about everything we know exists, and all from the comfort of our own home.

Despite its undoubted little irritations the invention of the internet was surely the catalyst for the Third Industrial Revolution which we are currently living through and which has increased the opportunities to expand our general knowledge immeasurably?

So absolutely no excuse for public (and forum) ignorance these days!

[ahinton]

I have that. Recently however I've been finding access to some sites to be blocked unless I cancel/suspend my ad-blocker.

There are others available; the one that I use has yet to give rise to that particular problem.

[ahinton]

I have a blog where I "investigate" all sorts of things for no other reason than that I don't know about them and a question has occurred to me. Two weeks later, I'm a world expert thanks to the internet.

It takes you two weeks? You, of all people? Surely not!

[french frank]

It takes you two weeks? You, of all people? Surely not!

I have high standards!