Embedded baloon ads

[ldyguique]

I've just come across something new (to me) on a magazine's website. ComputerWorld, that is both intrigueing and disturbing.

This is the first occurrence that I've seen of what I'd call embedded advertising. There are two underscored "link" keywords; however, when one hovers over them, a popup paragraph/ad balloon appears.

[mikmik]

http://factor1.net/main/index.html

Hover over my "This is a tool tip" on the right, and lower left.

It is real easy to do, but I have seen some much more intrusive and persistant crap like this with flash and with a 'small' banner for "Windows 2003 Server" on the pcmag site. On mouseOver, a 400 x 70 sized banner in the header would suddenly expand to occupy the whole viewport at 1024 res, well, all the text I was trying to read anyways - it didn't cover up any other ads.

I am starting to get very annoyed with all the advertising on pcmag, globe and mail, and other 'respectable' sites that make reading the articles almost impossible, and I wouldn't doubt it if they could induce siezures LOL.

These sites, 'computerworld' here as well, download copious amounts of tracking cookies from "Avenue A Inc." and "MediaPlex" surriptitiously - at the rate of two per page visited.

I think we are going through a renaissance of web advertising, and who knows the depths of depravity we will sink to in our quest for the blessing of the almighty God "Moolah".

[ldyguique]

Mikmik --

All I know is that I'm becoming equally aggravated by all of the insidious forms of advertising. I've never dealt with as much "in your face" crappola in my life. It's not enough to make me leave the net; however, it's enough to make me support intrusive programs such as Norton's Banner Ad blocking, etc., and develop a personal policy of all the things that I will never click on or buy from.

Part of what I'm doing is a comprehensive view of the various programs necessary to my future customers that will clean up their machines and then keep them clean--anything and everything to minimize the crud -- whether it's spyware, cookies, spam, popup/unders, advertising, etc. It's tough to take a stance on the privacy issues potentially affecting the general public with regards to offshore outsourcing when we're under attack from nefarious advertising from within my own "community."

I'm willing to search for products and vendors when I have a need or interest. I'm unwilling to be advertised to death over the thousands of products and vendors whom I have no interest in--affiliate advertising is becoming as big a noxious nuisance as the rest of the crud.