Windows 10 built-in advertising discussion

[dhjohns]

It would not be unheard of for Microsoft to incorporate advertisements in some of its Modern apps.  This is done on a regular basis with many third party apps.  Although I do not use many apps at all, just Twitter, and the Weather Channel app (when it works.)  So far the Microsoft Weather app contains no advertisements, and I have not noticed any advertisements trying to sneak their way into my normal web browsing.  I do have ad blockers which stop most ads from appearing on websites, and in videos.  But here is the Weather app running on my desktop for any who are interested.

 

[jaclaz]

Maybe the issue is not really an issue, if you know how to deal with it.

 

I mean, what I normally do is to choose a theme for the week.

In order to do so, let's say I choose "drones".

I go on google and search for them, then click a couple of the results (NEVER the first few ones that are "sponsored ads").

 

I usually land to any among Amazon, e-bay or (more rarely) to the site of someone actually making the thingies.

 

Then I am set for the whole week or so, any forum or site making use of google ads or similar will be tuned to "drones".

 

Of course I never click of any of these ads, as a matter of fact I have not any intention to buy in any foreseeable future any drone.

 

The funny thing is when I actually look for something to actually buy and after I have ALREADY bought it, wherever I go I find ads for that same something for a few days.

 

I don't think (but I may well be wrong) that the good MS guys have some smarter strategy/mechanisms for targeting ads than the good Google guys, so all will be needed is to do a couple intentional "fake" searches, and you are good to go.

 

The people running the senseless ads will be rewarded as they will believe (wrongly) that the money they spent for these impressions have an actual return in sales (it has not, at least in my case), the google guys are happy because they are given money for this, and all in all I prefer to see nice pictures of drones better than methods to earn money working from home or how to lose weight, etc.

 

All in all I find much more intrusive, deceiving and what not  other forms of online advertising, including specifically VigLink (which I believe is used on MSFN also ), in my humble opinion they are if not the root of all evil a bunch of mindless bastards, as periodically, notwithstanding my "opting out" here:

http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/

the setting is somehow reset (and as a side note right now the above is not reachable through my Opera, unless I "cloak" it as Firefox or IE).

 

jaclaz

[DosProbie]

The NAI Opt-out Tool shows you all the big-name marketing companies that have installed tracking cookies on your computer and lets you opt out of some or all of them in one fell swoop.(in my case 65 companies were actively tracking my every move!)

 

These 'Opt Out Of Everything Online' sites is one of the first things I do after a Windows clean install.

http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/
http://techland.time.com/2011/03/10/how-to-opt-out-of-everything-online/

 

~DP

[NoelC]

Ads are usually distracting, and most folks - even casual computer users - typically strive to block them.  That being said, I have heard of one or two folks who have said actually like that the computer provides them with info on things they're interested in.

 

There needs to be a way to pay for the OS and not have ads.  I can't imagine businesses will be willing to allow ads in their doors.

 

I for one don't want a "free 'upgrade'" to Windows if it means it comes at the expense of having to see ads, however craftily targeted they might be.  I don't make buying decisions while I'm focused on working. 

 

We've already seen it the other way and that was better.

 

How much would you pay for an OS that was ad-free, serious, and completely under your control?  Maybe, say, as much as we HAVE been paying for Windows licenses since way back?  More?

 

Me, I'd probably be willing to pay more.  Perhaps I'll get my wish.  I wonder if Windows Enterprise edition may become that system.

 

-Noel

[NoelC]

Another aspect of this that virtually no one is talking about (and worth a separate post)...

 

Consider that ads via web browsers are typically vectors for security intrusions.  The more ads you block, the less likely you are to get malware - simple as that.

 

Does anyone truly have confidence that ads running inside Metro/Modern Apps will be 100% safe?

 

Think hard on this.  An answer of "yes" implies Microsoft's Metro/Modern implementation is 100% perfect, without vulnerabilities.

 

-Noel