Wraithy can fix anything!

[Dreadnaught]

The reason the AdSense ads aren't especially relevant is because they aren't pulling from too much content on the forums. Because they are only on the thread listings and forum directory, the crawlers are just scanning a condensed list of threads (many of them unrelated to each other) and trying to find a common theme.

If the AdSense code was on each thread itself, I suspect the ads would be a lot more relevant to what's actually in the thread.

In other words, AdSense can't read a book by it's cover. It needs to read a chapter at a time, and can only summarize one chapter at a time.

[RandBlade]

Shame, I'd be amused to see what came up from our actually posts

[Wraith]

Remember: You asked for it.

Heh, "mosque" gets counter-terrorism ads.

[littlelolligagged]

I hope we can get abortion ads. That would be awesome.

[Dreadnaught]

Heh:



See? They are a bit more relevant. And would probably get a more relevant over time as we're indexed more.

But I think we should try this on the traffic of people who are actually registered here. More impressions for CPM image ad bidders = more money for the forums to cover costs. And if there's something relevant for the CPC-based ads, we'll get 60% of the CPC whenever someone finds an ad relevant enough to click on.

[Loki]

Yeah, as long as the ads don't flash and don't show up in the middle of posts, they're not that distracting.

[Being]

First, this is a weird choice of threads to bump and shove this discussion into.

I think you should retract that comment because as noted...

If it's really wanted, I can prevent ads like that from appearing again. I think right now, I only have ads for drugs like viagra blocked.

...Wraithy can fix anything.

[wiggin]

But I think we should try this on the traffic of people who are actually registered here. More impressions for CPM image ad bidders = more money for the forums to cover costs. And if there's something relevant for the CPC-based ads, we'll get 60% of the CPC whenever someone finds an ad relevant enough to click on.

I'm not sure I agree with this. It might not be much of a nuisance, but I don't like the idea and I don't think we really need that much revenue (as I recall the costs are pretty low...?). I also detest image ads and generally think they make a site look tacky.

[Dreadnaught]

Yeah, but the costs are all being paid out of Wraith's pocket. And we ran a drive to donate for the vBulletin license which expires in January -- we won't be able to get upgrades after that.

Image ads aren't tacky when they are relevant...or useful. Seems like a small price to pay to keep this place self-sufficient.

[Wraith]

The vBulletin license doesn't expire, they changed their licensing agreement before we bought. We have a license forever, but it doesn't cover major updates. But yeah, that's one of the reasons we'd probably want to have ads - so we never have to see that damned donate button again. Chances are we'll want to upgrade eventually.

I'd like to table this at least until September though. I want to collect data on whether there's any revenue available from those guests we keep seeing, or if they really are all bots.

[wiggin]

All right, fair enough. I definitely *don't* want Wraithy to cover any expenses given that he's already doing all of our support; if the amounts are worth it, go for it.

[Being]

I'm not seeing a retraction there Wraithy old man.

[Being]

Yay! I got an ad for Scientology. Guess that means I'm psycologically superior.

[Being]

Why am I all of a sudden being pushed to the god awful default theme when I log out?

[Wraith]

Because it's 'more professional'.

[Being]

Really?

[Dreadnaught]

default theme.

[Nessus]

Really?

Old white men don't believe in reading anything but black text from a white background.

[littlelolligagged]

Old white men don't believe in reading anything but black text from a white background.

They think everyone should be the same.

[Ominous Gamer]

slight thread jack here.
Several of the threads I've posted in previously were updated and ended up in the Whats New list, but did not show in my UserCP when I logged back in this morning.

EDIT:
looking into it, I'm no longer subscribed to those threads (sponsorship in schools, and mosque thread), but I've never unsubscribed from any threads

[EyeKhan]

Old white men don't believe in reading anything but black text from a white background.

I actually read my ebooks with white text on a black background. Not that I'm old or white, but you know. Black text and white background is more professional looking, however.

They think everyone should be the same.

Ever watch the first few seasons of Weeds?

[Being]

In case nobody figured it out, that is NOT my index finger waving at whoever is responsible for forcing me to the default theme when I log out.

[Being]

Seriously Wraith, can't you leave the theme cookie in place when someone logs out? It worked that way until a week or so ago. What changed?

[Wraith]

It was just a coincidence that it looked like it worked that way until a week ago. You had the same style selected as the style the forum defaulted to. Forcing a log out always cleared all cookies. There are other things that can help with, so I'm very hesitant to remove that functionality. You don't actually have to force a log out, you know...

[Being]

I see. Thanks for the explanation.

[Ominous Gamer]

hey wraith, the color codes are broken
words work, numbers don't

[Being]

This link no longer works for me. http://theworldforgotten.net/

I have to use a link to any thread I have viewed.

[Dreadnaught]

Works for me...

[Being]

Yeah, it works for me again. Just a couple of hours last night it went to some wierd error.

[Nessus]

"weird"