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Just a quick note...

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Julio Franco, Sep 5, 2003.

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  1. Julio Franco TechSpot Editor

    Last night I implemented on TechSpot a new format of unobstrusive advertising called IntelliTXT, it's likely you have seen it in action before at other sites such as Anandtech. Using the wonders of DHTML, content pages are automatically spidered and links are created on relevant text keywords, these links are highlighted and underlined different than normal links, they are not displayed in big quantities and although the program is based on a per-click basis, you can learn what the advertisement is about before clicking on them - a tooltip is displayed.

    It should be an interesting ride and we are counting with your support for making a bigger, better TechSpot.
    Julio Franco, Sep 5, 2003
    #1

  2. SNGX1275 TechSpot Special Forces

    Yeh I was wondering what they were, glad its more or less unobtrusive.
    SNGX1275, Sep 5, 2003
    #2

  3. Per Hansson TechSpot Server Guru

    Seems like Opera v7.20 beta7 does not support those links at all...

    They don't appear in Opera anyway...
    Per Hansson, Sep 6, 2003
    #3

  4. Phantasm66 Newcomer, in training

    Are you talking about the double underlined green links?

    I think that they are annoying as hell.

    I instantly took them for spyware, and downloaded SpyBot S&D from here to try and find out what was the matter!

    Obviously, since having gone to other pages this morning, I now realise what an ***** I am.

    But I don't like that sort of thing at all. I would rather some banner at the bottom of the screen, even if it has to have annoying DHTML and Flash things making it move, etc like you get on www.tomshardware.com or something.

    I think that things that interupt the flow of reading in this manner are just counter productive. I think that they just annoy people and even if they see some interesting product or something they will not bother just out of sheer annoyance.
    Phantasm66, Sep 6, 2003
    #4

  5. Phantasm66 Newcomer, in training

    AHahahahahah! Make it STOP!

    That big label thing that appears every time you hover over the word internet ?!

    (See! There is goes again!!

    Luckily, I see that its just the fist occurance of certain keywords....)

    Sorry to be so negative, however I respect this place enough to be honest about these things.
    Phantasm66, Sep 6, 2003
    #5

  6. poertner_1274 secroF laicepS topShceT

    I agree with Per, I don't see any of this with Opera.....from the talks of it, I guess that's a good thing? :confused:
    poertner_1274, Sep 6, 2003
    #6

  7. Julio Franco TechSpot Editor

    The links only work in IE 5.5+, no Mozilla or Opera.

    Phant, perhaps you are being so negative about it because you thought those were spyware links being embedded into your browsing, however knowing these are actually part of TS advertising should ease your concept about them... right? ;).

    In fact the CSS styles used to display them could be customized to pretty much anything I want, I believe the different color and double underline however makes it clear that it's not a normal link so we are not tricking users.
    Julio Franco, Sep 6, 2003
    #7

  8. Phantasm66 Newcomer, in training

    I'll try my best to maintain an open mind.
    Phantasm66, Sep 6, 2003
    #8

  9. olefarte TechSpot Ambassador

    I must be missing something, I don't see what you guys are talking about. I've been using Opera 7.20, Beta 8, but tried IE to see what you are talking about, I just don't see it. The only thing I see different, is the "Number of active users today" at the bottom of the Forums page doesn't start showing whos been online at midnight anymore. It's almost two AM my time, and it still shows zero.
    olefarte, Sep 7, 2003
    #9

  10. Julio Franco TechSpot Editor

    Like I said before, the fact that you thought it was spyware at first instance, did everything for a bad first impression.

    You may end up with a different concept in just a few days, not to mention links seem to disappear to repeated users (like you and me), it makes sense that they are targeted to those who visit less often, who may find the links more appealing (depending on the subject they are interested in) and end up clicking... at the same time you are not putting the ads on their faces, they come for reading tech and they end up with tech related unobstrusive ads.

    Speaking of which, no more than 5 links should be displayed per content page, sometime even one or two, which I find reasonable.
    Julio Franco, Sep 7, 2003
    #10

  11. young&wild TechSpot Chancellor

    Olefarte, try viewing a post using an IE browser. Those words undelined in green are what we are talking about.
    young&wild, Sep 7, 2003
    #11

  12. Per Hansson TechSpot Server Guru

    This seems like a really smart move in my opinion...

    Good job Julio!
    Per Hansson, Sep 7, 2003
    #12

  13. olefarte TechSpot Ambassador

    Young and Wild, I already tried IE.

    I finally found out why I can't see this. I've got Zone Alarm Pro, and it's blocking it I guess. The only way I was able to see the links, was to reboot with no firewall. I tried every setting I could find, and this was the only way to make it work.
    olefarte, Sep 7, 2003
    #13

  14. conradguerrero Newcomer, in training

    green hyperlinks?

    today ive noticed green hyperlinks under certain computer words in this forum. i thought it was spyware but i ran adaware and spybot. i did find this on google
    http://computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/62466.html

    if it is true i dont have a problem if it isnt than this thread should be moved lol

    conradguerrero, Sep 9, 2003
    #14

  15. conradguerrero Newcomer, in training

    also this is using Internet explorer not mozilla

    here is an example,

    256 ram
    except the link is green
    conradguerrero, Sep 9, 2003
    #15

  16. BrownPaper Newcomer, in training

    read this thread here.

    it should explain everything. :grinthumb

    p.s. it seems that you and phantasm66 thought the same thing when you first saw those green hyperlinks. ;)
    BrownPaper, Sep 9, 2003
    #16

  17. StormBringer Newcomer, in training

    I agree it is kind of annoying. I tend to move my cursor along as I read because I have astigmatism, which makes it easy to lose my place when reading. when I hit one of those underlined words and that tooltip pops up, it usually obstructs my view.

    I too did think it was some kind of spyware or something to begin with, which may make my impression of it even worse than it would have been otherwise.

    It isn't something that would make me stop coming here, but it is something I feel the need to voice my opinion about.
    StormBringer, Sep 9, 2003
    #17

  18. Julio Franco TechSpot Editor

    I just found out there is a way to have those removed, kind of turn them on & off using cookies. I will implement this before the end of the week hopefully so you guys that feel they obstruct your browsing can turn them off, no problem :D.

    After all, these are click-based ads and if you dislike them you will never click them, so...
    Julio Franco, Sep 9, 2003
    #18
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