Changes to Advertising on the site

Shield · 13-03-2022 8:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779712#Comment_118779712

On a point of moderation, the sig you mentioned is within acceptable limits: “Images: Images totalling up to 500 pixels wide, 125 pixels tall and 30k in size”. You can elect to strip images out of sigs you see in your profile settings drop down menu. Click Signature Settings, the place a tick in the “Strip images out of signatures” box and click Save.

I am reliably informed that seeing ads on their own is not enough. A user must click the ad for Boards to receive money. I am unclear if a purchase must be made as well for us to get paid? Maybe people like @[Deleted User] or @28064212 would know?

thechigger · 13-03-2022 9:09pm

Hellooooooo adblock

The One Doctor · 13-03-2022 11:12pm

Boards is dying, that's pretty obvious. Management will dismiss sensible suggestions until they stop getting paid.

The upgrade was the final nail in the server.

The name will be sold and Boards will be ressurected.

I have no idea what Boards management is on, but I suspect it's really top quality stuff that completely inhibits logical thought.

I do feel sorry for Boards staff that will lose their jobs.

OU812 · 13-03-2022 11:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781406#Comment_118781406

And the worst of it is, it was self inflicted

Hotblack Desiato · 14-03-2022 11:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780724#Comment_118780724

In 20+ years of daily internet use, I've never knowingly clicked on an ad ever.

I'm not going to start now.

14-03-2022 11:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118766887#Comment_118766887

I've enquired about this since the move, about how to subscribe, the costs, the benefits etc. Fair enough it was shortly after the move and ye were busy but it would be good to get some info on this as I'll happily subscribe to support the site and remove ads

Edit:you added the costs and benefits in a later post, cheers

Loughc · 15-03-2022 11:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786174#Comment_118786174

It should be featured more promentily to make users more aware this is even an option.

Ghost Train · 15-03-2022 6:12pm

Not sure how unusual the above message is but haven't noticed it happen before today. Other ads working

10-10-20 · 16-03-2022 8:57am

I find some of the contradictions stark: Mobile users should outnumber desktop users but yet the development on mobile appears to be stood still or a low priority. Surely mobile users should be driving new sign-ups? By not having investment at the mobile interface you have nothing more than a wire-sprung pram of bananas at the all-Ireland on a Sunday.

the_syco · 19-03-2022 8:45pm

Ads are pointless; everyone who uses a computer blocks them.

I'm barely on here, as the whiteness blinds me, so no late night browsing.

=-=

The site needs improvement to get people back on, tbh.

Also, https://www.boards.ie/content/about-us and https://www.boards.ie/contact leads to "Page Not Found"

Headshot · 20-03-2022 12:05am

The boards management need money to keep the site going, I find that quite ironic since it's their incompetence that's driving posters away.

Would it be end of the world if "boards.ie" went to different owners that actually cared about their Community?

I for one wouldn't spent a cent on this incarnation of Boards.ie with management don't give a **** about the website or Community, why should I?

I loved the old Boards.ie, it was a such an easy site to navigate and Community spirit was easy to see and at times I was a subscriber and didn't block ads but never again...

I take no pleasure in the above, far from it but it's gone to the stage that I just don't care anymore

Shield · 20-03-2022 1:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118807391#Comment_118807391

A user has put together an add-on pack of sorts that includes dark mode IIRC. Below is a link to the thread FYI. Also, we know about the broken links. It’s on the list of things to fix. BTW, @28064212 I have now made this a ‘sticky’ as it is quite popular. You should see it among the other sticky discussions at the top of the Feedback forum.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058208910/boardsie-enhancement-suite-browser-extension/

20-03-2022 1:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118808242#Comment_118808242

Cheers for that @Shield

20-03-2022 9:06am

Unfortunately though that still doesn't fix the lack of dark mode on mobile devices as you can't install extensions in chrome on Android this site still needs native support for dark mode without any extensions.

Plus how many people have the knowledge and will to install browser add-ons versus simply clicking an option on the site.

It's nice a user went to the effort but it's still not a viable option.

21-03-2022 12:42am

Dark Reader on Firefox works great on mobile. Pretty sure Safari has a dark mode extension as well.

Screenshot_2022-03-21-07-41-32-450_org.mozilla.firefox.jpg

21-03-2022 1:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812317#Comment_118812317

😳

Holy.......

Going to try this out for a few days but after 10 mins of use I think I'm going to be dropping chrome unless some deal breaker crops up.

Thank you so much

batistuta9 · 21-03-2022 4:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812361#Comment_118812361

Type chrome://flags in the address bar, then search for 'dark' enable both & that'll do it for you. The second option will allow you to toggle it on/off quicker in settings.

21-03-2022 6:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118815014#Comment_118815014

That works too, sweet!

21-03-2022 6:20pm

Thanks for the tip for Chrome. It does work great, although I'm still going to be stubborn and insist the site needs a dedicated dark mode as it could be customised to look better than the one used by either dark reader or inbuilt to Chrome.

Tork · 21-03-2022 6:33pm

Yes, thanks for the tip. Boards is much easier on the eyes now. I doubt we'll ever see a dark mode in boards. It was never deemed to be important by the powers that be, who instead decided to inflict crap like that auto save draft on us. They've never shown any interest in what the users want, nor valued the talented people who use the site and might have been willing to help. They're paying the price for it now - I can see boards slowly dying before my eyes. Any money that might come on from these ads will go towards keeping boards alive, not improving it. I don't think they ever replaced the late Mark, did they? That's ominous if they haven't.

batistuta9 · 21-03-2022 7:19pm

You need to do something with the soccer forum. The threads don't appear on the home page, latest or trending etc. Can't view it when not a member of the group or at all if not logged in & in the group.

Must have been one of the most popular forums before change over, a lot of ad revenue passed up there

DavyD_83 · 21-03-2022 7:34pm

I just found night mode in Opera. Woop!

GreenandRed · 22-03-2022 5:17pm

That's sound. It's a free site and ye're here to make money. Like free apps or podcasts with ads to cover costs. But I wouldn't be here very often so wouldn't pay for an ad-free version of Boards as some proposed. If you also had an ad free pay version maybe you could incentivise members by offering discounts from some of the Boards advertisers or other organisations.

Ham Grenade · 23-03-2022 6:20am

Not sure at all

OU812 · 23-03-2022 12:53pm

Actually one suggestion for raising funds would be to offer an escrow service for adverts.

Just been trying to do a deal but it seemed very sketchy so I backed out.

if boards had an escrow service where I could sent the money for the item (several hundred euro), receive the goods and inspect them then approve the transaction so the seller gets paid, I’d happily spend a percentage of the cost or a fixed cost of say €10 for that.

seller is guaranteed he’s going to get paid, buyer is guaranteed they’re not going to get ripped off.

that’s worth money to me

Archeron · 25-03-2022 3:38pm

Every single ad I see here is for gambling sites, predominantly that 888 one. I don't gamble, have never placed a bet in my life, have absolutely no interest, yet every ad is gambling. Grotty.

_Kaiser_ · 26-03-2022 9:52pm

Once again a thread goes silent, feedback is ignored, and it's not fair to Niamh to keep sending her out to announce/defend this stuff when it seems clear the current owners haven't a clue in how to revitalise or rescue the site (even repairing it seems beyond them).

You can't just occasionally turn up with a thread announcing significant changes and then disappear when the feedback doesn't suit you but that's half the problem too. No understanding of the site, its users, or why people (those who are left) still come here. This of course is reflected in how the site is run day-to-day which is another long-standing issue.

At this stage they might as well just put the domain name on the market now TBH.

DoctorEdgeWild · 27-03-2022 3:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118840592#Comment_118840592

But this wasn't a thread asking for feedback. It was advising us about something they needed to do, are doing, and why they are doing it.

Inviere · 27-03-2022 5:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118841236#Comment_118841236

If Boards needs anything right now (apart from cash flow), it's user/community feedback.

@_Kaiser_ is spot on with what's been said. It's inexcusable at this point.

Secondly @DoctorEdgeWild, this is from the Welcome to the Announcements Forum thread...

"Your comments and feedback are welcome."

DoctorEdgeWild · 27-03-2022 11:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118841261#Comment_118841261

And those comments/feedback have been allowed to stand. Nothing deleted or locked. Are you looking for boards to reply to everything? Because that's not realistic.

To be totally clear, boards are criticised when they DON'T communicate their plans/changes. And boards are criticised when they DO communicate their plans/changes. You can see the problem there?

Seve OB · 27-03-2022 11:41am

Everyone is an expert 🥸

Inviere · 27-03-2022 12:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118842014#Comment_118842014

Well your post suggested that feedback on this issue was unsolicited, which is incorrect as per the info shown in my reply. Not sure where the censorship angle is coming from? In such an important site has haemorrhaged so many people and traffic over the last 12 months, its sort of a good idea to listen to the core community who have remained, engage with them, agreed or disagree, but at least engage in a meaningful manner. Why leave feedback threads open to become tumbleweed central?

Who are you referring to when you say "boards"? I feel the Niamh and the front line admin/mod volunteers have gone above and beyond over the last year, since the "upgrade" went ahead. The site has been nothing short of shambolic for those tasked with its day to day upkeep (and users aside). There's only so much feedback Niamh and Co can act on and respond to. Management on the other hand, well, that's a whole other story. Not a good one either.

The criticism here isn't for anything other than radio silence on larger issues. Users don't have to like the changes, but from a community development perspective, the absolute worst thing to do is to ignore significant observations and hope they go away.

Anyway, I've said my piece, so peace out ✌️👍

27-03-2022 7:59pm

If everyone who used boards in February 2022 were to pay an amount of money in order for boards to break even how much would that be?

Pelvis Parsley · 27-03-2022 10:39pm

Jesus wept, they can't even work out how much money was donated through their latest modhranic venture, so that query is most likely beyond them.

27-03-2022 11:24pm

I paid €2.99 to get Noir extension in Safari for my iPhone. Works fine as Dark Mode.

Hotblack Desiato · 28-03-2022 10:54am

NVM, post I was replying to got deleted.

JayRoc · 28-03-2022 11:16pm

Love to, but sure how would we find it?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118846238#Comment_118846238

JayRoc · 28-03-2022 11:27pm

Tbh I would pay 100 euros right now if I could click on a thread and didn't have to scroll for two minutes to find where I think I might have left off. I know. Sci-fi stuff, but let me dream...

HeidiHeidi · 29-03-2022 7:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118849686#Comment_118849686

+1

I sometimes just dream of the luxury.....

Eggonyerface · 29-03-2022 10:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118849686#Comment_118849686

This! Some of the mega threads you'd never finish in a sitting and I used to leave them open in a browser tab to come back and forward. Now when you go back in it reloads and skips forward a page or two so I mostly don't bother with big threads now

Inviere · 01-04-2022 9:36am

Look at the absolute state of this, half of my entire phone screen taken up with questionable betting advertisements... Who in their right mind wouldn't block this crap?

Tork · 01-04-2022 10:07am

I'd delete this post but I can't FFS

Tork · 01-04-2022 7:28pm

Ditto....

I could do this all night and really push my post count up 🙄

JayRoc · 01-04-2022 8:10pm

Why didn't you just delete your p.......oh, right

Manion · 04-04-2022 2:56pm

Hold on, so you're saying adds with rats, cockroaches, teeth falling out and hair follicles aren't bring the revenue you thought they would? Well I'll be. Have you considered making them flash repeatedly?

Autosport · 04-04-2022 5:53pm

Is that new ad going to open up every time I go to open a new page?? It’s a right pain

cantalach · 04-04-2022 11:33pm

Was some change made to Boards this evening in relation to the advertising change? Reason I ask is that on every page load I am now getting the ‘We value your privacy’ dialog and being asked to consent to advertising cookies, device fingerprinting, etc. I am not consenting and am clicking Save Preferences. But it doesn’t seem to take.

Not even my final form · 05-04-2022 12:12am

Might invest in an adblock just for this website lol

KildareP · 05-04-2022 4:19am

Cookies/GDPR prompt pops up every single time a page is loaded.

Won't stop no matter how many times I click accept.

Boards.ie: Niamh · 05-04-2022 8:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118880118#Comment_118880118

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881752#Comment_118881752

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881893#Comment_118881893

Thanks for reporting guys, this issue is being looked into today. Can you confirm what OS and browser you are using and also if you are accesing the site from Ireland, elsewhere or via a VPN?

Thanks and sorry about this, it is a pain to navigate the site with that in your face.

Changes to Advertising on the site

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