The new ads

AndyHarries · Post by **AndyHarries** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:44 am

Hi Steve

Of course we'll help support you in any way we can (I'm sure I speak for everyone here). I can't see any new ads though - the only difference I have noticed is that when I go to myTobago, a banner ad from the site downloads onto my desktop , so my desktop is now littered with ads for your site. Not a problem, but...

Is it because I work on a Mac?

Rachel

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 12:47 pm

Hi Rachel

Interesting! There's something very wrong there. You should simply see a line of up to four text ads in a box at the bottom of every page of the site. If there's no ads relevant to the page's content, it will just be a logo image promoting myTobago. There should be absolutely no pop-up or banner ads, so this is something I need to take up with Google if it happening. What do the banners ads say?

Can you please contact me by email and describe exactly what these downloads say. I need to look into this urgently. In the meantime, just delete them. Yes, I can only suspect it's a problem with Macs - but I honestly can't see how becuase I've studied the code in my pages and would go so far as to say it's impossible for them to download anything.

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 2:38 pm

Nothing wrong on my three Macs here.

What OS are you using?

OS9?

OSX is the latest and you have to get it (it is light years ahead of anything else out there!).

AndyHarries · Post by **AndyHarries** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:13 pm

Hi Marc

Yep, I've got a G5 with OSX/Panther.

Weird. I can see the ads now, but still get the file downloads - I've currently got six on my desktop - all for myTobago so it's not all bad!

Rachel

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:34 pm

Hi Rachel

The file you sent me and which is being downloaded to your desktop is the "alternative" ad (the myTobago logo and slogan) that Google displays if there are no appropriate sponsored ads for a particular page. I can't see what's going wrong or why it's doing it.

Mac users have represented a shade under 3% of our readers so far this year, but don't worry guys, I won't let your handicap spoil your enjoyment. I have removed the "alternative ad" and replaced it with an instruction to simply leave blank if there are no suitable ads for the page. Sorry about that Rachel. I'll take it up with Google.

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:36 pm

Handicap?

Can't say not getting viruses, blue screens of death and corrupted DLL libraries is handicapping me mate

Also G5/Panther...

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:03 pm

Hate to correct you, mate, but you receive just as many viruses on the Mac as you would on a PC - they just don't actually "work" on the Mac. I guess that saves you having to run anti-virus software - but if you don't, you just run the risk of getting hit by one of the odd few Mac viruses. So, you're lumbered either way.

Blue screens! Crikey, somebody's living in the stone age. Can't remember what a blue screen looked like since XP was launched (which is what Windows - and the Mac - always should have been). Don't know about corrupted DLLs - never had one.

At least jpegs don't download onto my desktop without asking!

Anyway, I confess I'm more interested in getting the job done than having a bit of pretty kit on my desk. Mind you, I admit the Macs do look good on a receptionist's desk

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:27 pm

Oh dear Steve.

XP. How old is it?

I've used PC's since DOS 3 and up to and including XP home and Pro and so when I offer my opinion that Mac is superior it's far more than just an evangelical stance. Seems your dislike of Macs is from a far less experienced viewpoint.

Horses for courses I guess, I just know how much better my design productivity now is having switched off my PC and come over to Mac. In fact add to that how much easier everything is.

As for XP "is how Mac and PC should have been", the Unix-based OSX is without doubt the fastest, most advanced and most stable operating system out there that I've seen. I guess you could let me know how smart Longhorn is when it launches but that's at least 12 months away at best as Bill's had to call a halt whilst he patches up XP (again).

Let's not fall out over something as trivial as an OS/platform, maybe one day you'll see the light

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:39 pm

Don't take it too seriously, Marc - I'm only winding you up 'cos your original reply to Rachel put you so much in the anti-Bill/Mac Evangalist camp.

I accept that the Mac showed/shows Windows how it should be done. It's a bit like the old Betamax/VHS argument on VCR tape though - the superior technology lost out to marketing power and as good as Betamax was, a lot of people were left holding worthless kit. Sadly it's going the same way with the Mac. If you want Unix, then go the whole hog and do it properly - as I do with both my webserver and mail server (well, Linux actually).

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:01 pm

Sorry Steve, I am easy to get going on this issue!

I blame all those years as IT system admin/support

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:15 pm

That's what I suspected! Just put me down as having a sick sense of humour.

AndyHarries · Post by **AndyHarries** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:20 pm

Butting in to your spat over this one...

The Mac v PC debate rages on. To be honest, I can't really comment because I've always worked on a mac. That's the way the publishing world is, and I love my mac. That's not to say that if I didn't know PCs, I wouldn't love them, but I don't think it would be quite the same!

Anyhoo, the one thing I took real offence to was a mac being compared to Betmax. How DARE you Steve?

I honestly can't ever see the mac becoming extinct. Honestly.

Rachel

Marc Jones · Post by **Marc Jones** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 pm

I've seen 4 friends buys macs in the last month and they all love them. I think the iPod could well be the trojan horse that Jobs wanted it to be.

And er, to keep on topic of sorts I'll add that I may take my iPod to Tobago!

Andreas A. · Post by **Andreas A.** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:07 am

I noticed that the 4 ads from google wont show up unless i refresh the screen. I tried it several times, and they only show up when i refresh the screen, not by just entering (that leaves the bottom-space empty).
Just thought that you might want to know.

The machine im on is running Windows NT 4.0 and IE 6.0.

Great way of funding the site btw, tasteful.

Andreas A. · Post by **Andreas A.** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:10 am

^ Ignore that, it seems to be working fine now...

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:20 am

Isn't it a bitch when that happens. I get it all the time, but just put it down to age.

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:42 pm

Hi Steve

I think the Google ads are a great idea, quite right you shouldn'thave to fund My Tobago from your own pocket. I have started toclick on to the ads every time I log on, not that I am interested in any of them, but if we only need to click for you to recieve commission,then I would encourage everyone else to do the same!

Linda