The entry below is classified as a LEGACY post, meaning that it was written (well) before the current version of Avalonstar was released. Although these posts have survived the numerous moves over years, there is no guarantee that they've survived the trip unscathed (especially the links).

LEGACY–

September 06, 2006

Ads Make Me Feel Dirty

Whenever I've thought of ads and blogs in the same sentence, it's always made me feel dirty. Like, it feels wrong to see a blog with ads plastered all over it.

Sure, I get why people do it. We all want to make a quick buck or support a piece of software we like, but with all things, it's gone too far in places. The fact that we now have people that specialize in the placement of ads in blogs could be a sign. Then again, I could just be naive. Things like this have never sat right with me. Google ads for instance. Granted, this blog isn't a ad mine for instance, and who'd want to place an ad on a website where the author babbles on about him/herself? Wait, scratch that. Maybe it's because I hate ads, or that my last job had me designing ads before the proverbial axe was thrown. Well, read the title again. It's true, ads make me feel dirty.

That's why you'd never see one on Avalonstar. But I feel that the whole easy money thing has drawn too many helpless bloggers into it's grasp and people are putting ads on blogs that never see a single hit. I mean, think of the opportunity cost for a second. Ads sort of take away from the material on your site. Whenever you see an ad-supported ___|\__|\__| (fill in the blank), you automatically think that there's some ulterior motive. Like, wow, this person's trying to make money off me when while I'm doing \__|\__|\__|_ (fill in the blank). So think of it this way, you have an ad hovering over you when you're reading about how to bread some chicken. So... this person's trying to make money off of people reading about how to bread chicken (as one example). Doesn't it feel the least bit odd?

The day I think of placing ads on here, wait, I'd probably be on the street before placing ads on here. It's like those college programs that tattooed condom logos on students' heads. It's just... dirty. Maybe I'm alone in this and I do realize that on the other hand I could be preaching to the choir, but what I want you to get out of this is a thought that maybe it's not the money that's important. Or, maybe not. I realize it's not something that's going to stop, but at least you'll know of one person who refuses to give in. I'll go wash myself off now, thanks. :)