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Apples most popular ad-blocker (Peace) pulled, maker: Just Doesnt Feel Good"
- Thread starter Guevara
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Yep, still not seeing the contradiction with his reasoning for taking down his app.
Technosteve
Banned
God damn it gruber i know it was you
Zeyphersan
Banned
Because sometimes they have people writing legitimately great and useful things, but are surrounded by terrible ads. Authors generally aren't the ad people
It's not, just don't brag about it or act like an ass
Authors are paid from ad money.
If I wanted to read an amazing book but it cost a lot of money, it wouldn't be right for me to pirate it.
Not having a go at anyone, I use ad blockers. But it's something to think about.
StrangeADT
Banned
$3 is a racket? You spend $3 for a fucking soda at many restaurants - how is something that will save you ~50% of your data cap on mobile websites AND significantly improve page load speed a racket? Fucking mobile is a damn race to the bottom.
Maninthemirror
Banned
His own blog today.
He admits its a simple iOS apps. there are tutorials out there to make a content blocker in 10 minutes. that show simple something like Crystal App is.
He could have implemented Ghostery to have a smarter approach, but he didnt, not that he couldnt
Wow, a lot of conspiracy theories on here.
Guys, he's already rich, and this app was making $50,000 a day. And you honestly think Google will pay to cut off a hydra head that will simply regrow elsewhere?
If you listen to Marco podcast, this move is pretty much in line with his personality. I'm not sure if I completely agree with it, but I'm at peace with his decision.
Apparently Gruber was arguing against pulling it. But since iOS 9 launched there has been some good thought pieces around the whole ad thing that teases out the wider implications. (And I don't mean Nilay's, I mean stuff like Anil Dash's tweetstorm)
I think Marco's move is in response to these thoughts about the long run.
Guys, he's already rich, and this app was making $50,000 a day. And you honestly think Google will pay to cut off a hydra head that will simply regrow elsewhere?
If you listen to Marco podcast, this move is pretty much in line with his personality. I'm not sure if I completely agree with it, but I'm at peace with his decision.
Apparently Gruber was arguing against pulling it. But since iOS 9 launched there has been some good thought pieces around the whole ad thing that teases out the wider implications. (And I don't mean Nilay's, I mean stuff like Anil Dash's tweetstorm)
I think Marco's move is in response to these thoughts about the long run.
It really is, isn't it? Because I use mobile devices as much as desktop, I'm happy to pay just as much -- because I expect just as much (with exceptions for more complex applications, of course).
As for paying for ad blocking, how much is your time worth? Considering how much time is saved by the content blockers, you'll have earned back those $3 almost immediately.
Maninthemirror
Banned
The guy could have said, hey im pulling this because its not good enough but ill be back with an app which matches ghostery, but he didnt. he pulled the plug completely, thats why people are thinking this is odd.
it also casts doubt on something like Ghostery, I wonder how many scripts in the background it WONT block to cater to some
it also casts doubt on something like Ghostery, I wonder how many scripts in the background it WONT block to cater to some
https://twitter.com/gruber/status/644937849817591808
Also, Gruber's biggest source of income comes from "native" sponsored posts that are not blocked by Peace.
yep, that's exactly it. I wouldn't use Ghostery now either because it's clear they won't block things they think are okay (or they've been paid to whitelist) like Adblock (or is it adblock plus? I can't keep up) does. fuck them.
BassForever
Member
Are there any good ad blockers to block ads in apps? I don't mind ads in apps what I do mind is being forced into some 30-60 second demo of another app that I don't want to play, or sent to the app store upon opening an app -.-
ClosingADoor
Member
Wait until you hear about Adblock Plus getting money from advertisers to let certain ads through at that "acceptable."
Funny how your time is worth money, but the time people put into making the content you consume for free isn't.
Lol, those are iAds. iOS will never allow you to block ads Apple sells.
i don't think that this is true.
It's more about: ghostery does identify ALL the ads.
on Desktop you can whitelist not only sites but also individual ad providers, tracking providers etc.
Within Peace, the granularity of Ghostery's curated list get's amalgamated into "block ads"
badcrumble
Member
Most in-app ads on iOS are run by Google, actually. And Apple gets zero revenue from those.
It's not even the ads (flash being the exception) that are the problem most of the time. It's the egregious use of tracking and ad pixels in the background that can really slow a browser. Especially on a mobile device.
Also, Ghostery and ABP are doing the same thing now? Didn't know that.
Also, Ghostery and ABP are doing the same thing now? Didn't know that.
BassForever
Member
Figured as much *sigh* was hopeful lol
Hari Seldon
Member
This is the last time I buy an app from a professional blogger that is for sure. What a fucking nutter.
NekoFever
Member
I don't know where these apocalyptic predictions of the death of ad-supported web content are coming from. Ad-blockers have existed for at least 15 years. They've been the most popular browser extensions since Firefox popularised the concept Adblock Plus is nearly ten years old and that's a spin-off of an even older one.
All I can see that's changed recently is ad networks going even more batshit with the obnoxious stuff, particularly on mobile devices (popovers, hijacking to the App Store, autoplaying videos, megabytes of tracking scripts per page, etc), and if that's driving people to block ads, it's their own fault.
entremet
Member
He's a developer who blogs. But he has too much of a conscience. Go for the sociopathic capitalist next time lol
Might want to do some research on Twitter. Gruber tried to talk him out of pulling it.
BlastProcessing
Member
I really don't think that that's it. Most apps don't even use iAds.
The issue is that allowing one app to monkey with functionality of another app is a terrible, terrible, idea.
RedNumberFive
Banned
It's been working well for me so far.
The problem is that the website that creates the content isn't responsible for the bullshit coming from ad networks. Everyone faults "website X" for bullshit ads, but they are more-or-less forced into using those ads and have no control over the bullshit take-overs, audio, hijacking etc.
I'm of the opinion that web ads are not very effective, regardless, and I'm moving all of my content behind a subscription as we speak. I can't do anything about the ads that ad networks host, so my only other two choices are to try to sell ads myself (very difficult and time consuming, and not very appealing if the ad has no tracking etc.) or charge my viewers directly for the content. Fingers crossed I'm making the right choice, because it's a lot of work to set up.
ClosingADoor
Member
To be fair, this is mostly the small and medium publishers. Websites like The Verge, IGN, etc can choose not to run the more intrusive ads. But yes, the trackers and stuff you don't have much influence over.
Chrystal is great, but I got it because it was free. Don't really know how the others are.
Zeyphersan
Banned
It's something I think about a lot, too. But expensive books don't slow down my Kindle or give it viruses or track me. I have no problem viewing ads to give authors money: I don't consent to what the ads do to my experience in return
But you still consume the content, which isn't free to produce or deliver.
Battersea Power Station
Member
I wonder how many Google shares he got.
Zeyphersan
Banned
No, hence the moral dilemma in blocking ads. I don't blame him for not wanting to be a gatekeeper for this stuff
True, but it was what, $3 or $4? Akin to bad coffee going to waste. Not a huge deal--the lack of friction between apps due to their cost is certainly a major element of the App Store.
ClosingADoor
Member
Isn't Amazon tracking you? They constantly look at what you buy/read and give you recommendations based on that.
If people are so against that, they should also stop using Facebook, Gmail, etc. Those services are tracking everything you do.
I agree with all the complaints about slowing down loading times or getting in the way of content. I think tracking is somewhere at the bottom of the list for most users.
Zeyphersan
Banned
C'mon man, don't try to paint in broad strokes like that. "If you're okay being tracked by one service you should be okay being tracked by all of them" isn't going to get you anywhere, and is a terrible stance to take
ClosingADoor
Member
I just think a lot of people are cherry picking when it comes to privacy. As long as they don't see anything of it, they don't care. But when it comes to ad blocking, suddenly these privacy concerns pop up, while most just use it to get rid of annoying ads. Which are annoying, no argument there.
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