Thanks for the speedy reply. I only use Adaware and I have tried several ad blocking hosts files without success. If I delete the file "hosts" I can connect, but I would like to identify the entry in the ad blocking hosts file so that I can be protected from the bad ad servers. And I do reboot after a hosts file change. The latest hosts I could find comes from http://www.everythingisnt.com/hosts.html
Maybe you already know this from another thread, but pretty sure auctiva.com is another you can't have blocked.
Up until now, I had absolutely no problem clicking on any links in 'my snipes' when you had them in the following format:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3923230138
Now that you have changed the format to the following, the links no longer work. I've tried it on two different systems:
http://ebaylink.auctionsniper.com/showcase/ShowcaseItems.aspx?item=http%3A//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D3923230138
I do have a large number of ad servers listed in my hosts file, but as I mentioned, the original link format worked with no problems. Why should any ad or host blocking interfere with the clicking of a normal link? Is this some sort of mechanism to track our activities? If so, is this really necessary; could you please consider going back to the original format?
Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3923230138
Now that you have changed the format to the following, the links no longer work. I've tried it on two different systems:
http://ebaylink.auctionsniper.com/showcase/ShowcaseItems.aspx?item=http%3A//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D3923230138
I do have a large number of ad servers listed in my hosts file, but as I mentioned, the original link format worked with no problems. Why should any ad or host blocking interfere with the clicking of a normal link? Is this some sort of mechanism to track our activities? If so, is this really necessary; could you please consider going back to the original format?
Thanks.
Jared, welcome to our forum!
Mine still come up in this format! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item= It is working perfectly!!
Mine still come up in this format! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item= It is working perfectly!!
quote:Obviously because they are trying to block eBays affiliate site.
Why should any ad or host blocking interfere with the clicking of a normal link?
The only annoying ads on the net are the popup ones. In that case use a browser like Mozilla and get rid of the ad blocking junk.
Is it really that big a deal? I surf the web all day long pretty much 7 days a week and they just aren't all that troubling. If you're getting a lot of ads you've more likely got some spyware.
What is your definition of troubling. Your message sounds a bit arrogant. Yes ads make money and ebay affiliates are now linked to ad agencies to make money. People want to be protected from ads in whatever form they chose. I vote for auctionsniper to coexist with the way people want to use the Internet. Not force us to accept your or some ad agencies concept of it. I want to use IE, not Mozilla. I want the links the way they used to work, and not go through auctiva or other ad supporting companies.
quote:
Originally posted by Mrs.M:
Jared, welcome to our forum!
Mine still come up in this format! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item= It is working perfectly!!
Mrs.M:
Hello, and thanks for the welcome.
I think your links eventually come up in the standard format. However, if you place the mouse over the link before clicking on it, it will probably start out looking like this:
http://ebaylink.auctionsniper.com/showcase/ShowcaseItems.aspx?item=http%3A//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D3923230138
I'm thinking it works fine for you (and many others) but not me, becuase I have a lot of ad/spyware blocking utilities on my system.
Sara B.:
I run Ad-aware on a regular basis and I keep it up to date. I also use a few other programs to eliminage pop-ups and block potentially dangerous scripts, so it is highly unlikely that I have any known spyware on my system.
Many computers process redirects through ad-servers with no problem, but I've blocked a lot of ad servers by modifying my hosts file. I prefer it this way because these blocked servers cannot create cookies, and their advertisments do not show up on web sites. Advertisments may not bother you much, but they annoy me quite a bit. So the fewer I see, the better.
As I've stated in my previous message, the original link format works fine; why can't we just go back to this?
This 'affiliate site' you've mentioned appears to belong to Auctiva and not eBay, but that's not the issue here. You ultimately have the control to make us go through an affiliate or send us directly to the page we're looking for, and you appear to be choosing the former for tracking purposes.
Unforunately, after all this discussion, it doesn't look like this will be changed. I suppose we'd better get used to it or work around it
2004AD:
My thoughts exactly.
quote:So please tell me where the ads are for these thinks? Answer: THERE AREN'T ANY. So exactly what ads is your crummy ad software protecting you from in this case? None. If you want a fix ask your ad blocking software.
People want to be protected from ads in whatever form they chose. I vote for auctionsniper to coexist with the way people want to use the Internet.
I suppose it does support the ad company as well as us and eBay.
If you're going to run such software I'd suggest trying some that can be turned on and off. While you're viewing our site, turn it off as we dont generate anything that needs to be blocked. Then afterwords turn it back on.
quote:They're also what pays for the sites you're visiting to be in business, or at least subsidize it.
Advertisments may not bother you much, but they annoy me quite a bit.
Sure I'd like to read a newspaper without any ads. But if that happened there would be NO newspaper to read eventually because there'd be no ads, and no money generated for the paper. Seems to me that blocking ads is sorta like stealing. Haven't put deep thought into it, but seems that way.
Perhaps what we can do is enable a feature whereby you can pay us 2% and we'll remove the links in question. Would that be satisfactory?
Since freedom is not free. I'll pay. Sign me up.
I have seen ad-blocking software, particuarly free software, prevent links from working, prevent people from opening their e-mail, and other stuff. The software interprets these routine actions as pop-ups.
I dont spend all day everyday on the web and when I do, I dont want to see pop-ups.
I dont mind ads that are located on the site I am viewing.
I would be pissie if I bought a newspaper and I opened a page and some Casino Ad jumped up at me...I wouldnt be buying that newspaper again.
Boy - you are so right there
How much money to Magazines and Newspapers want to make anyways? They charge HUGE prices to advertise in them, then they charge us to buy them.
Money for Jam.
I dont mind ads that are located on the site I am viewing.
I would be pissie if I bought a newspaper and I opened a page and some Casino Ad jumped up at me...I wouldnt be buying that newspaper again.
quote:
Jared Said:
Unforunately, after all this discussion, it doesn't look like this will be changed. I suppose we'd better get used to it or work around it
Boy - you are so right there
How much money to Magazines and Newspapers want to make anyways? They charge HUGE prices to advertise in them, then they charge us to buy them.
Money for Jam.
The way I see it. The ads on auctionsniper is not the issue here. The issue is auctionsnipers chosing to use their partner, auctiva, and that the servers auctiva uses are also listed as bad ad servers by the ad blocking community. Since auctionsniper is defending these business practices, someone must be making or saving money on this arrangement, all we can do is express our opinion.
quote:Well ok then. We're going to add some new features first and I'll make sure that in that version you can request normal links. So at least you'll get some more features with it.
Since freedom is not free. I'll pay. Sign me up.
quote:You've never bought a magazine and had 4 or 5 of those annoying little cards come flying out? Newspapers are less of a pain, but the sunday paper is nothing but ads.
I would be pissie if I bought a newspaper and I opened a page and some Casino Ad jumped up at me...
quote:You are confused. The ad links are provided by commission junction, which is a respected site among such sites. And it's who eBay chose to run their affiliate program.
The issue is auctionsnipers chosing to use their partner, auctiva, and that the servers auctiva uses are also listed as bad ad servers by the ad blocking community.
quote:What I'm defedning is that these links display 0 ads, and 0 popups. 100% true. So what's wrong with turning your software off when you visit our site? Nothing except your own unwillingness, and that is your decision, so when it doesn't work you're the only one who can fix it.
Since auctionsniper is defending these business practices
quote:of course we are, and since it doesnt display a single ad or popup I fail to see the issue.
someone must be making or saving money on this arrangement
It is better to attack the problem and not the person. The only ad blocking software I use is a hosts file and I can not simple turn it off and back on without rebooting each time. Help me to identify all the ad servers that are called when I use the links through your site. Maybe I can find the offending listing in the hosts file that is blocking it. I have been a long time auctionsniper customer. I have gone a long way in recommending your service in the past. An apology would be appreciated, but I forgive you anyway.
quote:Upgrade to Windows 2000, Windows XP, etc. Both of those do it. I use both and enter host files entries all the time to test server specific issues. Works like a charm.
The only ad blocking software I use is a hosts file and I can not simple turn it off and back on without rebooting each time
I did a search on google for host file ad blockers and I did find counters.auctiva.com and cj.com and qksrv.com Since this has nothing to do with counters.auctiva.com I ruled that out. Does your hosts file have any other auctiva entries? I'm really sure that's not it but what the heck.
I think there was one other auctiva.com site, but not www.auctiva.com. Nothing that would stop this link.
I would focus on the cj.com and qksrv.com and maybe eBays mediaplex.com I think it is.
It's too bad you dont have WinXP or 2k or greater because then you could just chop your hosts file in half and keep doing that until you find the offending entry.
I suppose you could send us your hosts file and we could try it. Use the email support@ our domain name.com
I tried your suggestion and the site that I found that was causing my problems is adfarm.mediaplex.com. If I comment this site out of my hosts file then my links work. But I would rather pay extra and not to have to go through these ad servers.
quote:I thought that might be the one. That's eBays also. It's on their home page. I thought it came up every time too even when you go directly to their home page. They use it to keep track of their marketing efforts. For example on their homepage they put up a box that suggests all sorts of items to look at. And they track that I guess to see if it's helping.
adfarm.mediaplex.com
Maybe you could keep the couple entries causing issues at the top of your file and put the # character in front of them to inactivate them. Then remove it when not on eBay.
I really am curious just how many more ads you'd see without those 2-3 entries. I just cant believe it would be all that many.