Skimwords Advertising

[Pandabean]

I was reading through the following thread and I noticed a few of the words were highlighted as a link:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/sho...t=17441&page=3

They seem to be advertising links, I guess done by some forum software, however I haven't noticed them in recent posts but some of the links seem to be irrelevant such as post #68 linking to Take That on Amazon

Is this something that was applied to the site in the past and long since forgotten or is it still ongoing?

[Ahjno]

Hang on. I just read something about that in an old announcement. I'll check

EDIT:
Yep, here you go. Can't trace a date on this notice though. Went to that thread, but can't see any highlighted words. Must be my browser ...

You may notice that some words are highlighted and have links to other sites, if you do notice this it is not a virus or anything like it so don't worry about it. We are experimenting with an advertising system to see what it's like. If you're interested in the subject matter then there's no danger following the links.

Cheers
Tony

[southey]

Here it is I think

[southey]

I find them a little annoying, on another site you have to click through the links in a post to find the one someone actually inserted, dont know if they could be set to a different colour to the normal link colour?

[Pandabean]

Thanks, thought it was to do with the forum software. I have seen this type on other sites and to be honest this seems less intrusive. On other sites they are highlighted in bright colours and as soon as you hover over them you get a small pop up.

As I said I haven't seen it on recent postings and this was the first I noticed it from a thread back in 2006/7.

[Toadflax]

Just spotted a couple of links that have appeared in one of my threads (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86018). The words "tanned bridle leather" get a link automatically added that takes you to to an external site that sells leather bags - nothing at all to do with me and perhaps a bit confusing for users who see me selling my own hand made belts, but apparently putting in a link to a commercial site that has nothing to do with me.



Geoff

[ged]

Just spotted a couple of links that have appeared in one of my threads (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86018). The words "tanned bridle leather" get a link automatically added that takes you to to an external site that sells leather bags - nothing at all to do with me and perhaps a bit confusing for users who see me selling my own hand made belts, but apparently putting in a link to a commercial site that has nothing to do with me.

It's made me seriously consider leaving BCUK and I'm not even a maker. I can imagine how you must feel about it.

This method of advertising really sucks. Even though I don't see the links (because I tell my browser not to show them) I find it offensive because I know that posts are being edited by the site owner to do things that the posters almost certainly never intended.

I do hope Tony is reading this.

[Kepis]

Umm, i just turned off my adblocker to have a look and all i see is a huge banner advert for Filo Jackets from Alpkit under the BCUK Logo, not getting the skimwords though.

Adblocker back again now

[Toadflax]

Interesting, as they no longer appear for me...but they were definitely there first thing this morning. You could see them appearing - the post would appear with no link and after a second or so, the blue link would appear on the words "tanned bridle leather", seeming as though skimwords was processing the text on display after it had initially been displayed in the browser. If you hovered the mouse over the link, you got a tool tip (speech bubble) saying that skimwords had added the link.


Geoff

[southey]

were you logged in when they appeared?

[Toadflax]

were you logged in when they appeared?

Yes - I'm always logged in (I set my browser to remember the username and password).


Geoff

[Toadflax]

were you logged in when they appeared?

However, if I log out and look at the post, I do get some double-underlined links in a different colour (though not the ones I saw this morning - they were single-underlined and in the normal link colour). There was a side bar ad for Shreddies, but of a more unsavoury nature, the word "couple" had a link to where you could buy that "raising agent".


Geoff

[southey]

Perhapse there are changes afoot, some of which crossed between the full member\member advertising split thing, BUT i am in no way clued up on it guff so im just guessing

[ged]

... There was a side bar ad for Shreddies, but of a more unsavoury nature, the word "couple" had a link to where you could buy that "raising agent".

Yeah, and just click on a couple of those links to install malicious software on your PC which will capture your banking details.

That's the trouble with handing your Web server on a plate to completely unknown persons who will pay money to use it more or less anonymously for unknown purposes.

IMO it's insane. Ask the people at the Stock Exchange what they think about it.