Re : An Appeal From Tim Higgins

[thelonelycoder]

The default whitelist in AB-Solution contains these entries. During a new install, I prompt to acknowledge this and ask the user not to remove them.
In AB-Solution 3.x the comments are missing but they are the same domains as the upcoming AB-Solution 4 will auto-whitelist:

vma.tgdaily.net # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
tgdaily.net # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
vma.tgdaily.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
tgdaily.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
assets.omidoo.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
z-na.amazon-adsystem.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
servedby.flashtalking.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
flashtalking.com # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com
ad2.netshelter.net # whitelisted for smallnetbuilder.com

With these whitelisted, there are only two remaining blocked domains for SNB sites:

pagead2.googlesyndication.com
www.google-analytics.com

Tim, you will understand that these two would defeat about 90% of what AB-Solution is supposed to do.
Also, AB-Solution is unable to distinguish the origin of the request, meaning one cannot whitelist the remaining two blocked for both SNB sites only.

 

[thiggins]

If you turn off any router-based ad blocker, and access the site using a web browser-based blocker, it should give you the list of things it blocks. You can then whitelist those entries in your usual blocking solution.

If your ad blocker doesnt' provide a list, you can use your browser's web development tools to see everything that's in a page load.

Using FF's Developer tools, Network view shows soooo many servers you need to block if that's what your blocker needs you to do.

 

[netware5]

I confirm that the annoying message disappeared after I whitelisted www.snbforums.com both in Firefox's tracking protection and uBlock Origin.

So the solution for Firefox+uBlock Origin is:
1. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in uBlock Origin
2. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in Firefox's tracking protection.

No need to whitelist any other sites/ad domains!

 

[thiggins]

Tim, you will understand that these two would defeat about 90% of what AB-Solution is supposed to do.

Yes, I do. And do you understand that without revenue SNBForums can't continue.

SNBForums has NEVER self funded. It has been funded mostly by revenue from SmallNetBuilder. That revenue has declined to the point where neither site may be able to continue for very much longer.

Google, Facebook and Amazon have sucked most the air out of the room for small sites like mine. AdBlockers are pulling the rest of it out.

Blocking google analytics adds insult to injury, since ad rates depend on traffic volume.

 

[thiggins]

I confirm that the annoying message disappeared after I removed Firefox's tracking protection.
So the solution for Firefox+uBlock Origin is:
1. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in uBlock Origin
2. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in Firefox's tracking protection.

No need to whitelist any other sites/ad domains!

Thanks for posting the tip and thanks for adding us to your whitelist.

 

[RMerlin]

I confirm that the annoying message disappeared after I whitelisted www.snbforums.com both in Firefox's tracking protection and uBlock Origin.

So the solution for Firefox+uBlock Origin is:
1. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in uBlock Origin
2. Whitelist the www.snbforums.com only in Firefox's tracking protection.

No need to whitelist any other sites/ad domains!

I suspect that browser-based blocker are intelligent enough so if you whitelist www.snbforums.com, it will automatically whitelist any ads providers tied to that site but only while on that site. That solution wouldn't work unfortunately for a centralized blocking solution like AB-Solution, which has no access to the "context" of a query.

This is one advantage of using a browser-based blocker - finer control of the rules.

 

[RMerlin]

Tim, I know you have turned down that suggestion in the past, but just for the sake of it, I will repeat it here: if you were willing to open the door to some form of paid subscriptions, I suspect that many of the regulars here would be willing to pitch in. I'd even be ready to pitch in some of the donations I get from Asuswrt-Merlin. I'd rather send them to you than spend them on running my own forums if you were to eventually need to close things down due to lack of financing.

Look at it as a subscription model rather than a tips jar/begging model, if you prefer

(edited to add bit about worst-case scenario)

 

[thiggins]

Thanks Tim. Apart from this one address are there any others that you would prefer us to whitelist (hosts-based blocking is fairly crude)?

Unblocking Amazon's servers so their ads are shown would be the most helpful.
I see the following in a pageload that shows the "Buy From Amazon" box. Not sure if all need to be added:
aax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com
z-na.amazon-adsystem.com
wms-na.assoc-amazon.com
fls-na.amazon-adsystem.com
images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com
ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com

 

[netware5]

I suspect that browser-based blocker are intelligent enough so if you whitelist www.snbforums.com, it will automatically whitelist any ads providers tied to that site but only while on that site. That solution wouldn't work unfortunately for a centralized blocking solution like AB-Solution, which has no access to the "context" of a query.

This is one advantage of using a browser-based blocker - finer control of the rules.

Whitelisting in the browser-based blocker only does not help (see my first post in this thread). It should be whitelisting in BOTH browser-based blocker and in browser's tracking protection.

 

[RMerlin]

Whitelisting in the browser-based blocker only does not help (see my first post in this thread). It should be whitelisting in BOTH browser-based blocker and in browser's tracking protection.

That might be specific to Firefox because I didn't have to whitelist anywhere else in Chrome. Is Firefox's tracking blocker more complex than the usual Do Not Track flag?

 

[thelonelycoder]

Unblocking Amazon's servers so their ads are shown would be the most helpful.
I see the following in a pageload that shows the "Buy From Amazon" box. Not sure if all need to be added:
aax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com
z-na.amazon-adsystem.com
wms-na.assoc-amazon.com
fls-na.amazon-adsystem.com
images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com
ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com

I have no problem to add these to the default AB-Solution whitelist. But it would only come into effect for new installs or if users manually add them.

 

[thiggins]

Tim, I know you have turned down that suggestion in the past, but just for the sake of it, I will repeat it here: if you were willing to open the door to some form of paid subscriptions, I suspect that many of the regulars here would be willing to pitch in. I'd even be ready to pitch in some of the donations I get from Asuswrt-Merlin. I'd rather send them to you than spend them on running my own forums if you were to eventually need to close things down due to lack of financing.

Look at it as a subscription model rather than a tips jar/begging model, if you prefer

I very much appreciate the offer of sharing your donations, Eric. But I would never take away from what I'm sure is a pretty meager, although well-meaning revenue stream.

I've looked at sites using Patreon, for example and they are getting squat. Any site that isn't doing hundreds of thousands of uniques a day that tries to put up a paywall will be taking it down in short order because enough people won't sign up.

Yes, a few SNBForums regulars may be willing to throw a few bucks into the hat. But I'd bet the total in any given month wouldn't even come anywhere near covering my serving costs. And don't forget the ancillary services that need to be employed today for any site hoping to survive the DDOSes, constant doorknob rattling and overwhelming tide o' spam that hit my servers every day.

All I'm asking is that people let ads be displayed and to let Google Analytics reflect my true traffic level.

 

[thiggins]

That might be specific to Firefox because I didn't have to whitelist anywhere else in Chrome. Is Firefox's tracking blocker more complex than the usual Do Not Track flag?

Not that I can see. All I do is turn it on and off with the little shield icon in the address/search box. With tracking block disabled, the message goes away.

 

[netware5]

That might be specific to Firefox because I didn't have to whitelist anywhere else in Chrome. Is Firefox's tracking blocker more complex than the usual Do Not Track flag?

These are the available options in Firefox and my current settings (www.snbforums.com is listed under "exceptions" button, no image provided here):

 

[punkinduster]

Not that I can see. All I do is turn it on and off with the little shield icon in the address/search box. With tracking block disabled, the message goes away.

This works great if you are not using a router ad blocker. The way I got mine to honor your request of allowing your ads as well as tracking is to do as you state above and also temporarily change the DNS address on this one computer to say something like 8.8.8.8 instead of the router's address, which effectively bypasses the router's ad blocker, and then when finished on your site to put it back to the routers address to resume normal blocking. I'm sure someone could write a script to do this for us.

 

[coxhaus]

I am not blocking any of your Ads. Let them flow. They do not bother me. They seem fast enough.

The only thing I am blocking is rogue DNS.

 

[RMerlin]

I've looked at sites using Patreon, for example and they are getting squat. Any site that isn't doing hundreds of thousands of uniques a day that tries to put up a paywall will be taking it down in short order because enough people won't sign up.

I wasn't thinking about a paywall (because I agree that this would do more harm than anything on a small site like yours), more like a simple subscription that would give a different forum rank. That forum rank could either allow hiding the ads (as an incentive to pay), or just allow a vanity shield on their profile. Depends on what the forum platform could support.

Yes, a few SNBForums regulars may be willing to throw a few bucks into the hat. But I'd bet the total in any given month wouldn't even come anywhere near covering my serving costs.

But that would add to the ads revenue, since I wasn't suggesting replacing ads by this, but rather have them as an additional source of income. Maybe it still won't be enough, but if it would make the difference between continuing or closing down the forums to keep only the news site running, I think it would be worth considering.

We'll see what the request for users to whitelist the forums will bring. For myself I know that I haven't whitelisted it on all my computers yet, only on my main desktop. I'll take care of the laptop next time I spend some time on it.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Unblocking Amazon's servers so their ads are shown would be the most helpful.....

Thanks Tim. I've been monitoring what Amazon stuff is blocked via SNB on my PC. My list will be a bit different because I'm in the UK. Here's my current whitelist:

pagead2.googlesyndication.com
aax-eu.amazon-adsystem.com
aax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com
fls-na.amazon-adsystem.com
ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com
ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com
wms-eu.amazon-adsystem.com
ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com
ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com
z-na.amazon-adsystem.com

Pinging @thelonelycoder in case this list is useful to him.

 

[degrub]

Tim, Using Opera 52.0.2871.37 with the site whitelisted. Still seeing the message. any ideas ?

 

[thiggins]

My list will be a bit different because I'm in the UK.

Thanks for the info. Yes, the Amazon URLs will be different for UK and I think Canada, since Amazon customizes results for those two areas.