Adverts Issues

[James40]

Well here I am again complaining once more on these STUPID adverts down the side of the screen.

 

I've just switched over to Google Chrome as my web browser and the problem that rears it's ugly head when using an iPhone has now done the same with Google Chrome, the adverts cover the text of the thread.

 

This has been brought up time and time again yet nothing is done about the site platform.

The digital archives have all been changes even though there wasn't anything wrong with the old system yet this issue has been ignored.

 

Please give us the ability to switch off the adverts (as every other internet forum does) or just fix the problem.

 

I don't want to stop using this site but I find this site is just irritating to try and read now and find myself surfing the other RC forums instead.  

 

So, once again, can we fix the issue please? 

[ken anderson.]

hello james......i use XP/IE 8....i tried google chrome and had prob's with it changing the display properties of my PC.......maybe it's altered your setting's to what it want's and that is the prob......i didn't like it and reverted back to the older version of google....

 

 ken anderson   ne..1.

[Stephen Grigg]

Hi James I have to say I dont have this problem.But I did down load Google Chrome and it wrecked my computer.It took for ever to switch on and load and just did not work.Im no computer person in any way but I did manage to delete most of it although some of it refuses to go away like google earth ,but my computer has recovered enough to be used.I can no longer switch my computer off,only leave it on Standby otherwise it takes about 20 minutes ti load now,but I manage to get round that  as Ive said.

[John Privett]

I rarely use Chrome,  but have a copy on the PC.  I'm using it right now - just out of curiosity - and can't see any issue with the adverts covering any text.  It renders just the same as it does in Firefox which I usually use.  This site does have other issues though on Chrome (eg. displaying the "Insert Emoticons" box partially/wholly off the screen if you're scrolled down!) 

 

I'm not sure about  "every other internet forum" allowing you to switch the ads off.  Certainly none of the ones I use let you do that - they usually rely on the ads for funding.

[flytilbroke]

Mainly I use IE, I have tried Google Chrome and find it usefull for some things. It does not have your problem when I use it.

[Peter Beeney]

   James,
   I’m sure you must be referring to the The January 2011 Issue thread. It’s also occurred using Firefox, and I’ve also just checked, the same in Safari too.

 

   So is it always a browser problem?

   If I really want to read the posts, I simply copy the thread and paste into a Page, (for Mac), it’s only the text that copies, which is convenient. It’s not the same as reading the thread, of course, but at least I can read the text clearly. You may already do this, in which case apologies.

   This only takes a couple of seconds, and I’ve always got a Page open that I’m using anyway.

   Difficult to see what actually caused it to happen in that thread, it didn't appear to contain any long links.

   PB   

             

[Tim Hooper]

Posted by Peter Beeney on 19/12/2010 18:18:21:

   James,
   I’m sure you must be referring to the The January 2011 Issue thread. It’s also occurred using Firefox,......

 

 

Same here (using Firefox), but only on the second page of the thread.

 

tim

[James40]

I like Google Chrome, it's a useful tool and a very good browser, it's not just the one thread that I have trouble with (RCM&E Jan 2011 Issue) it happens on several threads and all the time when using the iPhone.

 

Like I said, I like this forum but there are others out there that don't have any issues.

 

I just don't understand why the site manager refuses to remedy what is a VERY simple problem?  

Just give us access to our personal settings so we can turn off the right hand column. 

Edited By James40 on 19/12/2010 18:43:08

[Peter Beeney]

   Tim,
         Yes, indeed, but I think it only ever happens one page at the time.

   I’ve been guilty of causing it in the past, then I was told by the main man at MacUser that the site might not always be able to always cope with a normal word processor. So now I make sure that I always use Plain Text, and it’s never happened since.

   However, having said that, I shall now most likely seriously drop off tomorrow...     … and stuff about three threads!

   PB      

                          

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi James,

 

I've had a look - but can't see an obvious cause for the problem. It is not a browser issue as it affects everyone looking at that page - and it is only effecting one page (ie page two of the Jan 2011 thread)

 

Usually this is caused by someone using an "overlong" line in a post - like a URL - with no spaces. But I can't see one.

 

I'll PM David and ask him to have a look in the morning - he might be able to spot the problem.

 

BEB

[John Privett]

BEB - I've spotted the problem.

 

At the end of IanN's post at 19/12/2010 16:51:02,  between his text that finishes with "and I always look forwards to them" and the line "Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 19/12/2010 23:56:22" there's a line of a huge number of 'non-breaking spaces' that are causing the problem. 

 

Who knows where they've come from - possibly something you've inadvertently added (or left over?) from whatever edit you made?

 

I've said it before,  and I'll say it again,  it's CRAZY that this is still allowed to happen.

If long unbroken strings prevent posts from displaying properly then there should be some validation to prevent them from either being entered, or alternatively some code to break them up before being displayed.

[Steve W-O]

It is very easy to set up a forum, but who would use it?

 

People come here, for whatever reason, and as long as they do, what reason is there to change anything?

 

The adverts are the reason for the poor forum software, as the software allows them to be displayed as wanted. If there was no adverts, there is a lot of free forum software available that is excellent.

 

I have not seen a f0rum run by a commercial concern that allows adverts to be switched off, in fact some are a lot more annoying than here.

 

Personally I doubt the value of advertising all down the page, as many readers of the forum would have seen the adverts in the magazine, or would do a search if they were looking for something, as it seems that people believe that advertising costs are built into prices, so they will search before buying. The premium space is the banner at the top of the page , where you see it once, but it doesn't cause annoyance. I think that annoyance may do the advertiser more harm than good with many people, judging by past comments.

 

But the point still so that as long as people visit the site, the adverts will remain, and the advertisers will continue advertising, in case they lose out by not doing so.

 

Yes, they annoy me, I would rather have the full page width to read the posts, but I will remain annoyed and continue to use the forum, as the group of people on the forum cover my interests more roundly than other forums.

 

But it would be nice if subscribers (who have already had the adverts available in the magazine) were not forced to see them again

[IanN]

Posted by John Privett on 20/12/2010 00:23:14:

BEB - I've spotted the problem.

 

At the end of IanN's post at 19/12/2010 16:51:02,  between his text that finishes with "and I always look forwards to them" and the line "Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 19/12/2010 23:56:22" there's a line of a huge number of 'non-breaking spaces' that are causing the problem. 

 

Who knows where they've come from - possibly something you've inadvertently added (or left over?) from whatever edit you made?

 

 

 If it helps I did notice the screen behaving very oddly when I made that post. 

 

What happened was (a)every time I entered a new word (ie after having used the space bar) the word was appearing on its own, one line below the rest of the sentence (b)then when I hit the space bar, that word would jump up to its correct place in the line, and the next one typed would then appear one line down.

 

Very odd indeed and no idea at all why it was happening, but was definitely most unusual

[Ian Jones]

I have come across some iritating cursor behaviour with it appearing on the wrong line to the line that is actually being edited no matter how many carraige returns have been entered, that sort of thing. That's probably a different issue that some people seem to be having with the general layout rather individual posts though.

 

On my Xp machine I can use Opera, Firefox, Chrome & even IE and get the same layout with no overlapping. Considering the number of users to this site it's surprising that more people are not complaining which leads me to wonder if there is some local issue.

 

It might be worth trying resetting the browser to default settings, checking that Javascript versions are up to date and enabled. Just a few thoughts that may (I hope) help.

 

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi,

 

the problem was exactly as John suggested - long line of "invisible" spaces in Ian's post. On the Mod's interface we can view the html source of a post and they're visible there. And no - not guilty I didn't put them there!

 

So it was a site issue, not a browser or user set up issue.

 

Anyway, its fixed now and David is raising the matter again with the Tech Guys. And I've learnt a bit more about the forum software so hopefully will be able to spot that issue quicker in future!

 

BEB

[Ian Jones]

Oh great, glad that's sorted.

[John Privett]

Posted by IanN on 20/12/2010 09:58:19:

 

What happened was (a)every time I entered a new word (ie after having used the space bar) the word was appearing on its own, one line below the rest of the sentence (b)then when I hit the space bar, that word would jump up to its correct place in the line, and the next one typed would then appear one line down.

 

Very odd indeed and no idea at all why it was happening, but was definitely most unusual

 

Curious,  and interesting!  And entirely consistent with the long line of non-breaking spaces (well over 100 of them!) being at the very end of your post as you were typing it.  That would "pull" the new word down to a new line and release it to float back to the previous line when a "real" space was entered after the word. 

 

As to where they came from?...   Did you copy and paste any content into your post Ian?  (Even if you then changed your mind and deleted it.)  Or was it entirely typed by hand?

 

Other forums (with adverts) use standard forum software (eg. SMF) in conjunction with other packages and seem to have fewer issues.

 

 

[IanN]

I certainly started off typing by hand -  not copying into the post

 

Can't say 100% for sure but from my recollection its quite probable that, having started to experience the "oddities" , at some point I then copied what I had already typed and pasted that back in, in an attempt to get rid of the gremlins.

 

Does that help? I'm not good at net/tech stuff 

[John Privett]

Hmm,  not really any clues that I can see there Ian... 

 

I was just wondering if you had, for instance, copied and pasted some text from somewhere then the extra "hidden" spaces might have been accidentally picked up from there.  But you say you only copied/pasted after you'd noticed the problems.

 

I think this one will remain a mystery for now!

[David Ashby - Moderator]

It was certainly unusual Ian. The problem normally occurs when folks paste long links into a thread. Sounds like some strange html got in there and you should know not to talk to strange html

[Barrie Dav 2]

I'm surprised that in spite of forumites complaining in the past about distracting flashing adverts to the side of the main forum pages, RCM&E amongst others have a set of these damn things merrily chugging away. I seem to remember someone giving advice upon killing the movement but I can't trace it. Help..................

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 27/12/2012 09:12:35

[Ultymate]

How do you think RCME makes a living ? Couldn't be advertising could it ?

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 27/12/2012 09:12:50

[Barrie Dav 2]

No need for sarcasm Ulty. I do live in the real world too.

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 27/12/2012 09:13:07

[Wingman]

Press the 'esc' key to stop the flashing.

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 27/12/2012 09:13:20

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Posts moved to existing thread.