Please tell me you will never... Do this....

[Adam Howard]

Skimlinks and VerticalResponse

So they've added adware and spam into the core product. Nice going Internet Brands.

1) Internet Brands decided to rely on a 3rd party product, rather then code something

2) Internet Brands decided we should be paying a 3rd party provider to use the product we already paid for from Internet Brands (vBulletin)

3) Security software does not like their 3rd party service provider (some individuals will get a warning or not even be able to access the 3rd party provider's site).

4) Use of their services (the 3rd party provider) has been blocked by some mail servers and by association, your community could also be blocked or classified as spam.

5) Some of the ads by Skimlinks have been flagged by security software, so using it can also get your site flagged

A job well done Internet Brands.

So I just want to know... That XenForo.... Would never do this to their customers?!

(The quote is from a post I made on vBulletin's Support Site)

 

[Paul B]

Everyone else says monetisation is wonderful

I wouldn't say it is wonderful.

It is however necessary for the long term survival of successful forums.

 

[Peggy]

Everyone else says monetisation is wonderful, I say it isn't.

No one said monetization is wonderful. It is, however, necessary.

 

[Adam Howard]

Having finally upgraded to 4.1.2 and I have learned that you can not send out e-mails without buying into their 3rd party. So there ends my simple news letter updates. I was sure someone had said it was an option, but come to find out its the standard.

I upgraded not because I really wanted to, but to resolve a bug to which was replaced with another bug (don't you just love Internet Brands coding?)

 

[Mark.B]

Having finally upgraded to 4.1.2 and I have learned that you can not send out e-mails without buying into their 3rd party. So there ends my simple news letter updates. I was sure someone had said it was an option, but come to find out its the standard.

I upgraded not because I really wanted to, but to resolve a bug to which was replaced with another bug (don't you just love Internet Brands coding?)

I am sure they have said you can still use the standard system.

 

[kilcher]

Having finally upgraded to 4.1.2 and I have learned that you can not send out e-mails without buying into their 3rd party. So there ends my simple news letter updates.

You might want to look again. You can e-mail users just the same as you always have. AdminCP -> Users -> Send Email to Users.

 

[Adam Howard]

I am sure they have said you can still use the standard system.

I stand corrected. It was not originally where I thought it would be.

 

[Dean]

Indeed. Hidden away in hundreds and hundreds of lines of tiny text. Who reads that?

No one that I know of.

If you have a big banner advising of the adding of affiliates to links, then people will have no problem - even if you don't allow members to opt out.

Then you terrify normal users who don't understand, or don't take the time to understand.

Getting members to understand something can be a bit tough. Have you ever tried to herd cats with a broom?

 

[Grover]

This sort of thing is the REAL reason. people are becoming wise to the fact that most forums now seem to be money making, profit-driven enterprises, and not the community-driven "labours of love" they once were.

Making money/profit out of one's forum can go perfectly hand in hand with our labour of love. In fact, making money can give you as the admin/owner even more motivation/opportunity to put even more love, time and attention in it all...

 

[Spok]

I would be super happy if xenforo adds an autolinker with our choice of what the word/phrase links to.

 

[EQnoble]

Then you terrify normal users who don't understand, or don't take the time to understand.

Getting members to understand something can be a bit tough. Have you ever tried to herd cats with a broom?

Can I add this to my random quote sidebar widget ?

 

[Dean]

Can I add this to my random quote sidebar widget ?

You mean what I typed? Sure.

 

[webroxau]

I thought that skimlinks would be the bringer of all evil when I saw it on vb the first time.

After implementing it and saw after the first month that the running costs of my site were covered for the first time in 5+ years, I think it's great.

Still waiting for the first payment of course ....

 

[Fufu]

Can we NOT integrate 3rd party vendors into xenForo. Lets keep this code bloat free and make this a suggested add-on.

 

[EQnoble]

You don't add anything but a line of code to use it. My logic says if it was to be in the core it would have an option to use it or not since it is obvious that not everyone is going to use it. If you don't have an account it would ignore the line I would assume and it really would add no weight to the load on your server because one line is hardly bloat.

I am not against this or for it , I am just making an inference is all. I tried it out (skimlinks) and added it manually and it took one minute to copy paste and save so like I said either way is fine for me.

 

[Fufu]

i do like your insight. sorry if i took a few snipets.

one line is hardly bloat.

thats how it starts.

took one minute to copy paste

copy and paste, FTW! *let's add that to the FAQ*

 

[EQnoble]

i do like your insight. sorry if i took a few snipets.
thats how it starts.

I hear yah trust me but even if 30 products became available that only needed one line of code to implement... it still would be just about no additional server load if you were not using them . Comparatively there are probably tens of thousands of lines of code that make up the whole of XenForo (I'm guessing there ..I haven't counted...I ran out of fingers) Assuming we only are adding 30 lines of code in that scenario similar to the way skimlinks integrates into webpages I would say by ratio it would not even change the loading times by a fraction of a second.

copy and paste, FTW! *let's add that to the FAQ*

Copy & Paste
It's not a method...it's a way of life.

 

[Kier]

The modular nature of XenForo means that a system like Skimlinks could involve as many of lines of code as you like if it's enabled, but only a single line if it's not enabled.

 

[jmurrayhead]

yes, let's leave the determination of software 'bloat' to the actual software developers...not people who throw it around like some buzz word. please and thanks

 

[Digital Doctor]

I find Skimlinks quite annoying.
I think some people might like it as an addon.

I wonder if it is possible / good idea to have a "Core Addon" category.

• Core Product
• Core Addons (skimlinks, Ignore system, Redirection scripts)
• Addons (CMS, Blog, Gallery)
• 3rd party addons (xfrocks, Jaxel, Onimua, DarkImmortal ... etc.)

The Core Addons would have Support at the level of the Core Product, but wouldn't be mandatory to the Core ... keeping the Core as lightweight as possible.

Just an idea.

 

[mrGTB]

I have to say, the more I think about Skimlinks the less I like it. Skimwords is awful and any site that uses that sort of thing is one I shan't visit again. Skimlinks itself is not intrusive, however, my problem with it is one of neutrailty and trust.

If I click a link, I want to go to that link, or at least if I am redirected I want that redirection to be at the behest of the site I clicked on.

Skimlinks effectively changes the URL I have clicked, without warning me or notifying me. My click has made someone some money without my consent.

Now, you can argue it doesn't matter. But to some people (and I suspect it's a great many peple actually), it does.

Most on here and on vB are saying it doesn't matter. But we're all webmasters. I bet if you asked ordinary people in the street they'd be horrified.

It's an abuse of trust between a site and its members, in effect. Unless you make it plain and clear in big letters all over the site, which I suspect nobody does. (Note: A tiny clause in a huge rules page doesn't count.)

If I see a link on web page - that's the link I expect to go to. Take me somewhere else (even just inserting an affiliate link) without telling me clearly and I shan't be happy.

Mark, you've used Google Adverts on your site already. You ran them for about 2-3 weeks before removing them.

And anyway, where is the best place to add the Skimlink code, I'm reading one saying "page_container_js_body", the other saying "PAGE_CONTAINER". And what about this plug-in Kier mentioned, is that out yet?