Ok, I have to vent a little bit here on something that’s been annoying me lately.
Dear Internet,
Please stop using Snap Shots for your links. When I’m moving my mouse cursor over a link, it’s because I want to actually click on the damn thing. I do not want an annoying pop-up preview box that is completely useless to me and too small to actually see anything. What is the preview box for? So that I can admire the general theme and color scheme of the website?
Also, do you know why the CSS tool tips built in most browsers wait until you hover a bit before showing up? It’s to prevent them from ambushing your cursor when it’s trying to go somewhere else!
Internet, people built pop-up blockers for a very good reason and I don’t think it was so we could descend to the level of mini pop-ups that jump out as you’re trying to move your damn mouse!
Regards,
Tae Kim
I can’t believe anyone would voluntarily install this thing on their site. Is there some kind of ad/affiliate revenue generating scheme in there somewhere I’m not aware of?
here here.
Those bug me too.
I second this!
I think it’s an advertisement tool, because it seems to only ever appears on sites that also have ad banners plastered somewhere. Also, the little descriptions that pop up alongside the image(s) often read suspiciously like “sales speak”.
Yeah, they’re annoying.
Also, it it just me, or are the worst offenders often the tech sites that are run by and catered to people who should know better?
Ugh… I was hoping it was just stupidity and not greed. Guess we should call this popup 2.0
Have you ever been to ign.com? No, I’m not advertising them (hate the site). But it’s to show what mini pop-ups + corporate advertisements looks like. You may have seen it before on other sites. In an article, they’ll have links for keywords highlighted, and when your mouse drifts over it (often accidentally) you get a pop-up for some ad. It’s aggravating. I think it may be Javascript-related, and I use a Javascript blocker now. I’m a web designer myself, and I feel your pain.
You know it’s kinda ironic too.. ads are supposed to make you want the product but frankly annoying crap like that turns me far, far away.
The only theory I have is that they’re annoying on purpose, and for two reasons: To get noticed, and to provide an incentive to join their site’s membership. (ie yet more money or more traffic) I think it makes them look terribly greedy. It’s like they’re not there for the reader anymore.
You hit it right on the mark, Ken. That’s certainly ironic.. you’re not the only one who’s noticed ;D
A terrible horrible marketing idea. I use an ad blocker and love every minute of it.
I’m right there with ya, Tae. Death to in-context ads!
Seriously it’s like a giant arms race but for ads. Now I know it’s just for the money and that nobody is crazy enough to install it thinking it actually adds anything valuable to the site.