[Eternal Student (OP)]

Hi.

Is something changing?
    When I logged on I was asked to make a cookie selection.
    Any chance whoever is adjusting the website will also switch  LaTeX support back on for use in the forum posts?

Test run:    This is supposed to be the sum of n terms in a geometric progression:

 and this is the formula for free beer:


   That's just a load of numbers for some gif image that never gets created isn't it?   Probably no great loss.

Best Wishes.

[Halc]

This is supposed to be the sum of n terms in a geometric progression:

Ah, getting tex to work again. We seem to have lost that permanently with the changeover to the private server. A science site kind of depends on it, else we're reduced to an offsite formula generator and then screen-shot the output of that.

The greek letters from above the edit box seem to work, but other stuff (the whole bottom line?) don't work.

Why are spades, club, and heart the same color, but diamond is light color? Who thought of that?

[paul cotter]

Yep, me too, on the cookie selection, that is. Never seen that before today. I wanted to select chocolate chip but alas that option does not exist.

[alancalverd]

It's happening on practically all websites and will eventually kill the "free" internet if everyone turns off all the cookies.

[Eternal Student (OP)]

Hi.

It's happening on practically all websites and will eventually kill the "free" internet if everyone turns off all the cookies.

    Yes, if advertisers pay more to have their adverts shown when they also know it has been cross-checked for relevance by analysing the users cookies.   If they just pay per view regardless, then it shouldn't matter.   If it's a pay per click (i.e. only when a user clicks on the advert) - then you're in trouble anyway.

    There may be a market for a new type of browser add-on.   Not one that just deletes cookies,  one that pre-loads the browser cache with cookies of the users choosing.    For example, given that you are going to get adverts of some sort anyway,  you might as well choose to have some views of holiday locations.  So you would want to pre-load your cookie cache to make it look as if you're searching for your next holiday.

Best Wishes.

[alancalverd]

This forum is looking a lot more professional now that I have turned off all the adverts, but some of them were fun!

[Eternal Student (OP)]

Hi.

   You'll notice that no-one has been quick to reply to you @alancalverd.    Presumably because they aren't going to be as quick to disclose the adverts they were exposed to and indicate the profiling that Google ads may have done for them behind the scenes.   We'll assume you had adverts for a new aeroplane.

    None the less,  yes the site actually does look a whole lot better without the excessive adverts.

Best Wishes.

[paul cotter]

I did not realise the ads were individualised. Why was I plagued with ads for shotgun cartridges? I have never owned a gun or been associated in any way with hunting.

[alancalverd]

Sadly, I never received adverts for aeroplanes, musical instruments, or component parts for either. There were a lot of interesting workshop and kitchen tools, amid a baffling plethora of ads for women's clothing. I stopped playing rugby on my 60th birthday so have no need of a sports brassiere and I doubt that they make a 46AAA anyway.

[Zer0]

I did not realise the ads were individualised. Why was I plagued with ads for shotgun cartridges? I have never owned a gun or been associated in any way with hunting.

Because besides the ADs being Targeted based on Browsing profiles, there Exist ADs which are Untargeted based for masses in General.

Websites do have a Basic control on the Genre & Type of ADs.
But it is Limited.

MultiNational TechGiants have Alot more Control over what ADs are Classified as In/Appropriate.

But there are a Stinking Lot of Third Party Vendors who are mostly Consumerist ScumBags who are able to smell out the LoopHoles within the formulated System like a bunch of Mongering Rats who feast on the flesh of the dead.

It is Them who shove in misplaced/displaced ADs to the Innocent without Any consideration of What ill-effect & Damage it might cause, because for em, it's All bout the Money!

Imagine!
CBD Gummies advert on an online Toy Store.
Dating advert on a Pregnancy Web Store.
Diarrhea Prevention Pills advert on a webpage that home delivers Hot Curry.
Lipstick Advert on your Spouse's Death Anniversary.

You think They care?
Stob being Naive!
& Think Again.

(it takes years of silent sacrifices to turn a simple house into a sweet home, n just one, just one cocky misplaced AD to wreck it & bring it down n make it burn)

ps - https://www.ft.com/advertising
(All their Data & Info is Copyrighted, Please Do Not post any of it in here.
Thanks!)

[Zer0]

If Anyone Else is still having second thoughts about ADs...

Before approaching any Website Owner or interrogating Innocent Family members..

Please go thru this.

https://www.propublica.org/article/google-guns-ads-firearms-alphabet-advertising

(from first line to last line, a 15mins read & it's worth it)

ps - BigTech cares about Profits,
Not U!
(Ad(non)Sense)

[Petrochemicals]

I just wish the cookies think would, in the most harsh terms, piss off. The amount of time i spend clicking on cookies buttons is horriffic.  As far as i am concerned the internet is outside the house. Any advertising, any danger, scams, pornography, violence, weapons, social media should be there and if i dont want it i dont go on the sites,  like twitter.

I regularly search for "naked" when i am trying to find  this site in my browser history,  but it usually brings up a film with Marlon Waynes. I havnt got big boy internet so anything with the word gun knife etc is filtered automatically. It can get annoying though.

[alancalverd]

Quote from Zero's "propublica" source: "He compared Google?s approach to a mullet:"

Ah yes, a fish that looks shiny and eats sewage! 

[Zer0]

On second thoughts...

Consumerism is what drives the Market thru the ups & downs of Economy hill.

I view ADs on a daily basis.
(Utube)
But i still am Thankful for the Content.
& I Very Much Appreciate it.


Thou i still fail to understand the Logic...

Utube Premium is paid Subscription.
Free version includes helluva Ads.

Paid up subscribers with deep pockets & purchasing power are perhaps shown no Ads.

Freebies with no pockets are shown All the Ads.
For things which are Expensive n Unaffordable, & things which are Cheap n Unwanted.

Why Advertising Agencies gotta be soo DumB!
: (


ps - a mullet perhaps is of good service to nature due to it's inbuilt characteristics of environmental protection.
<*(garbage(in#manure)out)<<

[alancalverd]

Free version includes helluva Ads.

Paid up subscribers with deep pockets & purchasing power are perhaps shown no Ads.

The object of Youtube is to make money for the owners of Youtube. Cash in hand is usually worth more than future income, so it's quite likely that the premium version makes more money per view than the free one. Certainly lower running costs because you don't have to keep chasing  new advertisers, monitor their hits, argue over fees and invoices, moderate their content.....

[Zer0]

Revenue wise ADs seem to be making more than YT Premium subscriptions.

But yeah, the Objective is to make Money!
more & more of it.

Running & Maintenance costs is a Valid point too.

I don't suppose hiring folks from the Third worlds without any set standards for Minimum Wages pay or Medical Reimbursement benefits or any form of Future Provident funds would be costly or expensive.

& taking into consideration the violence, blood n gore, fetishes some folks have & the type of content which gets posted & not removed by the AI scanning software n ends up online n then the Mods have to view it inorder to delete it...
Some things in life,
are Truly Unforgettable!

(but i do understand your points)

ps - No amount of Pay is worth losing one's own Mind!