9 replies to this topic

[P.McGinley]

The official Skype blog announced today that it will be putting "Conversation Ads" inside the window of free Skype-to-Skype audio calls on Windows PCs. The ads will only appear for users who don't have a subscription or Skype credit.

Skype is attempting to spin the news as a positive for users, saying that the ads "could spark additional topics of conversation that are relevant to Skype users and highlight unique and local brand experiences."

[Frylock86]

Welp, Skype is shit list (Like it wasn't before).

[FalseAgent]

shall stick to oovoo then.

[hb860]

It's time to look at something else. I guess I have to start with oovoo.

[ThunderROM]

Why don't people use Google Hangout?

[fediaFedia]

Yes, how dare they put ads on their free service used by millions. After all, developing software, providing server maintenance and bandwidth costs nothing to them.

[Frylock86]

Yes, how dare they put ads on their free service used by millions. After all, developing software, providing server maintenance and bandwidth costs nothing to them.

It's not just that. There's a lot to say about advertising, but ads have a history of starting off innocent, but end up becoming intrusive and obstructive. Take a look at a typical webpage with AdBlock turned off, especially one running Google's ad network. You have ads all over that it becomes intrusive to user's browsing experience. It didn't used to be that way, but slowly, over time, they've crept up on us.

Now, they're placing ads in our software. Software many live or die by, that to me is unacceptable. I don't need ads junking up my desktop UX. I know developers need to eat too, but in software advertising isn't the way to go. I don't trust ad networks, I don't want to be tracked, or cataloged. I don't know what that little ad is doing behind the scenes, or what kind of data it's sending back home. We have a word for that in the business, that's called adware, and adware is generally frowned upon nowadays.

I installed Skype to talk to people, not be followed around by a sleazy used car salesman.

[fediaFedia]

Yes, how dare they put ads on their free service used by millions. After all, developing software, providing server maintenance and bandwidth costs nothing to them.

It's not just that. There's a lot to say about advertising, but ads have a history of starting off innocent, but end up becoming intrusive and obstructive. Take a look at a typical webpage with AdBlock turned off, especially one running Google's ad network. You have ads all over that it becomes intrusive to user's browsing experience. It didn't used to be that way, but slowly, over time, they've crept up on us.

Now, they're placing ads in our software. Software many live or die by, that to me is unacceptable. I don't need ads junking up my desktop UX. I know developers need to eat too, but in software advertising isn't the way to go. I don't trust ad networks, I don't want to be tracked, or cataloged. I don't know what that little ad is doing behind the scenes, or what kind of data it's sending back home. We have a word for that in the business, that's called adware, and adware is generally frowned upon nowadays.

I installed Skype to talk to people, not be followed around by a sleazy used car salesman.

Leela: Didn't you have ads in the 21st century?
Fry: Well sure, but not in our dreams. Only on TV and radio, and in magazines, and movies, and at ball games... and on buses and milk cartons and t-shirts, and bananas and written on the sky. But not in dreams, no siree.

In a world dominated by advertisement, you think it's abnormal for the internet to have ads too? There were ads in software ever since the beginning of the internet and they hadn't become any more intrusive than they are now (think toolbars). Skype is a web based service. It's not winrar. If you hate ads so much, why don't you pay for the service then? I have a small amount of skype credit so this change doesn't affect me, but even if it did, I wouldn't make a tragedy of it. This is a small price to pay for this service to continue existing. Hell, even winmatrix probably wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Google ads. As for ad networks, well, I can only say this - make sure to fasten that tinfoil hat on your head, so it doesn't accidentally fall off.

[pcHuntqwerty]

Yes, how dare they put ads on their free service used by millions. After all, developing software, providing server maintenance and bandwidth costs nothing to them.

+1

[Borix]

Leave it to MS to mess up good sotware