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GOL On Advert Blocking, I Don't Hate You, But Please Don't Do It

By - | Views: 31,118
Now and then I do a little post to request that you don't block our adverts, or if you do then we offer you the option to support us without seeing any adverts and gain extra perks in the process!

To get this out the way: I don't hate you if you do.

Adverts pay for our hosting, pay for me to pick up games to video (or to buy Samsai to cast for you) and review for you when a developer won't give out a copy, and for me to generally get-by in day to day life. Time is money after-all and having a family time is short.

We also have GOL Premium, for $25 USD (£14.84 GBP/18.24EUR) a year or $15 (£8.90/10.93EUR) every 6 months.
In future I will also be implementing an ability for GOL Premium users to get a handy email when a game they want goes on Sale, it's half-done right now and I expect to finish it by the end of the month, GOL Premium users can already add it to their wishlist and track them that way, emails are to come soon!

Without adverts & GOL premium I wouldn't have been able to do this for as long as I have. I would never want to hide our content behind a forced "pay-wall" (as in you have to pay to see 2/3rds of every article or something like that) and never plan to. I don't see that as a way of getting rid of adverts and donations alone don't cut it sadly.

We are still to the best of my knowledge the most active Linux-focused gaming site around. It's not just that though, any developer has the ability to write about their own game and have it published here or to publish their thoughts on something related to Linux gaming, or even for regular gamers to write about games they are interested in to have it published here. We are an open platform and always will be which is why I think we work so well.

We never have and never will use popup adverts of any kind, we don't use noisy video adverts, we don't put an advert in the way of any content either. I spoke to another major Linux-focused website about the pop-over ads they use and that person told me the revenue from those is many multiples that of our adsense, but I still won't use it as they annoy even me. I've been approached many times for pop-under tab adverts and I show them where the door is as well to not annoy our readers.

If too many people block our adverts in future and the amount of people subscribing to GOL Premium stops/slows (currently we are doing o-k) then in future I may have to re-consider how much time I spend researching games for the site and maybe one day stop the site altogether, but currently that won't happen anytime soon don't worry!

I feel the same way as this guy: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/8854-The-Adblock-Episode, if you do block our adverts, don't be a dick about it.

In our tests over May 2014 58% of people blocked our adverts, that's a bit upsettingly high, but I will have to find a way to ignore it or else I will get annoyed and not post as much news and I don't want that to happen.

I still have a lot to learn about "internet life" and I make mistakes here and there, but I am always working for you to make Linux gaming better for everyone. I do it because I do enjoy it, not because I feel I have to and don't want to ever give it up.

Now give me all of your monies.

Finally: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, GOL and a big thank you to the many contributors we have. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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72 comments
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duky Jun 3, 2014
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: n30p1r4t3P.S. I think it would be good if you published your monthly financial reports so that we KNOW where all the money is going rather than assuming it's just buying you another 6-pack for example.
I don't agree with that at all, people donate/pay for gol premium on the basis that it's to keep GOL going, it's my choice to use it on whatever I need to make that happen. It's income for me plain and simple.
Indeed I'm using ADB but I paid a little to GOL to keep see it running.

It really deserves it.
fedso Jun 3, 2014
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  • Supporter
Quoting: tigerYou should think why google is showing you such adverts before blaming GOL!
https://www.google.com/settings/ads/
Setting your interests actually works great, unfortunately only Google offer this service as far as I know so I tend to block other advertisement services that instead push annoying ads most of the time, in the hope that "good advertisement" becomes more popular.

About the ads in GoL, I personally don't like the "no ads subscription" way, there is too much bad feeling about ads and tracking and "no ads subscription" sounds like an advertisement itself and I'd need to be tracked (to always login) to make it work, it just sounds wrong. And it doesn't really work (see phoronix).
I think I would feel easier to donate for targeted fundraising instead, like Wikipedia does. Fundraising to reach a specific objective (example: hypothetical $1000 to pay annual server costs) feels better than paying for something vague that doesn't have a clear value as it's easier to feel involved and it is more transparent.
Referral for games would be great since I usually buy games after visiting GoL but I don't know if it's possible.
Finally I really don't like Paypal. Other options, even buying games, hardware or amazon gift cards would be much better for me.
GoCorinthians Jun 3, 2014
oK. Every day i visit some sites, and those including GOL are worthy seeing Ads. So counting me in!
Liam Dawe Jun 3, 2014
We are trying to boost our Premium features other than just no-adverts, but I haven't been able to come up with too many ideas just yet.

Fundraising like I've stated previously isn't something a service like GOL should/can do now, we aren't a charity and there isn't a set target which is part of the reason why GOL Premium is a subscription service and not a permanent buy-once deal.

I feel like I am repeating myself on that...

A hardware wishlist is probably a good idea since I need a work laptop (unless someone fancies donating a laptop) and a microphone since that broke.
stss Jun 3, 2014
Already had it off.

I like to disable it for sites that I visit a lot which don't have obtrusive ads.
Maquis196 Jun 3, 2014
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  • Supporter Plus
From what I can tell from this discussion - it would be impossible to make everyone happy.

You've certainly taken over the mantle from Linuxgames.com (which has been fairly quiet for last 2/3yrs now tbh), so I'm happy to chip in and view adverts.

Keep up the good work!
pd12 Jun 4, 2014
Didn't read through all the pages but you might want to tell people in your article that a simple filter rule line like:
@@|http://www.gamingonlinux.com
Will white-list a site. I put the rule under the group "support websites with ads". I won't disable ABP because some websites have the horriblest ads =P
M7S Jun 4, 2014
Where is the option to donate bitcoins?

I am using adblock and will continue to do so, but I am prepared to donate if you add the option to do so with internet money instead of Visa. I just want to donate without having to sign up to something.
techheadz Jun 4, 2014
I understand where GamingOnLinux is coming from. It takes a lot of time and dedication to keep adding articles to the site. It's always nice to get some sorts of financial rewards, it keeps the site going, it gives the webmaster a purpose.

I used to run www.techheadz.co.uk, I ran the site for about 6 years. The site became quite successful. I devoted a lot of time and effort. I did the site because I wanted to give something back. I didn't make any money out of it.

One day I just dropped off Google and I lost 3/4 of my unique visitors overnight. Then on top of this my site got hacked. I looked at the time I was spending and just thought what was the point. Google and the hacker had kicked me in the teeth, so I decided to pull the site. I was sad that I had to pull it.

Resources like GamingOnLinux are important to us Linux users, so any financial help to keep it going is important. Without this site I wouldn't be able to keep up with the latest gaming news.
Teal Jun 4, 2014
Well, this made me go and throw the $25 at you on paypal, I hope I get my account thingy bumped up soon :p
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