Please stop the evil VigLink ads

Post by **weber** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 04:41

I will not be posting to this forum again, until someone stops these evil advertising links from being added to my (and everyone else's) posts without our permission.

This is a clear violation of AEVA forum policy and of my rights as an author.

7circle wrote: Yeahy... Looks fixed. Thanks for update Andrew.

But clivk-bait VIGLINK embedded url links seem to be appearing like weeds.

See release notes :https://www.webwiz.co.uk/web-wiz-forums ... -notes.htm

Version 10 beta 1 (13th May 2011)
"265. admin_ads_settings.asp - new file for adding Ad Code including VigLink"

So the upgrade may have re-enabled these sneaky thistles.

Version 11.01 (10th September 2014)
1. includes/version_inc.asp - updated version number
2. setup_db.asp - added additional security
3. admin_skin_configure.asp - updated skin options
4. includes/setup_options_inc.asp - added new setup options
5. includes/global_variables_inc.asp - updated to support new setup options
6. includes/quick_reply_form_inc.asp - fixed badly formatted HTML
7. admin_ads_settings.asp - updated to add option to disable VigLink
8. forum_posts.asp - updated to allow disabling of VigLink Ads
9. pm_message.asp - updated to allow disabling of VigLink Ads
But they 11.01 appears to have admin tools to disable these weed click baits.
Hopefully it is simple check box to disable.

Maybe this issue needs a new thread.

7c

[Edit: Changed "my permission" to "our permission".]

Post by **7circle** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 04:58

They just are added on the fly by the server to words that may be tempting as bait for advertising.

They don't live in the post structure.

So I hope you continue to post Mr Weber, I hear your protest but you wont have to weed out your posts as they vanish like mirages when viewed in quotes or edits.

But please, click the Admin disable function Mr Admin Meastro.

Stop the adverts riding the AVEA.org surf wave.

Post by **weber** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 05:11

Hi 7circle,

It's irrelevant how it is implemented. It's the effect on my readers that matters. They now can't tell whether a link is a useful one that I have added or a evil one that will just waste their time. And someone is making money off my work, without my permission, by annoying my readers.

So no more posts except, like these, to encourage removal of this scourge.

And what happened to the idea of moving to different forum software?

Post by **weber** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 15:06

These VigLinks are evil because they turn me and every other poster to the AEVA forums into a spammer, against our will, and with no benefit to us.

Post by **Adverse Effects** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 16:02

you want to know something interesting

i use a very old version of firefox and the VigLinks/adwords dont show up in it

but opening up the same post on one of my other computers with almost up to date firefox they show up

XP + FF Ver 21 = no VigLinks

win 7 + FF Ver 30 = get VigLinks

Post by **Johny** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 16:04

I use Chrome and haven't seen any Ads???

Post by **Andrew** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 18:34

I have found the option to disable VigLinks on these forums. I hope this simple tick box removes them. Please post in here if the they appear in future.

Post by **weber** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 18:58

Andrew wrote: I have found the option to disable VigLinks on these forums. I hope this simple tick box removes them. Please post in here if the they appear in future.

Thanks Andrew.

Post by **Johny** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 19:00

Ah. I just realized why I haven't seen the Ads. Our company network has Facebook blocked. It may block other stuff but when I tried Firefox it told me about why it couldn't display the Viglink stuff - Facebook.

Post by **4Springs** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 20:52

Johny wrote: I use Chrome and haven't seen any Ads???

I also haven't seen any ads. Firefox 32.0.3 on Puppy Linux 5.7.1.

Post by **Adverse Effects** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 21:42

4Springs wrote:
Johny wrote: I use Chrome and haven't seen any Ads???
I also haven't seen any ads. Firefox 32.0.3 on Puppy Linux 5.7.1.

hmm then it may be a function of "windows" showing them not the Ver of FF

Post by **Adverse Effects** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 21:46

VigLink Raises $18M More To Help Publishers Make Money From Affiliate Links

and its that sort of thing that makes me hate the net at times

Post by **7circle** » Thu, 09 Oct 2014, 22:58

Thanks Andrew

I found the links on target words would only appear infrequently.
Win7ult with chrome.
I'll keep an eye out, as always, for the unwarranted.

Post by **poprock** » Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 01:06

No problem with viglink on this forum using 5yr old windows, but like everyone, major issues on DIYEV. Member 4yrs will not recognize password or user name. 3 new passwords still no joy. A lesson 4 all
" if it aint broke dont fix it"

Post by **weber** » Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 01:16

I hope that everyone who says they didn't see them, understands that they are visually quite subtle. All that happens is that some words in your post turn blue and get underlined, indicating they are links. Unless you wrote it you would assume the author put them there. But if you click on one they take you to a commercial website trying to sell you something related to that word.

Eventually it would become pointless to include real informational links in our posts because no one would click on them for fear of being VigLinked.

But fortunately Andrew seems to have got rid of them. It's evil of the WebWiz developers to make them default to ON.