Author Topic: Advertising on CWOP  (Read 11537 times)

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Offline Clammer

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Advertising on CWOP
« on: October 14, 2007, 11:27:04 AM »
    Are there other contributors to CWOP that are increasingly getting hostile when reading our stations data and finding more and more advertising on the site?  It wasn't too irritating when it was in black print, but now the color banners are getting to me!  So much so, that I'll probably quit sending my data.

     I like the new software here.  It looks and feels great!

Best regards,

Clammer

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2007, 11:34:39 AM »
Can't say as I'm too keen on them myself.  I thought they seemed to be getting bigger or more noticeable the last several times I checked my page.   :roll:
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Offline capeweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2007, 12:01:54 PM »
Where exactly are you seeing the banners? I've looked all over and couldn't fine one. Even if Russ was advertising it really wouldn't bother me to much because I'm sure a lot of time is invested in maintaining that project. Not only the time but the actual expense of keeping the operation running can't be free. He was having financial issues with CWOP a few years back and even let the community aware of the problem. I'm not sure how much or anything was contributed so this may be one of his solutions to cover expenses.  And I wouldn't blame him for trying....
« Last Edit: October 14, 2007, 12:04:30 PM by capeweather »

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Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2007, 02:44:23 PM »
True, the money has to come from someone's pocket and I'd hate for it to all be out of the guys running the servers and maintaining the user database like Russ.  What would be nice would be if some of the users of the data ie the colleges would chip in something as we the data contributors are already paying with our time and equipment to send data to them and trying to keep it as accurate as possible.

Here's mine with the banners:

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=CW3403
« Last Edit: October 14, 2007, 02:46:24 PM by Mark / Ohio »
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Offline kray1000

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2007, 04:26:02 PM »
It wasn't too irritating when it was in black print, but now the color banners are getting to me!  So much so, that I'll probably quit sending my data.

The ones that get to me are the flashing ones (haven't seen those on CWOP yet, though).  So I've got a couple of index cards taped alongside my monitor I can use to cover them anytime I want!

Offline neondesert

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2007, 04:29:32 PM »
I've only seen TWO banner ads on the CWOP site.  In my opinion they are not that distracting at this point.
Taking some time to click through theses ads/banners wouldn't hurt as that's how they help generate revenue for the site.  ;)
Larry
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Offline saratogaWX

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2007, 04:50:15 PM »
Well, I see three 'Ad zones' on the page Mark.  The top banner (Text ads), the left sidebar bottom (Text ads) and a sneaky banner graphic under the WindRose and above the Station Location/Radar.

Personally, I think 3 Ad locations is a bit excessive as it dilutes the content value of the page, but that's just IMHO.

We'll keep WXForum.net Ad-free and folks who are moved to donate can contribute to the hosting expense by shooting a donation toward capeweather.com .  Donation is NOT required however!!

So, this is another difference between WXForum.net and Ambient.. No Ads ;-)
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Offline ocala

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2007, 05:41:26 PM »
I agree with Chris here. Money has to come from somewhere. There are a lot of contributors of data but probably very few who donate to the cause. If this is what they have to do then so be it. Phillip and Russ spend a lot of their time keeping that project going and anyway they can raise money is ok with me.
Besides, for the most part I only check my page to make sure the the data is current.
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Offline Clammer

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2007, 06:34:48 PM »
    I can remember when Weather Underground charged $7,00 to become a member.  They raised it once and then decided that contributors should be automatic members because they were donating their data!  I totally agree with that premise!  Too bad CWOP can't come to that decision.

Clammer

Offline ocala

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2007, 07:01:13 PM »
Difference being Clammer that Wunderground is an actual for profit company. CWOP is a volunteer organization.
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Offline SLOweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2007, 07:42:12 PM »
Here's mine with the banners:

www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=CW3403

Please note that this is not a CWOP site (www.wxqa.com/), but rather a Findu site, run by an amateur radio operator, Steve Dimse. The weather features are but a subset of his APRS service. (For instance, the location of my non-weather, APRS-equipped truck is here.)

Recently, Steve did have a link at the top of the page requesting donations. The last time we corresponded (over a year ago, I think), he mentioned that Findu was averaging around 500,000 hits a day. I'm not sure I'd want to support out of my pocket the servers and bandwidth that kind of popularity requires.

Offline capeweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2007, 08:54:33 PM »
    I can remember when Weather Underground charged $7,00 to become a member.  They raised it once and then decided that contributors should be automatic members because they were donating their data!  I totally agree with that premise!  Too bad CWOP can't come to that decision.

Clammer

I don't ever remember giving CWOP a dime to contribute my data. Matter of fact, ever since I've been contributing my data to CWOP I've never witnessed a membership fee. The reason wunderground doesn't have the fee anymore is because they make enough on advertising to pay for overhead. CWOP may be doing something simililar but it is on a MUCH smaller scale. If they can make a few bucks on a few banner ads to pay the overhead that is required to keep them afloat I am all for it. If you contribute your data to Wunderground then you may want to consider not contributing to them either since they have a hell of a lot more ads than CWOP.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2007, 09:46:55 AM by capeweather »

Chris
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Offline carterlake

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2007, 09:56:47 PM »
Clammer,

As has been pointed out, CWOP isn't a for-profit organization. The -vast majority- of their data is used in it's raw form by universities, NOAA, and other interested parties.

The findu site is one of those re-publishers of that data (read the main page). Although, I would also classify them as not-for-profit. Clearly, he's not making money off the service and is probably losing money.

I guess I'm scratching my head wondering why you even care... do you think a lot of folks are getting your weather from Findu? I'd never even heard of the site until I joined CWOP.

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Offline SLOweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2007, 10:28:37 PM »

I guess I'm scratching my head wondering why you even care... do you think a lot of folks are getting your weather from Findu? I'd never even heard of the site until I joined CWOP.

And most, if not all, of Findu's outputs are available through documented CGIs here, so, if you really like one of them, you can probably build your own page without the ads. Among others, you can plot your station location on the display with your local NEXRAD:

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/radar-find.cgi?call=KD6DSI

Offline Clammer

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2007, 12:36:59 AM »
      As a member of WU, I don't see any ads on the site.  Do you?

Clammer

Offline carterlake

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2007, 08:04:50 AM »
      As a member of WU, I don't see any ads on the site.  Do you?

WU is a -for profit- website. They have the staff and resources needed to built a membership database and the code to support it.

Findu is one guy... doing things in his spare time (read the news section, it's from 2005).

WU is a true modern website, designed to attract and keep a large audience, I get quite a few refers from WU's Omaha webpage. I've known about them since 2000? 2001?

Findu is one guy... using very basic design to re-display CWOP and APRS data.

In order for Findu to remove ads, he would first have to build a membership database. Then he would have to get folks to sign up for it. Then he'd have to verify that you are you. Then he'd have to build the code to not show ads when you're visiting.

Did I mention that he hasn't gotten around to updating the news section since 2005?

What do you get from your CWOP "membership" then? It's knowing that your data may be used to save lives, not make a dollar.

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Offline Anole

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2007, 09:31:30 AM »
As a member of WU, I don't see any ads on the site. Do you?

What do you get from your CWOP "membership" then? It's knowing that your data may be used to save lives, not make a dollar.

Not to mention quality control.

Offline capeweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2007, 09:45:03 AM »
As a member of WU, I don't see any ads on the site. Do you?

What do you get from your CWOP "membership" then? It's knowing that your data may be used to save lives, not make a dollar.

Not to mention quality control.


Ahh, I forgot about that! The Q/A analysis is well worth sending the data!

Chris
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Offline Clammer

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2007, 01:10:46 PM »
Carterlake must be a politician!  He never answered my question!

Clammer

Offline capeweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2007, 03:06:21 PM »
      As a member of WU, I don't see any ads on the site.  Do you?

WU is a -for profit- website. They have the staff and resources needed to built a membership database and the code to support it.

Findu is one guy... doing things in his spare time (read the news section, it's from 2005).

WU is a true modern website, designed to attract and keep a large audience, I get quite a few refers from WU's Omaha webpage. I've known about them since 2000? 2001?

Findu is one guy... using very basic design to re-display CWOP and APRS data.

In order for Findu to remove ads, he would first have to build a membership database. Then he would have to get folks to sign up for it. Then he'd have to verify that you are you. Then he'd have to build the code to not show ads when you're visiting.

Did I mention that he hasn't gotten around to updating the news section since 2005?

What do you get from your CWOP "membership" then? It's knowing that your data may be used to save lives, not make a dollar.

He did.

Chris
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Offline Anole

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #20 on: October 15, 2007, 03:49:04 PM »
Carterlake must be a politician! He never answered my question!

Clammer

Are you not capable of understanding what's being said here? Can you not understand the difference between WU and Findu even when it's succinctly spelled out for you? Or are you being intentionally obstinate?

Lets' try this again....

WU is a commercial enterprise with one main goal, making money. They make that money from ads and from membership fees from folks who don't want to look at the ads. Those ads get seen because you give them your information for free. As "payment" for your generosity you get free membership so you don't have to see them.

Findu is a hobby site. The intent of the ads at findu is to fund the hobby, ie pay for the cost of running the server(s) and the bandwidth. As mentioned to you before you can find more information about the purpose of the ads at the findu site: http://www.findu.com/new.html . As "payment" for contributing your data, you get the satisfaction of knowing your data might be used in research, and an opt-in QA system that is a useful aid in monitoring the accuracy of your site.

Would it be possible to implement a "membership" system on the findu servers? Sure, but that would force Steve to invest even more time and money in findu. Would you be willing to do that because someone was whining about the ads? I doubt it.

So to answer your initial question "Are there other contributors to CWOP that are increasingly getting hostile when reading our stations data and finding more and more advertising on the site?", no, you are the only one.

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #21 on: October 15, 2007, 10:44:48 PM »
....Lets' try this again....

It's rabbit season!  No, it's duck season!  No, it's rabbit season!  No, it's duck season!..BLAM!!!



Sorry, I had a Looney Tunes flashback there for a moment.   #-o

« Last Edit: October 15, 2007, 10:46:36 PM by Mark / Ohio »
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Offline SLOweather

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #22 on: October 15, 2007, 11:08:09 PM »
Mark / Ohio
Live from Mars!

"Sorry, I had a Looney Tunes flashback there for a moment."


Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2007, 11:31:13 PM »
Mark / Ohio
Live from Mars!

"Sorry, I had a Looney Tunes flashback there for a moment."

You too eh?  Glad I'm not the only one that suffers them. 
Mark 
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Offline ocala

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Re: Advertising on CWOP
« Reply #24 on: October 24, 2007, 03:04:12 PM »
Clammer. Go to this link. http://www.wxqa.com/news.html
Click on where it says "here" on the October 24th date.
Pay special attention to the last paragraph.
The blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll

 

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